796 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Mav  I,  1897. 
new  Hailway  and  canal  works.  The  Railway  fare 
from  Benares  to  Calcutta  is  about  K7  and  we  have 
not  yet  heard  from  the  B.  I.  S.  N.  Co.  what  they  will 
charge  to  land  coolies  in  Colombo,  per  head.  There 
is  also  the  Asiatic  line  they  may  take  them  cheaper. 
If  you  will  instruct  us,  we  will  make  the  neces* 
sary  inquiries  for  you.  You  required  150  coolies. 
We  can  give  you  the  full  number,  duly  registered 
and  indentured  for  your  Island.  The  coolies  eat 
rice  and  they  are  a hardy  race.  We  will  require 
an  advance  of  at  least  R2,500  to  send  them.  Yours 
faithfully,  (signed)  Stephen  Dass  & Co. 
CEYLON  TEA  IN  RLSSIA. 
Kandy,  Ajjril  12. 
Sir, — Mr.  Kogivue,  writing  from  Moscow  on 
February  14/26  gives  an  account  of  a two  months’ 
tour  undertaken  by  liis  agent,  a Mr.  Stromberg 
in  the  course  of  whicli  some  28  towns  in  tlie 
Baltic.  Provinces,  ranging  in  population  from 
7,000  to  nearly  200,000,  were  visited.  In  each 
town  Mr.  Stromberg  interviewed  the  principal 
tea  dealers  and  others,  and  also  distributed  samples 
and  brewed  and  distributed  tea  in  the  cup  at  the 
Hotels.  He  was  unable,  however,  to  undertake 
public  lecturing  for  various  police  rea.sons  which 
might  perhaps  be  overcome  witli  time  and  money. 
Mr.  Stromberg’s  conclusions  are  that  though 
few  of  the  trade  were  willing  to  take  up  Ceylon 
tea  they  all  admitted  its  good  qualities,  but 
some  doubted  it  (suiting  the  Russian  taste)  and 
they  would  be  certain  to  deal  in  it  if  either 
(1)  they  were  regularly  and  frequently  visited 
and  promised  and  given  the  liberal  assistance 
in  advertising  or  (2)  tliey  w’oie  otl'ered  equal 
advantages  as  to  credit  with  China  tea  and 
could  get  a bigger  profit  or  (3)  they  experienced 
a demand  coming  from  their  customers,  the 
public.  Mr.  Rogivue  remarks  : — 
“ Now  Mr.  Stromberg  and  I have  both  concluded, 
and  I think  you  will  also  see  from  the  report  on 
this  journey,  that  of  the  three  conditions  which  in 
our  opinion  would  ensure  the  more  complete  and 
full  conversion  of  this  country  to  Ceylon  tea,  the 
third  (that  of  making  the  dealers  feel  a demand 
springing  up  among  their  customers)  is  the  most 
hopeful  and  also  the  soundest  and  most  enduring  when 
accomplished,  although  it  is  the  most  didicult  and 
the  slowest  to  show  any  result. 
“ To  do  this  I think  we  should  increase  our  efforts 
to  keep  the  name  of  Ceylon  tea  and  its  most 
conspicuous  merits  continually  before  the  public  by 
the  newspaper  annonuceuients,  as  done  in  previous 
years,  only  on  a more  extensive  scale  if  possible 
and  by  opening,  wherever  possible,  new  shops  for 
special  sale  of  Pure  Ceylon  Tea  in  packets  (retail) 
and  continuing  my  never-relaxing  search  for  agents 
to  undertake  the  exclusive  sale  of  Pure  Ceylon  Tea.” 
Mr.  Rogivue  concludes  his  letter  as  follows  ; — 
“ There  is  a matter  to  which  I would  beg  the  most 
earnest  attention  of  all  in  Ceylon  and  that  is,  that 
from  many  independent  sources  I have  heard  com- 
plaints, among  those  who  import  your  produce,  that 
the  quality  of  the  tea  is  not  what  it  used  to  be.  I 
myself  have  noticed  a falling-off  in  this  respect,  some 
marks  which  used  to  suit  this  market  so  well  owing 
to  their  strength,  and  the  appearance  of  the  dry  leaf 
being  now  so  poor  in  both  these  respects  that  I have 
been  obliged  to  give  up  importing  them  and  find 
rcat  difficulty  in  matching  my  old  standards.  As  I 
aT«  kept  nearly  all  my  old  samples  of  teas  I bought, 
I am  able  to  make  comparisons  for  a period  ex- 
tending over  several  years.  The  maintenance  of  the 
fine  qualities  which  we  advocate  is  naturally  a vital 
question  in  the  permanent  conversion  of  new  markets. 
“ I shall  be  very  pleased  to  supply  any  Ceylon 
firm,  who  may  desire  it,  with  the  addresses  of  direct 
importers  of  tea  looked  up  by  Mr,  8tromberg,” 
Mr.  Roguvie  enclosed  the  following  translation  of 
a letter  to  a Russian  newspaper  dated  31stJaimary, 
1897;— 
“ Translation  of  a letter  to  the  Editor  appearing 
in  the  liusshie  Slovo  No.  30,  31st  January,  1897  “ To 
the  best  of  my  knowledge  several  newspapers  have 
been  lately  advocating  the  closing  of  our  ports  to 
English  ships  in  consequence  of  the  Blague  epidemic 
in  India.  Such  an  arbitrary  measure  is  perhaps  too 
strong,  but  it  would  not  be  at  all  too  much  to 
forbid,  for  the  time  being,  the  import  of  any  food 
stuffs  from  India,  such  as  for  instance  Ceylon  Tea  of 
which,  according  to  the  “Russian  Telegraphic 
Agency,”  a large  shipment  has  just  been  landed  in 
Odessa.  This  tea  is  much  appreciated  and  drunk 
amongst  our  people  and  is  also,  as  I have  heard, 
used  to  mix  with  other  sorts  of  tea,  not  of  Indian 
origin.  We  can  very  well  do  without  this  English 
product,  for  our  friends,  the  Chinese,  have  always 
supplied  us  with  their  tea  in  sufficient  quantities.” — 
I am,  sir,  yours  faithfully,  A.  Philip, 
Secretary,  Thirty  Committee. 
HILL  TRAMWAYS  COMMISSION. 
Colonial  Secretary’s  Olfice,  Colombo,  12th  April 
1897. 
Sir, — I am  directed  to  forward  to  you  the 
enclosed  copy  of  a letter  addressed  to  the  Hon 
Mr.  F.  R.  Saunders  relative  to  the  apiiointinent 
of  a Commission  to  report  on  Hill  Tramways 
together  with  a copy  of  the  report  submitted  by 
the  Commission. — I am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
J.  J.  THORBURN,  for  Colonial  Secietary. 
Colonial  Secretary’s  Office,  Colombo,  6th  Feb. 
1897. 
Sir, — With  reference  to  the  letter  addressed  by 
me  to  Messrs.  Christie,  Mackintosh,  and  }murself, 
bearing  date  the  3rd  instant,  I am  directed  to 
transmit  to  you  the  accomi)anying  Commission 
under  the  hand  of  His  Excellency  the  Governor 
and  the  Public  Seal  of  the  Island,  appointing 
you  to  enquire  and  to  report  on  the  construc- 
tion ot  tramways  in  the  Hill  Provinces  of  Ceylon. 
2.  His  Excellency  will  be  glad  if  you  will 
enquire  and  report: — (1)  On  the  advisability  of 
constructing  tramways  whether  for  steam,  bullock 
or  other  traction  in  the  hill  districts  ; (2)  on 
their  probable  cost  ; (3)  on  the  probable  Hnancial 
result  of  their  working  ; (4)  whether  they  could 
be  constructed  on  the  grant-in-aid  system,  and 
whether  it  would  be  desirable  to  encourage 
their  construction  by  the  means  of  private  enter- 
pri.se  or  of  public  companies,  and  if  so,  the  shape 
which  such  encourageniemt  (otherwise  than  by 
a guarantee  of  interest)  should  take  ; (5)  the 
roads,  if  any,  on  or  alongside  which  such  tra.u- 
ways  should  be  constructed. 
3.  The  Commission  is  empowered  to  order 
such  surveys  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  purpose 
of  their  enquiry. 
I am,  &c.,  (Sgd.)  H.  L.  Crawford,  for  Colonial 
Secretary. 
The  Hon  Mr.  F.  R.  Saunders,  C.M.G. 
THE  HILL  TRAMWAYS  COMMISSION. 
The  Commission  has  held  sittings  at  ('olombo 
Hatton,  Badulla,  and  Nuwara  Eliya,  and  in  addition 
to  obtaining  information  and  arriving  at  a decision  on 
certain  general  points  connected  with  tramways  and 
hill  railways,  it  has  inquired  into  the  following  specific 
schemes: — 
(a)  Railway  between  Nanuoya  and  Nnwara 
Eliya,  and  an  extension  to  Udapussel- 
lawa. 
(ft)  Scheme  for  the  Dikoya  district. 
(c)  Do  Dimbula  district. 
(</)  Do  Badulla-Passara  district. 
(e)  Do.  Pussellawa-Ramboda  district. 
(r)  Do,  Hewaheta-Uaturata  district. 
