Nov. I, 1897.] THE TROPICAL 
“TEA MANUFACTURE BY 
ELECTRICITY, 
Tlie lirst issue of t,!ie new series of the Indian 
and Eastern Engineer is an edition dc lm:e printed 
on toned paper Vitli numerous illustrations and 
much instructive letterpress. The most interest- 
ing article to us is on the above topic, and we quote 
it as follows; — 
Mr. Davidson Rickie, Electrical Engineer to the 
British Dar jeeling TeaCo.,Ld., has successfully intro- 
duced electricity as a motivepowerfor the manufacture 
of tea. This v.e believe is the first instance in which 
electricity has been introduced with success for tea 
manufacture. 
Mr. Rickie is also the patentee of a process tor 
the complete manufacture of tea without the aid of 
fuel where water power is available within reasonable 
distance from a tea factory. The value of this can 
hardly be overestimated when one considers the 
thousands of acres under tea cultivation, and the 
numerous gardens with water power available. A wide 
field for electrical enterprise, and a bright future for 
electricity in this direction, has now been opened out, 
and those who are interested in tea will not be slow to 
perceive the great advantages electricity holds over 
any other motive power. We will enumerate the 
advantages hereafter, and, for the present, confine 
ourselves to a descriptive account of the electrical 
plant which has been steadily at work from the 
beginning of 1896, and has proved to be a conspicuous 
success. 
The Thurbo Tea Estate, which covers over 6,000 
acres, belongs to the British Darjeeling Tea Co., 
Ld., and extends from the Mechi River (one 
of the Nepal boundaries) to the Eungbong 
River, which flows through the Nagri Valley. 
The tea factory, of which we give an illustration 
taken from a photograph, is situated one . from 
the Bungbong River at an elevation of 4,000 feet : all 
the machinery is worked by electricity, ihe w^ater 
taken from the Bungbong River, is led by a substan- 
tial waterway of masonry to a point where a lail oi 
56 feet is obtained ; from this point 16-inch steel pipes 
convey the water, down the .56 feet fall, to a 40 11.1 . 
Jonval Turbine (this being one of the best low-water 
fall horizontal turbines, by Mr. William Gunter). 
To this turbine is connected, by belt and pul- 
ley, a Messrs. Mather and Platt’s Patent Man- 
Chester Dynamo capable of generating 30 B. H.-P. 
indicating 320 volts and 7C amperes. The cur- 
rent of electricity is transmitted by overhead 
copper wires to the factory ; the terminals 
being connected to a Manchester motor, patented by 
Messrs. Mather and Platt, and capable of developing 
24 B.H.-P. The motor is under complete control, 
and the speed is regulated by a graduated 10-stop 
switch ; it is also supplied with drop sight oil cups, 
and Messrs. Mather and Platt’s patent carbon 
brushes, so that, practically speaking, it requires 
no attention. We learn that this enterprising firm 
of electricians have further enhanced the value of 
their electric plants for tea manufacture by then- 
recent patent enclosed motors, which protects the 
motor from all tea dust. Among other useful pro- 
ductions are their patent automatic brushes, which are 
absolutely necessary for the varying loads resulting 
in tea manufacture, during the rolling process. 
The machinery driven by the above electric plant 
comprises- — 2 Large Davidson Down Draft birocco t^ 
driers ; 2 Jackson’s Patent tea-leaf rollers ; 1 David- 
son-MacGuire tea packer; 2 Tlea sifters; 1 Tea 
cutter. It also provides for the lighting of the factory 
throughout by electricity with numerous 16 C.-P. in- 
candescent lamps which are hung from the ceilings 
and give a brilliant light. The electric lighting of the 
factory is effected by joining the positive and nega- 
tive wires for the electric light, to the positive and ne- 
gative wires between dynamo and motor ; the current 
being regulated by a small resistance box. 
The entire confidence which the British Darjeeling 
Tea Co. place in Mr. Rickie’s abilities, and 
the reliance they place in electricity as a 
u 
AGRICULTURIST. 329 
motive power of tea manufacture, is proved by 
the fact that there is no reserve power at hand 
in the event of a breakdown ; and no doubt 
can I e entertained of the success of the above 
plant, seeing that such satisfactory results have been 
obtained, and it is now well through the second sea- 
son, with no sign of any trouble or stoppage. 
We will proceed to enumerate the many advan- 
tages to be derived from electricity, as a motive 
power, for tea manufacture. I’irstly, we must consi- 
der that most serious question of fuel, always a diffi- 
culty, but more specially in the Darjeeling District, 
where it is difficult to obtain firewood owing to the 
stringency of the Forest Department, and the 
enhanced rates for freight on coal on the Darjee- 
ling-Himalayau Railway, and the trouble and cost 
of carriage of fuel from railway to the tea gardens. 
Electricity has a great number of advantages over 
the old style of generating motive power by a steam 
boiler with its great cost for fuel, when, as is the 
case with most gardens. Nature is ready to supply 
ample power, constant and never-failing, in the form 
of abundance of water, which is running to waste. 
It certainly seems almost incredible that those 
who are striving daily to reduce expenditure, and 
study economy, on a tea garden, cannot see that they 
are throwing away a large percentage of the profits 
in smoke ; whereas, by utilizing this water power and 
adopting electricity, a great economy could usually be 
obtained. There are, at this present time, tea gardens 
in the Darjeeling District paying R34 per ton for coal, 
and R30 per hundred maunds for firewood ; at the 
same time they have abundance of water power within 
easy distance from the factory. 
What are the advantages derived from steam power ? 
Coal or wood is absolutely necessary. There is the 
constant fear to the manager of a tea garden that the 
native driver may allow the water to run low in the 
boiler. The fires must be lit at a certaiir hour to be 
ready for withered leaf, and after steam is raised and 
the leaf is not quite ready, the fires have to be kept 
back. 
The boiler has to be cleaned out occasionally and 
scaled, which incurs the cost of packing, jointing, etc. 
The yearly overhaul to machinery, viz., steam 
engine and boiler. 
The dirt and dust resulting from the use of fuel. 
These are all disadvantages, and the only advantage 
steam can claim over electricity is, that it does not 
require so large a supply of water. In all other- 
respects, electricity proves to be superior. 
It is the acme of cleanliness as a motive power. 
It can be started and stopped at any moment, night 
or day, at a moment’s notice. 
It will run for years without requiring any repair.^. 
It is more economical than any other power except- 
ing the water-wheel. 
There isthegreat advantage of lighting the factory 
by electricity, and most of the disadvantages, arising 
from the use of steam power, are obviated. 
The Superintendent can command the electricity 
at any moment, as he has only to ring an electric 
bell, and the man in charge, at the turbine house, 
turns on the water by opening a sluice door, and in 
2 to 3 minutes all the machinery in the factory is in 
motion. There is no necessity to order more or less 
power, as the ammeter indicates what machine is 
at work by the resistance indicated thereon, and the 
voltmeter indicates the speed by the number of volts. 
No danger can arise from too great a pressure, as 
a safety fuse would immediately melt and cut off the 
current, or, in other words, break the circuit ; but 
this seldom, if ever, occurs, and in the event of it 
occurring, a fresh fuse is always at hand, which can 
be replaced in half a minute. 
We learn that Mr. Rickie is now making arrange- 
ments for testing his patent on a large scale ; and 
should he prove successful it will create a revolution 
in tea manufacture ; and it can only be a question 
of time for the general adoption of electricity. 
Another decided advantage of electrical plants is, 
the ease with which they can be carried. A dynamo 
or motor can be taken in parts, and the heaviest 
of these can be carried by eight hill coolies to the 
