THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 
June I, i8(,8.] 
DUTV ON TEA IN RUSSIA, &C. 
Sir, — It has struck me that your powerful Plan- 
ters’ Associatiou might do something towards les- 
sening the tea duty in foreign countries by having 
a direct understanding with the Government of said 
countries. 
There is no doubt that the object of imposing duty 
is to secure revenue, and not to favour China or home 
products so that the expected amount of revenue 
being secured, the Government would not very strongly 
object to the import of more tea. 
Would it be impossible to guarantee (say to the 
Russian Government) the estimated amount of revenue 
on condition that l-3rd more tea should be allowed free 
of duty. In other words, ask fora rebate in the duty, 
and deposit the deficiency as security that l-3rd more 
tea would be imported into the country. 
One-third is perhaps a large figure to begin with, 
but whatever proportion is deemed advisable would 
probably be accepted. 
Now that Ceylon tea is just finding its way into 
foreign countries the idea is within reach of possibility. 
The scheme is in the nature of a wager. We bet 
yon so many thousand pounds that if you 
reduce the duty by l-iJrd your country will take 
l-3rd more tea and it is highly probable that your 
country will take one-half more tea and you will gain 
by increased revenue. There is not the faintest doubt 
that this principle continued year by year would 
reduce the duty in Russia to 4d and increase their 
revenue six-fold within ten years. 
The deposit would only be duty paid in advance, 
but perhaps the oiling of the wheels would cost a great 
deal. 
It is hard to understand, why high duties should be 
laced on tea, but our own country has shown the 
enefit of reducing the rate. Our people are not 
nearly as fond of tea as the Russians, but consump- 
tion has increased with each remission in duty, and 
the revenue has increased. 
Tea is not a commodity of which several years 
supply could be laid up, so there would be no fear that 
the merchants would import more than was required 
for the year_, in order to benefit by the low rate of 
duty. Any increase in imports W’ould be permanent. 
The remission of a part of the duty, under the 
conditions proposed could be used to gain popularity 
if tue transaction could be kept secret. 
1874. 
ALL ABOUT BIG TEA SALES. 
London, E.C., May 6. 
Dear Sir,— By this mail we are sending you 
a copy of last Wcdnesday’.s Daily Mail which 
gives an account of the competition going on 
amongst large rival Blending Houses for each one 
to prove itself the largest distributor in the trade. 
The fact of paying a duty clieque amounting to 
£6.3,147 means the clearing of nearly four million 
pounds weight of tea, and in order to do this a 
considerable quantitj' had to be purchased in 
recent sales, an order for the purchase of over 
20,000 packages being placed in our hands for 
execution by the Mazawattee Tea Co. Tliis led 
to a good deal of compeiition and without doubt 
did good to the market for both Indian and 
Ceylon teas, having the effect of lifting it 
out of the low groove into which it had got 
and giving a decidedly more healthy tone to 
the sales. 
The Daily Mail mentions us as liaving purchased 
one '‘break” of over 10,00 1 packages; this is an 
error, and we expect they really referred to the 
fact that we purchased in one public sale for the 
Mazawattee Tea Co. some 10,523 ]>ackages. This 
we thitik is the largest contract for tea ever sent 
jn from one firm to another. 
8S9 
We send you a copy of the Mazawattee 
advertisement and of their cheque, as w-e think it 
will probably be of interest to you ; copies of the 
latter are being widely circulated throughout the 
whole country. 
The previous record duty cheque was "bne paid 
by Mes.srs. Liptons sosne short time back for 
about £51,000. We think that .such powerful 
advertiseftients as those made by the two firms 
named, cannot do otherwise than lielp to increase 
tea consumption, not only in this country but 
abroad where the information may be spread.— 
Vife are, dear sir, yours faithfully, 
COW, WILSON & STANTON. 
“CEYLON PLANTERS’ TEA UNION.” 
May U, 
DiiAR Sir, — I notice in a home paper, an 
advertisement of the “Direct Supply Stores” 
proprietors ; The English Farmer, s’ Association 
Ltd., Hoi born circus. 
Substitute “The Ceylon Planters’ Tea Union” 
as pro[)rietors ; find the 'man ; and you have one 
remedy for vanishing profits. It would be to the 
interest of every agent, planter, proprietor and 
superintendent and S. D. in Ceylon to become a 
shareholder. Let the grower get the middleman’s 
profits and we shall hear no more of that bug- 
bear exchange for some time to come. Very few 
understand the question and still fewer have' time 
to spare to study the subject But we can all 
back up a Direct Supply Association. — Yours 
faithfully, x. K, 
CEYLON FISHING CLiTTB. 
Nuwara M .y 20, 
Dear Sir, 'As tlie affairs of the Ceylon Fishing 
Club may possibly be of intere.st to a good many 
of your readers, I venture to send you for pub- 
lication a list showing the distribution of the 
trout fry which have been hatched out during 
this season. Tlie total result shows that 11,788 
fry w-ere successfully hatched : of these 600 died 
owing to various accidents on the way to their 
destination ; leaving a net total of 11,188 which 
have actually been put into the various streams. 
Thi.s may be looked upon as a satisfactory re- 
sult, reflecting great credit upon Mr. Elhart 
who really bears the brunt of the delicate and 
anxious W'ork at the hatcherie.s. The best thanks 
of the Club are also due to the gentlemen who 
kindly and skilfully superintended the distribu- 
tion.— Yours faithfully, S. M. BURROWS, 
Hon. Secretary. 
Distribution List. 
1,250 to Kurundu Oya, Bulahal Ela, and Hal- 
gran Oya. 
50 to Stew Pond, St. Leonard’s. 
800 to Sita Eliya Streams. 
500 to Elk Plain Streams, 
800 to Ambawella Steams, 
600 to Streams in Dimbula. 
600 to Streaims on the Bop its. 
300 to Streams in Maskaiiya. 
400 to Kurundu Oya (High Forest). 
3,015 to Nuwara Eiiya Screams. 
3,273 to Horton Plains Streams. 
200 to Stew Pond, Nuwara Eliya, 
11,788 
