THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST [December i, 1891. 
442 
Very Rood land is to be bad in Maruda Bay, or near 
Darvei Bay, and I have seen lately eome land thaA is 
really splendid, but I shoabl like you to come and leee 
for yourself feeling euro as I do that you will say it 
is worth a trial. 
Our market for ooffua may be America, if so we are 
witbiu easy reach of Vancouver, or if England then 
Holt’s line will quote through rales. If I can give you 
any further infurmalion I shall be happy to do so. 
Our seasong are much the same as in Ucylou. — Yours 
failhfully, (Signed) Hknry VValkbu, 
Oommissioner of Lauds. 
MB. WM. MACKENZIE AND THE 
TEA KIOSK. 
Thorolield, Nov. 12th. 
Dear Sib, — In your leader in paper of 10th 
occurs the following sentence : " We have never 
been able to understand Mr, Mackenzie's special 
crusade against the kiosk at Colombo." 
I don't know about the ' special crusads,’ but 
I long ago stated my objection to ho that Colombo 
was not the plaos to catch Americans and Bussiaus, 
and proposed instead a kiosk near the Pyramids 
in Egypt. Our tourists are almost all Austra- 
lians or people going to China or Calcutta. 
We have already our lair share oMhe Australian 
tea trade, and can have as much more if we 
land good teas iu Melbourne or Sydney at Od to 
8d. But Australian dealers will not pay London 
prioss, as 1 and many others know by bitter 
eiperienoe. China and Calcutta grow tbsir own 
teas. 
But I bad said my ' say’ about the kiosk and 
was done with it. What I said about its oonneotion 
with the New Company was in reply to a reqinst 
from your ' junior ' to give him my opinion. 
That also was, as yon say, an “ accomplished 
fact,” and further that of ceasing to bo a sub- 
seribor to the Tea Fund, 1 had • moved on ’ os 
regards that matter also. Any controversy einoo 
has net been of my raising ; and as my with- 
drawing of a letter by wire last week alter yon had 
it in type, proves I am content to let bygone be such t 
We have ail enough before ns at present in 
preparing for adequato representation at Chi>- 
eago, It IB time space was applied for, and 
this cannot well bo done, nntil we know 
what money wo shall have to spend. If 
we do not aim high, we shall hit low. Besides 
the conttibutioDB from Government and Tea Fund, 
whioh will amount to about £0,000, I think we 
should raise £14,000, or £20,000 in all. What a 
trifle it seems to be contiibnied by 1,200 estates, 
nearly half of whioh have eo far paid nothing to 
the Fund 1 Why, it is very mneh less than one 
month’s weeding contract 1 But to approach 
this amount, regular owner to owner canvassisg 
must be attempted. It will never be done by 
circular solicitations from the Tea Fund. Thai 
importunate lady has tried her charming too often 
in vain. WM. MACKENZIE. 
the tea KIOSK AND THE CHICAGO 
FAIB SDBBCBIPTION. 
Nov. 16lh. 
Dear Sib,— This building, now nearly completed, 
stands almost opposite the G. 0. H. in Colombo, 
and long before Ibo same was erected, it was con. 
sidered that such an impwing upecuicle would be 
certain to attract the flock of passing strangers, 
who spend a few hours on shore from the various 
steamers ealling at our port. To sto the building 
as it now it, ono esn hardly oonie to any other 
conclusion than that the whole idea has resulted 
in a miserable failure, A largo sum of money 
has been spent in the construction, and on the 
pillars whioh are made from a particular kind of 
wood ; and now that the building is erected it does 
not look to me as if it -would have any attraction 
for paesongers whatsoever. That an insignificant 
little building such as the Kiosk is should attract 
even a tenth part of the paasers-by from steamers 
seems to me most improbable, for the large hotel 
opposite looks for mote enticmg. and strangere 
are certain to patrouiae the hotel in pioferenee to 
the Kiosk «i;e« for a good cup of tea. 
Had the Kiosk been erected and carried on 
in Paris or New York or Sydney or even 
Fort Said the results might have been favourable, 
but the posilion now seems as advantageous as a 
spot iu Timbuotoo would have been. New York I 
should certainly have considered'a morc'favonrable 
location for its erection. It would have been in the 
midel — more or less —of a tea-drinking people. It 
would have been the means of bringing good Ceylon 
tea to the notice of many Americans, and the 
American Tea Company would have leooivod banefit 
from advertisemeut. Whsreos now the money seems 
well nigh wasted. 1 only hoM it may be of service, 
and everything should be done to make it so. I 
have not been a aubsetiber to the Tea Fund, but I 
intend to give my donation towards the representa- 
tion of Ceylon at the Chicago Etbibition together 
with an extra allowance of BIOO. We sbonM now 
do all in our power to have Ceylon tea well repre- 
sented there, for it will not only be the means of 
introducing our teas to numbers of Americans, but 
to thousands of strangers from other countries as 
well, and this chance of pushing our teas should 
commend itself to all planters and traders in- 
terested and supported as much as possible, 
seeing how badly we require fresh taarkets to take 
off our ever increasing supplies. — Yours faithfully, 
W, A. T. 
THE CHICAGO EXHIBITION. 
Dear Sir, — The subseription list started by the 
Chairman of the Chamber of Oormneroe has now 
been travelling round the Fort for five days, but 
out of some titty and more firms only four have 
appended their names as subaoribers. The reason 
is not tar to seek. The queatiODS on most people’s 
lips are : Who is to be the Commissioner? Is 
Mr. Blwood May to handle any more Ceylon coin? 
I venture to say that if these two queries are 
satisfactorily answered Mr, Bois will not appeal 
in vain, and that many of the eomaunity wilt at 
onoe add their names and materially inerease the 
amount already promised. Why not oall a publio 
meeting to disenss the matter? Everyone admits 
Ibo groat importance of Ceylon being well repro- 
Rented at the World’s Exhibition, but what is wanted 
is more light on the subject. The Banks and 
Steamer Agencies should come down handsomely .and 
so will most of the ether firms, inoluding my own, 
when satisfied as to who is to oatry tihe parse of 
£10,000(and spend it in America. 
Ono of Mr. Elwood May’s bright ideas wa.s 
to boom tea by getting American newspaper 
proprietors to take scrip in his Company in 
payment of advertissments. This no doubt has 
been comparatively an easy matter owing to 
his trading nuder the auspices of the Ceylon 
Planters’ Assooiation and several local " Honor- 
ables.’’ _ Now, however, newepaper proprietors 
arc beginning to feel a dosiro to realize their serip. 
Finding no market in their own oountry, they 
naturally turn to Ceylon. When they find scrip 
may be bought here at a diseonDt ol 75 to 90 per cent 
we shall _ no doubt be abused right and loft in 
obaraeterietio plain Amntsan language, and what 
