482 
THE TROPICAL AQRIOULTURfST 
[January 1, 1892. 
Tbe lirst of IhcEO was opened about a twelve- 
month bach, the second towards the end of April, 
and the third in the month of May cl this year. 
The Company took over these establiehmcnts on its 
formation, and suffiaient time had now elapsed to 
warrant an opinion being formed as to the prospects 
of BUooesB. From the moment of the establish- 
ment being opened they had secured a considerable 
measure of support. Each customer is supplied 
with a separate pot of tea, with milk and sugar, for 
half a franc (djd). The service was decidedly 
superior to anything of the kind in England. 
Frogress since the holiday season of the Parisian 
bad been continuous. Every week and month 
showed, the chairman said, such satisfactory progress 
that it seemed probable that each of these places 
will be paying within three or four months. The 
third cBtablisbment was designedly opened away 
from the fashionable ijuarters of the city in the 
Boulevard Bourse Kouvelle in the neighbourhood 
of some of the large theatres. Ceylon tea was 
kept in stock, but 90 per cent of their sales was 
of Indian tea. They had done well at an exhi- 
bition opened in the Champs Elysdes in Augnati 
whiob remains open till the end of November and 
each Buoaeeding month bad increased the number 
of their oustomsra. The Chairman continued;— 
“Oar total sales in the year 1889 were over 
16.000 francs, in 1890 over 30,0C0 francs, and in 
1891 (estimating tbe two last months of the year 
on tbe basil of the others) they will be over 
120.000 francs.” No intention was at present 
formed to open further establishments in Paris, 
but the directors thought of trying branches in 
other parts of Europe and had secured a site at 
the Chicago Exhibition. Mr. Bullock (Chairman 
of the Upper Assam and Assam; Frontier Com- 
panies) expressed an objection to any but Indian 
tea being sold. Mr. Seton said that the proportions 
of other teas sold was only one per cent of the 
total sale, and Mr. Thomas Lough remarked that 
“In the course of a few months Mr. Bullock’s 
wishes would bo carried into effect. Thera were 
several practical diihouUies to deal with, but the 
board bad taken steps to obtain the end desired.” 
It is to the closing utterance by Mr. Thomas 
Lough that it seems desirable to call tbe special 
attention of yenr Planters' Association, as I shall 
also take care that it has that of the Ceylon Asso- 
ciation in London’s Tea Committee, if it baa not 
already been under that Committee’s oonaidera- 
tion. Mr. Lough was, as you know, appointed 
on his own application the recognized agent for 
Ceylon teas in Paris. Tet to judge from the 
words he is reported to have used, he would 
I icm to be doing his best to exclude Ceylon tea 
Irom sale by the company he represents in Paris 1 
I may of course, bo mistaken. You will notice 
that tire Chairman stated that ten per cent of tbe 
teas sold were other than Iridian. Did he use 
Indian as a genetic term to include Ceylon ; and 
did the ten per cent mean China or other teaa 
used for blending purposes ? If he did not 
this, then Mr. Lough is apparently aiding mm to 
keep Ceylon teas out of sight. It is I'®, 
that we misunderstand this ; but it is difnoult to 
nut any other ooustruotion upon what Mr. Lougn 
IS reported to have said. No doubt the laJati 
Indien Company is doing a good work m popu- 
larizing tec-drinking among the PatisiBUB, and loe 
taste lor Ibis established Ceylon teas ate sure in 
time to find many patrons. But the question we 
are more partioularly oonoetned with is how far, 
to judge from what he has said, Mr. Lough 10 
fulfiUing his compact as the recognised Agent lor 
Ceylon teas in Paris ? Xho matter certainly merits 
inijuiry. 
I have this week teen a letter from Mr. Elwood 
May to Mr. Leake in which he complains of the diffi- 
culties arrising frem went of adequate capitel. 
He says that iioitber in England nor Ceylon 
have any of his Compsny’a ebares been taken 
up, and that it is very difficult to get 
the necessary each cspilal frem Americans. This 
does not surpriEe me, any mere than it surprises 
me to learn that capital has not leen subsciibed 
either by people hero or in Coylrn. Wo have 
perfect reliance cn Mr. Elwood May and bis good 
faith and intenlioDS, but oapitalista hero are now 
very shy of investments outside of Great Britain 
or her oolcnies ; and we fear Mr. May will have 
to depend entirely upon what capital be can raise 
locally. He tells Mr. Leake that " Our advoitising 
contracts, for which we pay only in the stock of 
this Company, already amount to over 160,000 
dollars.” 
Mr. Arkell, whom you will know to have been tbe 
gentleman who entered into tl.e Hret of these con- 
tracts with Mr. May, has written to that gentle- 
man : — “ I expeot from the present outlook to have 
tbe whole 300,000 dollars of your advertising placed 
within the next six months. To place this pro- 
perly, it takes a long time, as I wish to get the 
very best results ; therefore, it cannot be dona in 
a hurry. From a close study of your enterprise 
I am fully oonviuoed that a very large and 
profitable busineee can be made of it. I _ think 
your Company ought to expend, in addition to 
this 200,000 dollars in stock, 200,000 dollars in 
cash, and that certainly would put the Ceylon 
tea upon the market under all hazards. If 
your Company, or members of it, would raise 
175,000 doUars in cash to be used in this direotion, 
I would be willing to * chip in ’ 26,000 dollars 
and take it in stock at par, with understanding 
that no stock is to be sold less than par.” 
Evidently Mr. May wants cash to work his enter- 
prise, bat it is much to be feared he will not 
obtain it on this side of the Atlantic. Tbe question 
is if be was not too sanguine of tbe support to 
be obtained in England and Ceylon. He would 
seem to have forgotten the many other quarters 
in which yon are making rfiorts to introduce your 
teas, and that nearly all tbe capital which might 
otherwise have flowed in bis direotion has been 
absorbed by such ventures, 
Mr. May has been obtaining the opinion of 
certain strawboard manufaoturers in America as 
to tbe cost of making the Stanley-Wrightaon tea 
oboetB by them, and we are surprised at hearing 
from him that their price quoted ie 1 dollar 61) cents, 
equivalent to about 6 ehillings per chest. Making 
every allowance for tbe higher cost of labour in 
America, it ia impossible to see how such an esti- 
mate can be justified, for the boxes were made here 
at a cost of 2 shillings each ! If the price quoted 
oannot be reduced, it is not likely that the States will 
furnish an opening for tbe Stanley-Wrigbtson boxes. 
The Ceylon Estates Tea Company has opened a 
very nest-looking establishment at 166, Fenchniob 
Street, the agents working it being Messrs. Edwards 
& Co. Fenohurch Street ie, of course, an admirable 
locality for such an establishment, and we have 
no doubt tbe Company will find its full account 
in it. 
Iho Lanka Company baa removed from its former 
offioe in the Old Jewry and has taken fresh ones 
at No. 12, Fonohuroh Street. The report of this 
Company should now be in course of preparation, 
and no doubt is, but it was too late when I called 
at tbe old address this week to return to make 
inquiry at the obauged one. 
Borneo seems still to attract investors, though 
ws have not yet heard of very Buooeeelul results 
