March i, 1892..! 
THE TROPICM. AQWtOTLTU Rl ST, 
649 
she ever exported. Large quantities go to Russia) 
KpgUnd, the Uuitcd States and Canada, Australia and 
New Zealand ; and smaller quuntitirs to Boutb Amerioa, 
South Africa, and the Continent of Europe ; while 
even India takes 3,000,000 this year, being about tho 
usual quantity. The falling oft in the revenue in 
Foochow may be eccounted for by the considerable 
increase at Kinkiang and Haukuw. The reduotion of 
tho export onty might prove a temporary expedient 
lor the importing of China tea into England ; but it 
is better teas from China that wa require. The small 
export duty would have little prejudicial elTect in 
their competition with either India or Oeyhm. I am 
of opinion that the preaenb China tea gardens are 
exhausted. The tea shrubs have become rank, and 
nothing but replanting will bring about the consump* 
tion of China lea to any great extent in Englfiud.’* 
Tea in Upper Siam. — I n his paiier ou the Laos 
S*ate« of Upper Siam, read before the Society of 
Arts on Tuesday, Mr. Ernest Satow, in describing 
his jouniey round the highest monutaio in the 
neighbourhood, Doi Suthep, said he met with some 
old tea plantations, where tho plant reached from 12ft. 
to 15ft. in height. The leaf was longer and more 
pointed than that of the Japanese tea plant, and it 
was probably the same, variety as that which furnished 
the Ascam tea. The Laos did not drink the infusion, 
but prepared tho leaf for chewing by burying the 
leaf in pots and sailing it. No exterior trade was 
done with the tea, which was issued for domestic 
consumption only. 
IjArt Week’s Tea Sales.— The \rroducc Marhds 
Review savH ; — The Indian tea market has been sevtrely 
tested by the heavy supply, amounting to upwards 
of 48,000 packages, or about 4,500,000 lb. It 
was expected that with thia heavy supply, 
coupled with the probability of a still larger quan- 
tity to bo cflered next week, prices would be forced 
down to a lower level, but this has not been tho case 
as the market not only opened firmly, but closed so, 
for most uescriptioDs. If importers, however, continue 
market regardless of tho 
ability ot the trade to take them, the inevitable result 
will ho that they must submit to a lower level of 
prices. Iho stock in the bonded warebou^es under 
ordiuiiry circumstances would certainly indicate a de- 
cline in valnes, but Indian tea is so moderate in price 
and the consumption so largely increasing, as evidenced 
by the deliveries of the past threo mouths, which 
amonu^ed to about|30,000,0()0 lb., that any further mate- 
rial decline will only be brought about by excessive 
supplies. At this period last year Pekoo Souchong, and 
in iftCt, all tho lower grades, were from 2d to 3d higher 
than at present, which wuaduo to a speculative demand, 
but at no period of last soai'ou were prices below those 
now ruling. VVith a ooutinueil improving demand, 
therefore, there 18 no rf-asou why prices should fall 
nnlesa enppli^s arn iu.lisoriminately pressed forward, in 
which case the decline will onlj be temporary. The 
opening eolos ol Ceylon teas have been smaller than 
was nutioipated and prices np to tho present are some- 
what higher than the oloaing rates of 1891. This re- 
sult was, however, mainly clue to the large bnying of 
Bonie or tne packet corapunles who seem to anticipate 
still higher rates, a belief evidently not p.rtioipated in 
by the dealers in general, who abstained from buying in 
a perfectly marked manner. The sales advertised for 
next week are qnito up to tlie average quantity, and no 
soaroity of tea need be anticipated at present. Tho 
quaitly of the wee a e ales has shown some improvement 
but still leaves much to be desired. 
Coffee in 1891.— The course of the coffee market last 
year may be auramar.sed thus. It steadily advanced 
until the middle of March when the highest prices 
of the year were reached, middliog plantation 
Ceylon touching llOi. Importers, tempted by tho high 
prices ruling then, offered rather freely, and value 
gave way romewhnt, but the demand being good, 
ospecially for tho finer grades, the decline wls onlv 
a gradual one. At the turn of tho year the upward 
movement was again resumed, tho supplies being light 
and the trade demand good, bnt at the beginning of 
September the heavy receipts in Brazil and free offer- 
>ngs on cost and freight terms cansed a considerable 
relapse, middling plantation Ceylon declining to 90s, 
A rsther bettor demand from the trade then caused 
a steadier tone, and the revolution in Brazil gave an 
additional hllip to the market, the fear that ship- 
ments might be delayed causing holders to raise their 
quotations. For a time the advance was not readily 
paid, but with nuusually light supplies exporters and 
home buyers were soon compelled to pay the prices 
demanded, end the market has continued to 
adyanoe to the close, 103. Cd being now the ruling 
price for middling plantation Oeylon. The terminal 
market haa been dull tbrongheut, and at no time 
can it be said to have displayed any teal animation. 
Santos has been almost entirely neglected. During 
the earlier part of the year prioea improved somewhat, 
Uio standing at 82a (id in May, hut from this time the 
receipts at Kio commenced to increase, and as those 
prew the quotations dropped away until, at the begin- 
ing of October, 58a w.aa the current value of Bio, and 
58s for Santos. At this date tho heavy crop move- 
ment began to fall off, and with less pressure on the part 
of importers to sell on e. and f. terms, prices gradually 
recovered. The stocks of Buropo. aocording to Messrs. 
Dniiring and Boon’s last returns, wore 38,6l>0 tons, 
Rgaiust 82,750 tons at tho end of last year. The 
visible supply amounted to 110,951 tons, against 
143,491 tons last year. The landings in London during 
the year have been 34,157 Ions, against 41,172 tons 
last year. The quantity taken for home consumption 
was 14,995 tons, agaiust 13,642 tons, and for export 
21,550 tons, against 30,932 tons. — if. and ('.Mail, Jan. 
15tb. 
A NEW TEA CHEST. 
irndirtho title of the Acme Tea Chest Syndicate, 
a company lias been formed and registered in Scot- 
land with a capital of i‘8,000, in 1,100 ordinary and 
500 deferred eharcs of £5 each, to acquire certain 
patent rights, held by Henry James Stewart Brown, 
Egrenioiit, Cambnslang, relatjvo to the manufacture 
of chests j to adopt and carry ont an agreement en- 
tered into with Mr. Brown ; and to carry on tho 
business of making and manuFacturiog, and to sell, 
hire, lot, and deal in metal or other chests or boxes 
for holding or carrying tea or other commodities, or 
chests or boxes of all kinds. That regulations in 
Table A ot the Companies Act, with slight modifi- 
cation, to be the articles of association. The first 
directors are Arthur Maebau, Anderston Iron Woriks, 
Cranston-hill Glasgow; John Binnie, Star Engineer ng 
Works, Moiicnr Street, Glasgow; William Cook, 74, 
Galbraith Street, Glasgow ; James Oonper, juu. (of 
James Oouper and Sons), (Jity Glass Works ; Glas- 
gow ; and William Porteous, Andoraton Galvanising 
Works, Glasgow. Mr. Peter 8. Brown, late manager 
of the Iron and Steel Fencing and Buildings Com- 
pany, Glasgow, is to be manager.— ff. and C'. Jfaif, 
Jan. ISlli. 
INDIAN TEA. 
TO THE KDITOn OF THE “ MORNING POST. ’ 
Si K,— The rapid growth of the Indian aud Oeylon tea 
trades, not only in this, bnt in Russia aud other tea 
drinking countries, appears to be causing the old traders 
in China teas some trouble, the rapid decline in con- 
sumption of China tea, especially in, this country, obliging 
them to employ various methods, by advertisment 
and otherwise, to endeavour to prevent the orlnking 
of the teas of British competitive growth, which are 
daily becoming more appreciated by tho public. It is 
uufortunately true that much tea ia being sold now under 
the titles of Ceylon and Indian that contain only a small 
percentage ol either of the above being composed largely 
of ordinary China tea, to the detriment of the former ; 
and several prosocutioes have been suooetsfully under- 
taken to stop this praotice, by parties interested in 
seeing that the public get tho genuine article. In 
the I'ej/lon I® hand, an article appears 
in which these China traders are charged with isBuiug 
