Foochow, 20th March, 1880. To Onanies A. Snvctam, Esq., 'H.B-AL's Consul, Foochow.
Sm,—Tho members of this Chamber have requested me to communicate with you on the following subjects; and to solicit your valuable ce-operation and influence with the native authorities in remedying the abuses complained of in which teas are now brought from the '1.—The faulty condition of the packages
interior to this market.
Tu former years the average weights of the leaden, or inner, packages were as follows Whole chests=5 catties, Half do. ry, Boxes 4 a 1} catties.
Whereas during the past season the average was only Half 2 a2 Whole chosts=3} a 34 cattle:
Boxes The result being that very many chops of tea were placed on this market in an unsound state; and that it consequently became necessary to repack thom,—an operation which, you will readily conceive, not only involved much waste of time and inconvenience to buyers, but like wi caused considerable pecuniary loss to the teamen, In addition to these positive results, I may mention that the condition of the great bulk of the tea shipped (more especially the first crop) must have been seriously affected by the disgraceful manner in which the leaden packages were mann-factured. And I need scarcely point out to you that unless these malpractices are promptly discontinued the reputation of Fohl wu teas will be seriously affected in the various foreign markets, 2.—The Oolong trade.
It will doubtless be within your reoollection, that in former years the trade in this description of tea was most important. But of late years the demand has (as your own statistics will no doubt show) been reduced to a minimum, I believe it may be safely argued that this regrettable turn in the trade was due more to the great admixture of dust than to any other assignable cause. For in the United States, (the chief consuming centre of this particular class of tea) there exists a strong prejudice against this faulty system of preparation. It must, however, be admitted that the teamen have of late endeavoured to eradicate this evil; and it is satisfactory to note, as a result of these efforts, that the teas are again coming into favour in the United States, as evidenced in the eager demand that existed at this port during the past season.
principal aim in addressing you on this matter is based on the probability of a large increase in the supply of this particu lar class of tea during the approaching season; and that those teamen who are interested in the subject should be reminded of the urgent necessity for bringing their teas to market as clean and free from dust as possible, so that the leaf may continue to find favour with consumers in the United States, and that this valuable branch of trade may be restored—to the manifest advantage of all connected with the port. And I would urge the importance of this question the more strongly on the ture of dust and broken leaf, st season again bil a imixtrid tha the later arrivals of these teas
Trusting to your favourable and early consideration of these subjects.
Thave the honour to remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, Chairman.
British Consulate, Foochow-foo, 20th April, 1880.
Sr,—I have the honor to enclose for your information, in reply to your letter dated the 20th ultimo, a copy, with a translation, of the official communication which reached me on the 15th instant from the Superintendent of Foreign Trade at this Port, bearing on the subject of the inferior make of the leaden linings of the tea-chests, and of the adulteration of the Oolong tea by the admixture of dust and burt refuse. the hills, they pointed out to me the wild plant, and said that thousands of dollars' worth of those leaves were sold every year to the foreigners at Foochow. I inquired if they ever used that kind of te themselves? They replied that sometimes the people who lived back among the hills used it, but it was not good—being very astringent. I find that the leaves of that plant are known in Foochow as spurious, or "lie" tea. And dishonest retailers are said to mix it with other tea and sell it to the inexperienced. It is said to produce indigestion.
'A few Gays later while passing through some fields on the plain beside a water-course, I saw two parties, of seven or eight persons in all, engaged in stripping the leaves off the willow trees that grew along the banks of the stream. They had bags and baskets to store them in, and the neighbours said they were going to sell them tomake ten of. Surely the ways of the heathen " Chinee," and of some others, are " very peculiar."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.