We printed inanothercolumnaparagraph from the Madras Mail, in which it was stated that fears were entertained that the Indian tea crop would not be as lange as was expected. We find from information contributed to one of our Indian contemporaries by Messrs. Win. Moran and Ca. of Calcutta that the estimate of the Indian crop for this season, 1889-90, was as nearly as possible 107,000,000Ibs. against something over 96,000,000|bs. in 1888-89, and nearly 87,000,000lbs. in 1887-88, an annual increase of about ten million pounds. Of this total crop it was expected that about 102} million pounds would be shipped to London, and Ceylon would send thither some 42 millions, making altogether about 145 millions from the two dependencies. Well might a speaker in the House of Commons the other day point out that while not long ago China grew all the tea and India all the opium, the conditions were rapidly being reversed, and India was growing the tea and China the opium. he best thing those interested in the China tea trade could do would be to get the Indian Government to put an export duty on tea to make up for the rapidly waning revenue from opium.
At present the look-out for China ws Worse and worse. An import into don of 145 millions of Indian and Ceylon tea means that not more than some 45 million pounds will be wanted for English consumption of China and. Java tea, and perhaps 30 millions more for re-export; say some 70 millions from all ina for Great Britain, against, an actual export thither last season of about 103 millions. Nor is it only in Great Britain that India and Ceylon are throwing down the gauntlet with such confident audacity. "In Australasia and America," says our Indian contemporary, "the fight may be protracted longer but even there "Indian and Ceylon teas are bound to clear all competitors out of the field before many seasons pass away," {and we note the significant fact that the steamer Belgravia has taken from Colombo the first shipment of Ceylon Oolongs to New York. The mind of the American tea-drinker is being judiviously prepared to receive them with enthusiasm, We-read that the U.S. Consul in Amoy, Mr. Crowell, has "sounded the note of warning" as to the amount of spurious tea that is shipped as Oolong from that. port. "Tons of tea leaves are consumed in the United States that are no better than dried hay, and frequently not_as good, and an immense quantity of stuff is used for tea that is positively injurious on account of the poisonous materials used in colouring it. Russell & Ca., who are, perhaps, the largest purchasers jof tea in China, and who have an office on Wall St., in the circular recently sent from their Amoy house to their correspondents confirm fully what the Const says." Grossly exaggerated and unfair as these statements are, they will no doubt have the desired effect on the fears of the American tea-drinker, as similarly untrue warmings killed the green tea consumption in Great Britain, Jand the tea-caddies of our grandmothers, with divisions for green and black tea on either side, and a glass jar for loaf sugar in the middle, are now being converted by art furniture dealers into cigar and cigarette cases. The absurdity is that what is said about the use of colouring matter is true of practically all the Japan tea prepared for export, of which the United States take the whole crop unflinchingly. Russia remains, as was shown this season in Hankow to the disgust of English buyers, the only firm friend of China's black-leaf teas, and the more energetic Indian planters will soon be found attacking that last stronghold, and there is too much reason to fear that China tea will do as Chinese soldiers would do in a parallel case, it will look as if it meant to fight to the last gasp, but will soon listen to reason and say, " Well, this fort won't hold us both, and if you really want to come in, I'll go out." A A recent triumphant, almost insolent, article in the Times of India shews the excellent conceit that Indian tea has of itself. The China trade saw a gleam of hope the other day in the theory that there is some quality prejudicial to the consumer in Indian tea which was happily wanting in China tea, This is the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.