St,—The Insp eneral of Customs having been in connnunication with the Tsung-li Yamen on the subject of the decreased consumption of China Tea in the English market in particular, owing as is alleged to deterioration in the quality of the leaf, excessive admixture of dust, ete., etc., has called on me to furnish him with a report setting forth what faults are found with teas placed on the Shanghai market, and what remedies can be adopted for their removal, in order that through the instramentality of the Yamen, detailed instruetions may be framed for the veneral guidance of producers in the interior. I should add that the Yamen being fully impressed with the importance of the interests at stake is anxious to obtain the fullest infor-motion possible.
I shall be obliged therefore if, your Chamber will give this matter its early and Dest consideration, and furnish me with any suggestions which it may think worthy of being submitted to Peking. To any members of the native tea guild, or to any individual local dealers which the Chamber may care to introduce, I shall be happy to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.