To the Editor of the Norra-Cursa Darty News.
Sm,—Referring to the article in your issues of the 5th and 6th inst. under the above heading, I do not consider that tael prices in Hankow have shown any reduction during recent. years, on the contrary a falling exchange and Russian competition have caused a high range to be maintained for black leaf. tea, whereas in Foochow low prices have been the rule, and to that port I think your remarks do' apply, as. they had no other outlet than the Colonies and Great Britain, who have lately been taking Indian and Ceylon teas in preference to Foochow manufacture.
At present I would not advocate the introduction of machinery into the Ningchow and Keemén districts, but I consider fenkow Tls. 9 and upwards, could. be ood sweet Oopack teas, say costing in frst most advantageously manipulated by machinery. The green leaf should be purchased at a low price, machinery would develop all the properties so. much sought after in Ceylon teas, and if only the dreadful handicap charges, which threaten to annihilate trade, were removed, the production would compete on the most favourable terms with India and Ceylon.
A tea costing in Hankow Tls. 9 per picul, =44 por Ib., has first to bear a special tax, as ground occupied by tea plantations, various squeezes from the. farms to the boats, and likin at Tls. 1.25 per picul, after which comes the export duty of 2} Haikuan' Taels per picul, that is to say a Being exported. percentage of upwards of 40 per cent before
Extract from letter dated London, 2nd September, 1897 "The feeling on this side is that the longer the Chinese delay meeting the altered position of the trade, the more difficult it becomes for them to win back riy portion of the trade they have forfeited."
Iam, etc., Occoris.
11th October.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.