"You mutt not think," said a somewhat enlightened native friend to mo quite recently, that because I hold views differing many. respects from those expressed admirable pamphlet on 'The decline of the Tea Trade in China: with practical suggestions for its Resuscitation' that Iam in any way opposed to the intro-actionof means whose end is the safeguarding of a great trade, and you must bear with mo if I fail to sco things altogether in the same light as many of you foreigners.
Now, in the first place, may Task is it exactly the fact that there has been any serious decline in the Chinn tea trade? True enough it is that Englnd, for many years the chief supporter of the trade, has seen her way ton continuance of the high prices she has formerly paid for the China Erticle. The British public want tea, but they want it ata price; and the fact that the consumption in Great Britain is nearly lbs. annually per head of the population is the best proof of her ability to be a great customer. It is a hard task and not a hopeful one to try and regain a place you hae lost apparently from having Jong disregarded the vital question of price. It is all very well to say that the Chinese have for years been making an inferior article, and palming off as fine what was after all but medium tea; your exports should have discovered this long Ts there anything very wonderful in the fact that the Chinaman has been trying to sell his goods at the best price? Is that more than any foreign trader does? The matter seems to me to resolve itself, as most things in this world do, into a simple question of suppl and demand. There has been a demon for years for "questionable make and quality" of tea; and you have merely got what you asked and paid for.
Again the China twa trade has only fallen off in the case of England and Australia. America takes her expected quantity. The continent ut Europe is becoming yearly more valuable customer; while Russia's requirements show no tendency to fall away. In fact she shows signs of increasing her trade in green tea.
And if T have fairly stated the present position, I should like to ask what avail all your complaints about the weight of taxntion internally placed upon tea?, Tadmit that the article is severely handicapped in comparison with the product of British possessions: still, after all, despite an export duty of 24'tacls, n likin of 1} taels per pical and tome suiner charges, you ave been' able this year to enter into successful competition with India and Ceylon. That is to say that you have been able to buy any quantity of good usable ten at prices which have put you in a position to sell it at from 4}d. to 5d. per Ib. with advantage to yourselves, I will say nothing of the very substantial profits you have made out of fine teas generally, and Keemuns in particular: profits undreamed of by the Indian shipper.
Now, as regards China's manner of looking at the duty question. Is there in the name of common sense the very least likelihood of any early remission of a tax that brings in over Tls. 30,000,000 a year, that shows no sign of falling off, and especially ay. the present time when my country wants covery tael she can lay h-r hands onto meet the very serious obligations she is putting: herself under to foreign countries in the matter of loans. This borrowing, undoubtedly, will ultimately redound to China's advantage; menntimo it is hard for her to satisfy' the lender's inces ut demand for more security.
What I have said you may think rather beside the question of the resuscitation of the tea tide; but I have thought it necessary to urge one or two of the more obvious reasons why the natives should maintain the status quo.
Now us regards the introduction of machinery sri means to the amelioration of the trade, perhaps you will be kind enough to answer me two or three questions.
Ist.—Don't you think that the strength of Indian ten is absolutely inherent, is conserved undoubtedly by skilful mechanical treatment, but that this strength is derived from the' use of costly phosphates and manures? And do you think that the Chins tea plant, weak "and untended as it is, could stand the heroic treatment of the "Sirocco" 7 2nd.—You say that it is held in India and Ceylon that the flavour of the leaf is improved by the now modes of preparation. Do you know of any teas in the world that can begin to compare in flavour with a fine Ningchow, Keemun or Oanfa made on the old China' lines? My own impression is that machinery would soon improve their flavour out of all recognition.
'3rd.—Doos not the "Sirocco" treatment, while giving a rich bright, beautiful uniformity. of colour to the infused leaf, tend to level the flavour, that is impart to it a maltiness" inimical to fine flavour, what-over other virtues it may possess '4th.—Seriously, do you noc think you would be more likely to promote the end. in view if instead of asking a Chinaman to to buy off-hand costly machinery of whose capabilities he is quite ignorant, you gave him some ocular proof of the advantages you so confidently predict The samples of Wenchow tea exhibited here early in the season, produced by a by no means up-to-date roller, showed a marked improvement up" the identical tea made in the usual way. They wore stronger in the cup; they were brighter and- less
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.