a translation, has. been received by Eis The following despatch, of which we give Honour Ts'ai Taotai from HE. Viceroy Liu, of the Liangkiang provinces To rae Taorar or THE Soo-Suso-Tar Istenpancy, at SHaNcHar.
I have to inform you that I am in receipt of a despatch dated the 12th day of the 9th moon (7th October) from Th. Ex. the Ministers of the Tsungli Yamen, bodying " despatch of the 24th day of the Sth moon (20th September) from HE. Knobel, Minister-Resident of the Netherlands at Peking, to the said Yamen to the effect that H.E. had received a communication from the Tea Importers of Amsterdam, the contents of which ran as follows "We regret' to find that the samples of tea prepared by the new methods are not very good, but that the flavour of those made by the old methods is still vastly superior to the tea made in other countries. If therefore China tea be prepared after the new methods the leaf will be similar to that prepared elsewhere, while it will lose entirely the original delicacy of flavour peculiar to its place of production. Although the tea-planters of Java, Assam and Ceylon expend much skill and labour on their products it must be confessed that they do not come up to the teas of China. As matters now stand people in Europe anxious to purchase high quality Chinese teas are unable to do so, and they are compelled to think that tea merchants in China are ignorant of the fact thnt the people of Europe and other places prefer to buy good Chinese teas to others. The tea made by the new methods in China is really a poor edition of the Indian tea, and therefore vastly inferior to that prepared by the old methods; whilst the prices demanded in England and the Netherlands for high quality [China] tea are three times greater than those asked for teas produced by the new methods. Moreover, tea prepared by the new methods is exported to foreign markets whilst British India teas are also exported to the same places for sale, and the two teas are compelled to compete for buyers. But then there are those [amongst tea consumers] who prefer to drink Chinese tea and yet others who like to drink British India tea. Upon a comparison of the respective merits of the two, however, it has been found that no tea is superior to the Chinese tea in flavour and delicacy of taste. Furthermore, the merchants of Russia, England, the Netherlands and other countries are of the same opinion and have requested the writers of this communication to inform the tea exporters of all China of the actual state of affairs as above explained."
'I, the Minister-Resident, have had the question of the preparation of Chinese teas in my mind for a long time, and after many years' investigation have also arrived at a similar decision as that of the tea importers of Amsterdam and elsewhere, and I have also reason to believe that Your Excellencies will be pleased to learn the opinions above presented.'
In commenting on the above Their Ex. of the Tsungli Yamen state that "Tea being one of the chief staples of export to foreign countries is a proof that the consumers there prefer the fine flavour of Chinese teas [to others]. The only matter for regret is that Chinese tea planters have gradually fallen off from the true, old methods, thereby producing teas of inferior qualities, in consequence of which India and other teas have crept into the markets and taken away the profits which used to go to the Chinese tea planters and merchants. In this way not only has the Imperial exchequer suffered but the losses to the tea trade have been most heavy and disastrous. Now according to the despatch quoted above of H.E. Knobel, the Minister-Resident of the Netherlands, it appears that even although Chinese teas have fallen so completely from their former high qualities there are yet ways and means whereby the tea trade of China may be restored to its pristine flourishing state, and the Yamen, therefore, considers it its duty to inform Your Excellency of the same and requests that Your Excellency will be good enough to send instructions to the local authorities of the various dependencies under you, to proclaim to all the inhabitants of "the tea planting districts that henceforth, no matter; whether their teas are being prepared by the old methods or by the new, they should always keep in mind the importance of being careful in their work and aim at producing high quality teas in order to command the market, If due care be exercised in the preparation of the leaf there need be no fear of Chinese tea losing its ground in the foreign markets. The Ministers of the Tsungli Yamen would also request Your Excellency to keep a watch over this important question, and communicate in the future with the Yamin as to what Your Excellency has done in the matter, and also concerning the state of the tea districts."
With reference to the above despatch of the Tsungli Yamen it is very evident that the loss of the tea trade to China has been due to various causes, one of which. is that_forcign-made teas have been flooding the foreign markets to the exclusion of the Chinese t-as. Chinese tea merchants possessing only small capital have been guilty of unlawful methods in the proparation of their teas, and have naturally lost heavily therefrom. They have, in fact, been careless while picking the leaf, and have been guilty of introducing spurious leaves into their stocks, in consequence of which foreign buyers have caused trouble, returned the teas, cut down the prices, and by various and sundry sharp methods rejected the teas they had agreed to buy. Chinese merchants have, therefore, suffered most seriously from all this, and the loss of capital has been enormous. For these reasons the tea trade of this country has gradually fallen off and practically been almost destroyed. 1 have on former occasions repeatedly borted the tea planters in my jurisdiction to introduce reforms into their methods of preparation, etc., for, if carefully attended to, the flavour of China teas is without doubt superior to those made in foreign countries, and foreigners, in consequent are all anxious to drink Chinese If, therefore, the tea planters of China will follow good advice and pick their leaves at the proper times, and roast them with caro and skill so that the quality turned out is uniform and up the highest mark, and, strict honesty be exercised in with foreign buyers, thera is no question of doubt but that they will be able to turn the tide of the tea trade to its original source. Iam all the more confirmed in this belief after perusing the despatch of H.E. Knobel, the Minister-Resident of the Netherlands.
I would, therefore, earnestly exhort all my people'to seek reform in the trade "ud mutually aid each other in producing carefully prepared high quality teas, and thereby create anew a wide demand for' th axtile, which will be followed by: general Histbuted to the various local authorities prosperity to all. This despatch is to be of the tea districts, who are commanded to make the same Kaown to all our people. Let no one be guilty of disobeying my exhortations.
Liv, Hicx Cosnmsstoyer or Terabe FoR ae NaxyaNc axp VICEROY OF THE
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.