Ifcv 1 9198 UC-NRLF E A; AM) Til TEA TSADI jfirat PARTS FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD. lit ituifs 3&mjrirafef JAM ARY, FEBRUARY A\D MA WITH A POSTSCRIPT. BY GIDEON NYE,.JR., OF CAMTON ! Third 1 (Jit ion of Farts 1 and 2,WitH a Preface and a Jfargiiial Index NKW YORK: PRINTED BY GEO. W. WOOD, 15 SPRUCE-STREET, ^ This being the First Edition of PART THIRD a referenc to ".tents has been accidently omitted upon ti following TITLE _ TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. FIRST PUBLISHED IN HUNT'S MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 1850. Comprising a General View of the Progress of its Use, and of the Reciprocal Benefits derived there- from, with Remarks upon the existing impediments to the more rapid increase of its consumption in Great Britain and in this Country : accompanied by directions for its preparation as a beverage ; and by suggestions of the moral and economical results derivable from its more extended use in this Country. TO WHICH IS ADDED I A Sketch of the History of the Trade ; and a View of its Statistical Progress and Present Position in Great Bri tain and this Country, accompanied by remarks upon the results thus shown, as suggestive of the want of a greater uniformity in prices. WITH A POSTSCRIPT. BY GIDEON NYE, JR., OF CANTON. THIRD EDITION. WITH A PREFACE AND A MARGINAL INDEX. NEW YORK: PRINTED BY GEO. W. WOOD, 15 SPRUCE-STREET. 1850. /f>7 PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. THE general acceptance which these Papers met with when published in the Merchants' Magazine, and the want of additional copies, induced their re-publi- cation in pamphlet form. That edition is exhausted, and there is a demand for a Second one, which is now answered, with some improvements in the form, but without any change in the matter : The marginal index will assist the reader ; and the different type will, also, be considered an improvement : The Postscript will now be found in its right place, also. The promised Third Paper for the Merchants' Magazine is in course of pre- paration. In the meantime, the writer may, perhaps, be permitted to remark, in reference to that part of these papers which treats of the question of supply and prices, that the course of events and of the markets in China, as well as in England and this country, has sustained the opinions he had offered, in a re- markable degree, considering the unusual early in-coming of the crops this year ; and that, so far as this unusual cause affects the position of the market here, it indicates clearly, as the sole necessity to ensure stability or improvement, a more gradual offering of the cargoes which have arrived, in anticipation of the season of the greatest demand, since it is apparent that the imports before October next must fall short of the wants of the country. March 18th, 1850. JVJ18078U TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE FROM HUNT'S MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE. WHETHER regarded as a necessary of life, or as forming an element in the Introduction, amelioration of the intercourse of nations, the article of Tea takes the first v rank in the history of Commerce. The production of one country, its use has spread over almost every other Growth and * ,, . beneficial in- civmzed one, until its name has become a synonyme ot the ancient empire nuences of this where it grows, and suggests to the mind, not so much the healthful proper- ties of a simple shrub, as the history of the intercourse with China, and of China itself. No other production of the soil has, in an equal degree, stimulated the in- tercourse of the most distant portions of the globe ; nor has any other beve- rage, with equally unalloyed benefit, so commended itself to the palates of the people of the more civilized nations, or become so much a source of com- fort, and a means of temperance, healthfulness, and cheerfulness ; whilst it may be doubted if any other is equally a restorative and stimulative of the intellectual faculties of man. The incentive to the industry of many millions in China, it is the direct source of an immense revenue to the British exchequer,* and of much pros- perity to the manufacturing and commercial interests of the British empire, - and other nations ; and whilst its agreeable and healthful properties have diffused comfort and cheerfulness and promoted temperance amongst the households of the western nations, these, reciprocally, have contributed to the moral influences of this interchange of commerce upon the millions of the populous and farthest East. * The duty upon tea imported into Great Britain has reached the almost incredible sum of 5,400,000 sterling, or about $25,000,000 per annum. ,3 ','';;,.' TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. _yv x But, in tracing the progress of its use, and estimating the mutual benefits ^traffic hi t j iat - t ^ con f erre d, the satisfaction that is derived therefrom is not wholly un- it" 9 ros C eritv alloyed for, whilst it forms on one side the healthful element of a reciprocal ?i n rVuon^> a nn" commerce > we $&& ^ iat ^ ^ as become, (at a recent period, and mainly in- tercourse, directly, it is true,) in some degree, the interchange of an article of com- merc e opium whose effects are widely injurious, thus presenting, to the western nations, the humiliating contrast, of the gift of what is fraught with the worst of evils, with that from which flows unmixed good. Until the taste for this pernicious drug had spread insidiously over the empire, and the traffic in it had largely increased, China was the recipient of the precious metals from the western nations, in the adjustment of the bal- ance of trade in her favor ; but since the expiration of the East India Com- pany's charter, (1834,) the consumption of it has so largely augmented* that, although the exports of Chinese produce have also greatly increased, yet the export of the precious metals, in adjustment of the balance adverse to China, has reached the annual sum of about $10,000,000 ; thus inflict- ing upon China a two-fold injury, in the demoralization of her people, and the undermining of her pecuniary resources whose effects are of the most grave moment, as threatening the very integrity of the empire. As one of the impediments in the way of the prosperity of the tea trade, the consideration of the influences of this immense traffic is in no wise a di- gression ; nor can we, consistently, content ourselves with merely an inci- dental allusion to it, although it is no part of our purpose to discuss the moral question, for we find it greatly prejudicial to the whole legal trade with China.f * The rapid growth and great amount of the opium trade is shown by the following figures and dates : In the year 1767, the import of opium had reached but 1,000 chests; in 1816, it was about 3,200 chests; in 1826, about 9,900 chests; in 1836, about 26,000 chests ; in 1845, about 40,000 chests; in 1848, considerably more. The net revenue to the British Indian government had, in 1845-6, already reached the large Bum of 4,766,536 sterling, or about $23,000,000! f A letter of August last, from a house at Shanghae, speaks directly to the point, as quoted below ; as does the following evidence of George Moffat, Esq., M. P., before the Select Committee of the House of Commons : " The value of opium imported in- to China from India is very little short, I believe, in the last year, (for which there is no official return,) of 5,000,000 sterling; for the year 1844, for which there is a re- turn, the value was 4,800,000 sterling, making the balance of trade very much against the Chinese ; hence they demand and obtain a very high price for their tea, which the importers into China of English produce are compelled to take in payment." EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF AUGUST LAST, FROM A HOUSE AT SHANGHAE. " We do not know if the same cause operates quite as much here as at Canton ; but think there is much truth in an article in the ' Register,' (newspaper,) attributing the small demand for European (foreign) manufactures to the quantity of drug placed against produce. We expected here, for instance, a revival of demand, when produce came freely to market, but were disappointed, and attributed it at the time mostly to TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. It seriously disturbs the financial affairs of the country, thus impairing confidence, and directly depressing the prices of all other articles of import- ation, whilst, at the same time, raising those of export articles. These are the direct commercial evils, irrespective of the disturbing politi- cal questions that it involves. The legalization of the trade in the drug would, no doubt, tend to lessen the Tt> . J its price, and work some amelioration of these commercial evils ; nor is it tionof improbable that the sum of its deleterious effects, morally and physically, upon the consumers of it, may be lessened, by thus robbing it of the fasci- nation of a forbidden and expensive luxury. (THE TEA TRADE WITH ENGLAND.) The greatest and most direct discouragement and impediment of the tea . The greatest trade, and one involving a greater wrong to China, considered in a commer- check to its ex- . . . , , , . , , ., tension, and a cial sense alone, remains, however, to be noticed ; and is round, where those great wrong to Oh 111 a *" * v>rt who confided in Sir Robert Peel's enunciation of the free trade policy, made duty V about four years ago, would not expect at this day to find it, in the British ln Tariff of duties. Nor would one who, with a regard to international jus- tice and the comity of nations, should refer to the existing treaties between the two powers, credit the existence in British law of such a " gross injustice to China,"* as is involved in the unparalleled and oppressive tax exacted upon the importation of tea into England. The enormous sum of the duty annually collected upon the importation of tea has already been stated ;f and the nature and extent of the injustice to China, in thus taxing her great staple, is shown by a comparison of the tariffs of duties of the two countries, that of England exacting a duty of 2s. 2|d. per pound on tea, which exceeds 250 per cent upon the cost of it, whilst that of China imposes an average duty of only 5 to 7 per cent upon this cause. The country cannot take both goods and drug ; and thus the question is, so far as England is concerned, which branch of industry should be encouraged ? " The East India Company will never give up the drug ; and probably the govern- ment would not, should the Company's charter not be renewed in 1854. It appears to us the difficulty must increase with the increasing quantity of the luxury imported." * The expression used by Sir George Larpent, Bart., before the Select Committee of the House of Commons, in 1847. f It is now 5,400,000 sterling, per annum ; and were not the real necessities of the treasury known, it would seem that the remarkable capability of expansion which has' characterized this source of revenue, served but to increase the greediness of a minis- ter careless of the consequences to the comforts of the people, or the trade of the country, for the writer remembers that when the question of the reduction of the duty was agitated some years ago, the minister professed himself satisfied with what he then got from tea, but unwilling to part with any of that, which was but 3,800,000, or about $8,000,000 less than now ! TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. British goods ! Nor does the rate of duty represent the amount of the im- position, or of the enhancement of the cost to the consumers, for the reason that the duty forms so large a part of the cost, that the interest upon the money required to conduct the business is a large per centage upon the first cost, and that the consequent necessity for a large capital enables a few wealthy houses to retain a virtual monopoly of the business, after it passes from the hands of the importers, thus depriving the consumers of the ad- vantages of the competition which, in most other articles of importation, tends to moderate the prices. The injurious And, as between the British government and the mass of the consumers, tax rk upon* the there is also involved, in the practical working of this law, a grievous injus- i wrong tice, which, as tending directly to lessen the consumption of the leaf, demands o*f pe!> notice in this article. The duty, it will be observed, is a fixed one, (of 2s. 2d. sterling per pound,) upon all classes of tea alike, so that the consumers whose means do not admit of their using the higher-cost classes, (but whose comfort, health and temperance depend in the greatest degree upon the use of tea,*) are compelled to pay the government a tax of 200 or 400 per cent, in the form of duty, whilst the wealthy consumers pay but 50 to 100 per cent on the qualities used by them. The effect of this inequality in the levying of the tax, seeing that it acts upon that class of the population with whom the question of price is the most important one, in seriously checking the consumption, will be obvious. Indirectly, also, this exorbitant duty has done great harm to the trade by engendering speculations, based upon the expectation of its reduction, at different times ; and it is thus that it has been a fruitful source of the vicis- situdes which have marked its course, the past six years especially. The change In respect to the whole question of this excessive duty, it may be said that a radical reduction of it to about one shilling per pound, would satis- factorily adjust it, even though its fixed and uniform character were retained, for so moderate a uniform tax would tend to a greater assimilation of the qualities of the tea imported, and the inequality of it to the consumers would, therefore, scarcely form a matter of complaint. The necessity The necessity of a measure of this nature, to relieve the trade from its decred bj? 6 present depressed state, is forcibly and conclusively shown in the following of e the m House extracts from the report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, in f i847 mmo " s ' (1847,) and in the extract from the circular of a highly respectable tea-bro- kerage house in England, of a recent date, also annexed hereto. The following are the extracts from the report of the Select Committee, as above alluded to : " We must look to tea mainly, and to an increased consumption of tea, for the means of maintaining, still more of extending, a profitable trade with those vast regions. * Vide subsequent copies of papers of Mr. Norton, page 17. TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. " For such an extended consumption, unless we are content to wait for the f A. ^ slow progress of -an increase dependant solely on the increasing numbers of our population, we can only look to some considerable reduction of the price ; and for such reduction, now that competition, since the abolition of the monopoly of the East India Company, has had its full effect, and that new sources of supply have for some time been opened, we can only look to a reduction of the duty. On a first cost, ranging on the qualities in most general demand, from 8d. to 10d., in the ports of China, if any reduction can be effected, it might be of advantage to the merchant, but would have no important effect upon the selling prices in England. It is only through the duty, a duty on the average qualities of about 200 per cent, and on the worst qualities of above 350 per cent, that any such reduction to the consumer can be effected, as to stimulate consumption in any sensible degree ; and such a reduction thus becomes essential to a healthy and an extended trade. " That it is desirable in itself, as promoting the increased consumption of a beverage wholesome and agreeable to every class of our population, and one which is increasingly desired as a substitute for intoxicating liquors ; and that it would be no more than is due to the Chinese, who tax our products so lightly, while we burthen theirs so heavily, and with such inconvenience to their trade, your Committee conceive to be equally clear. In fact, the sole difficulty exists in the effect which any material reduction, and none other would be of much value, may be expected to have upon the resources of the exchequer." Extract from Messrs. Brodribb and Coates' Tea Circular, of August 22(1, 1849: " The stock here, as also in the United Kingdom, is much smaller than at the And fully j i / .11 /.iii 1.1 . i shown by the same period last year, especially of black, while prices do not range higher. The retrogressive demand has kept pace with that of last year, as will be seen by the annexed ta- ble. This anomaly cannot be accounted for on the ordinary principles of de- mand and supply, but must be attributed to other causes. By a return brought by the last mail of the " British Trade in China," it appears that the value of tea exported in 1847 was 2,849,577, while in 1848 it was only 1,909,900. We cannot put the position of the trade in a truer light than by placing opposite to these sums the amount of duty paid on tea in each of these years ; they are as follows : 1847. 1848. Value of tea exported from China, 2,849,577 1,909,900 Amount of duty paid on tea in the United Kingdom. 5,067,042 5,330,537 England. 3,859,720 4,075,777 Scotland. 494,847 520,453 Ireland. 712,475 734,307 This is, we believe, the real cause of the depressed state of the tea trade. How is it possible, under such a load of taxation, that the .trade can expand ? How is it possible, while such an amount of additional capital is required to put the tea into circulation for consumption, that first-hand buyers should be otherwise than very limited in number that importers should, in consequence, be depend- ant for the ready sale of their cargoes upon only a very few large first-class houses that with even these houses their first care should be to provide means to meet the imperative demands for duty that under such circumstances the free competition, which would otherwise insure to the merchant the highest value for his produce, is not only destroyed, but the purchasing of tea from first hands 2 10 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. f -* ^ converted into a virtual monopoly ? The reimbursement of the merchant's cap- ital, by payment for his teas is from this cause made secondary to and in some measure dependant upon the ability of first advancing money for the duty." Delay of this it will be observed that the expediency, nay, the necessity, of the material change produ- . J ' ced by unfor- reduction of the duty is unreservedly declared by the committee ; and it is known that the sole reasons for the delay have been found in the necessities of the treasury, which, since the report was made, has been kept in an un- satisfactory state, by unforeseen causes ; first, the famine in Ireland, which rendered a loan necessary; secondly, by the monetary crises of 1847; thirdly, by the revolutions of 1848-9. Reasons why As the apprehension of the recurrence of these causes of embarrassment it is now prob- . . . able, and its ef- is subsiding, and the revenue is recovering itself, whilst the various interests of the country are prosperous again, it is reasonable to suppose that this im- portant change may be proposed during the next session of Parliament. It will give an immense impulse to the trade ; and although in two or three years, no doubt, the supply will become adjusted to the extent of the de- mand, yet for the succeeding one or two years a considerable advance above the current values of teas generally will take place. This need not, how- ever, raise prices above the scale at which they ruled, until a recent period, in this country. THE TEA TRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES. The exemp- In striking contrast with these hindrances to the tea trade, on the part of duty. Dispro- Great Britain, is the remarkable fact of the total exemption of tea from consumption^ 8 duty in the United States. This has been the case since 1832 ; and it ^sugg^sted. brings us to the more immediate consideration of the trade in this country. That it is far short of its full practical development here is apparent to any one who has observed attentively the system pursued in England, and the means taken to extend its use ; indeed, it is surprising that the consumption is so much less than it is in England, after allowing for the difference in the modes of introducing its use, considering the general habits and almost uni- versal prosperity of our people. It would seem that this is to be attributed, in a great degree, to the general want of knowledge of the preferable modes of preparing it ; to the use of unsuitable water ; or to the abuse of it, by making the infusion too strong. But there is no doubt that where an actual distaste for the beverage exists, it has chiefly arisen from the introduction of false tea, and of very inferior qualities of genuine ; and this has in part been forced upon the importer by the demand in this country for a " cheap " ar- The hi her- ^ e ' w ^ cn m e ^ct means usually a low-priced but dear one, for it has not c?ei ufthe y et ^ ecome generally known here that economy in tea consists in buying the consumer. better classes that is to say, the medium and the higher priced. Reasons why When it is considered that a large part of the cost of tea is made up ot tea h wchepesf. ^ transportation and similar charges, with the cost of chests and lead, and the export duty in China (which last is about three cents per pound, on all TEA'. AND THE TEA TRADE. 11 kinds alike) the land and canal carriage in China, hundreds of miles, and the freight and similar charges from China which from their nature are made proportionate to bulk and weight, it will be perceived that a tea cost- ing sixty cents per pound incurs no more on the pound for these charges than a tea costing but thirty cents ; and that whilst these charges, assumed at ten cents per pound, make up one-third the cost of the last named, they amount to but one-sixth the cost of the sixty-cent tea thus leaving, in gen- uine intrinsic value, five-sixths of the cost in the latter, and showing that thirty cents invested in half a pound of the better tea, would leave twenty- five cents' value in tea, whilst in the lower quality the same outlay would leave but twenty cents' value of tea ; and it is only necessary to extend this calculation to a family's annual supply to show how material is the pecuniary saving which, however, is not so important as the avoidance of what may be injurious to health, in the spurious or low qualities. That a more extended use of tea should be encouraged, as conducive to Considera- temperance and to the social comforts of the people, has long been the opin- pprtanceofthe ion of a majority of their Representatives in Congress, and has always use of *?<.' proved the prevailing argument in favor of its continued exemption from duty. That the taste for it may be greatly diffused by judicious management on The taste for the part of the dealers, in the western and southern portions of the country {ended by ju- especially, where the inferior qualities have been largely sent, there can be Cement. man " no doubt on the minds of those who have witnessed its extended use and beneficial effects in England and China. TESTIMONIALS OF THE VALUE OF TEA. It has been well said by Dr. Williams, in his work upon China,* that " wherever it has been denounced, the opposition may usually be traced to the use of a simulated preparation." And he remarks that " in Europe its progress has been well compared to that of truth" " Suspected at first, though very palatable to those who had the courage to taste it resisted as it encroached ; abused as its popularity seemed to spread ; and establishing its triumph at last, in cheering the whole land, from the palace to the cottage, only by the slow and resistless effects of time and its own virtues." The predilection of the great Dr. Johnson for tea is well known ; and the Evidences of numerous medical and other authorities in favor of it need not be quoted | n *jj pr | ; < n ia " here, for beyond all these is the practical evidence of its appreciation in the land - constant increase of the consumption in England, where the modes of pre- paring it are most regarded, notwithstanding the enormous tax it bears. Of its first use in England, Mr. Montgomery Martin says : "In 1662, Charles II. married the Princess Catherine of Portugal, who, it is said, was fond of The " Middle Kingdom." TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. tea, having been accustomed to it in her own country ; hence it became fashionable in England. Waller, in a birth-day ode to her Majesty, ascribes the introduction of the herb* to the Queen, in the following lines : The Poet's " * The best of Queens and best of herbs we owe To that bold nation who the way did show To that fair region where the sun doth rise, Whose rich productions we so justly prize.' its ins irin " ^ e same poet attributes an inspiring power to the Chinese leaf: " ' The muses' friend, tea, does our fancy aid Repress those vapors which the head invade.' " The appreciation in which it has long been held in China by the people China. j g s ho\vn by the writings of many native authors, some extracts of transla- tions from which (published in the Chinese Repository of January last,) are here given, including directions for the preparation of tea. The observance of the last in using tea (the writer has many years' experience in China for declaring) will tend greatly to extend a predilection for the beverage ; and the enjoyment derived will be proportionate to the heed bestowed upon this point. CHINESE DIRECTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF TEA AS A BEVERAGE. wate^n^how " Whenever the tea is to be infused for use," says Tung-po, " take water from to boil the wa- a running stream, and boil it over a lively fire. It is an old custom to use run- ning water boiled over a lively fire ; that from springs in the hills is said to be the best, and river water the next, while well water is the worst. A lively fire is a clear and bright charcoal fire. " When making an infusion, do not boil the water too hastily ; at first it be- gins to sparkle like * crabs' eyes ;' then somewhat like * fishes' eyes,' and lastly it boils up like pearls innumerable, springing and waving about. This is the way to boil the water, which without a lively fire cannot possibly be done well. " Tea is of a cooling nature, and if drank too freely will produce exhaustion coofing^ature* and lassitude ; country people before drinking it add ginger and salt to counter- and in bights- act ^ s C0on ' n 8' property. It is an exceedingly useful plant; cultivate it, and teem. the benefit will be widely spread ; drink it, and the animal spirits are lively and clear. The chief rulers, dukes and nobility esteem it ; the lower people, the poor and beggarly, will not be destitute of it ; all will be able daily to use it and like it." Another authority says : " By drinking the genuine tea, people require less sleep," which is really the case ; but as the tea is good and efficacious, so like- wise is the tea dust to drink, but the leaves should not be boiled. Another author says : " That drinking it tends to clear away all impurities, drives off drowsiness, and removes or prevents head-ache, and is universally in high esteem." It will be seen that spring or river water is preferable to well water ; and it may be added that water with any impregnation of limestone is unjsuita- *Shrub TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. 13 ble. In China an earthen vessel for heating the water and a tea-pot of f - A --- N China-ware are both considered indispensable. The mode suggested by M. Soyer, of the Reform Club, London, as given Mi s yer'$ below, is no doubt worthy of adoption, with special care that the water is g d T e a. f mak * really boiling ; and to have the tea in perfection the first infusion only should be used. If, therefore, sufficient drink has not been obtained from the first filling of the tea-pot, it should be cleansed, and fresh leaves put in with boiling water again ; and thus the tea-pot should always be cleansed after use. HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CUP OF TEA. M. Soyer recommends that before pouring in any water the tea-pot, with the tea in it, shall be placed in the oven till hot, or heated by means of a spirit- lamp, or in front of the fire, (not too close, of course,) and the pot then filled with boiling water. The result, he says, will be, in about a minute, a most de- licious cup of tea, much superior to that drawn in the ordinary way. THE QUESTION OF A DUTY UPON TEA IN THE UNITED STATES. To revert to the question of duty in this country, it is pretty certain that A tax upon no one will propose so unpopular a measure, so long as the wants of the JjJ ""JJSJjJj treasury can be supplied from sources less objectionable. Neither tea or witho jrt com - coffee are grown within the limits of the United States, so that a duty upon them would appear like a direct tax upon the consumers, without a com- check our cot - . . ton manufact- pensatmg benefit to any interest in the country ; and as a check to the con- ure. sumption of tea here tends to check the demand for our cotton manufactures in China, where those have to come in competition with the product of the cheaper labor of England, it would seem to be impolitic to impose a duty upon the leaf so long as other sources, which do not reach the prosperity of the country or the social comforts of the people, exist. There are also national considerations of the greatest importance involved The exemp- in this question of duty, for it is undeniable that the exemption of the great staple of China from all imposts gives us, as a nation, a just advantage- ground in any negotiations with the Chinese government. The value of this position can be estimated by those who have marked the almost marvelous pro- gress westward, and toward China, made by this country the past year, and imit y to China - who can appreciate the advantages which are to be derived from the exten- sion of our territories in closer proximity to that empire. Nor will such fail Sagacity and to recognize and admire the sagacity of those to whose enlightened enter- SiS How- prise we are indebted, at this early period in the history of our newly-ac- quired territories, for that efficient and admirable link in the chain (already associates - so golden an one) which at present binds our distant portions together so firmly. We need hardly say that we allude to the Pacific line of steamers from Panama to California, established by Messrs. Howland & Aspinwall, and their associates, which has served so materially to develop and render 14 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. accessible the wonderful resources of that region, whose treasures had lain undisturbed, if not unknown, until about a twelvemonth ago ; and which is so important as a pioneer line and connecting link in that chain formed by mutual interests, which is destined to draw more closely the oldest of Em- pires and the New World. TEA : AID THE TEA TRADE. THIS subject has been introduced in the January issue of this Magazine, Introduction, by the presentation of its general features, considered with more especial ref- "V erence to China, and the two other* principal consuming countries. It is now proposed to give a sketch of the history of the trade, and to ex- hibit its statistical progress and present position in all the more considerable consuming countries, as well as in China. Before proceeding; to do this, it is proper to say that the original purpose Writer's rea- , . , sons for enlarg- of the writer was simply to exhibit the present position ot the trade, which mg the paper*, would have been of interest to one class of readers only ; but the re-awakened general interest in China arising from our newly-established territorial prox- imity to it, and from the demonstrations as wonderful as rapid of the prac- ticability of materially shortening the voyage thither, from this eastern shore of our country and which is not the less quickened by the unfolding of the marvelous riches of our newly-acquired possessions has led to the enlarge- ment of the design. And if it serves, in any degree, to promote and diffuse the use of tea, the writer will be fully repaid the value of his time. He trusts that, at least, the citations of the various authorities Chinese Moral and e- . ,.,...... . . conomical re- and Foreign showing the estimation in which it is held in those countries suits of the eu- where the modes of preparing it are best understood will serve to suggest the teasuggested. moral and economical results to be expected from its enlarged use in this country. Mindful that the chief practical value of the paper to merchants will con- vaiu sist in the reliableness of the statistical portions of it, the writer has bestowed especial care upon them. SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE TEA TRADE. We now proceed to a sketch of the history of the trade, and to present its statistical progress and present position, accompanied by the evidence of Mr. Winch arid Mr. Norton, before the Select Committee of the House of * For China is the greatest consuming, as well as the producing, country. 16 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. Commons of England, showing the "sympathy of consumption with prices," and by remarks upon the state of the trade in this country. Knowied e " ^ e knowledge ^ tne * ea P^ ant ? among the Chinese, cannot be traced of the tea plant back further than A. D. 350, but its general introduction does not date prior among the Chi- ^elefirstbrin" t0 ab Ut A< ^ 80 ' tea to Western The Portuguese navigators were probably the first to bring tea to Western Europe in the _ . . . , _ _. . . isth century. Europe, at some period during the sixteenth century. In rersia it was in sia "general In general use in 1633. In the early part of the seventeenth century, the Dutch duced into EU- East India Company imported some tea into Europe ; but it was scarcely 562 ' known in England until after the marriage of Charles II. with the Princess Catharine of Portugal, in 1662. In 1669, the English East India Compa- ny's first invoice of tea was received in two canisters, containing 1431 Ibs. In 1678 they imported 4,713 Ibs. ; but this quantity so glutted the market that but little was brought for several years after. In 1680 the English Company opened a direct trade with China. In 1700 the import had reached 60,000 Ibs. per annum. In 1721 it had reached 1,000,000 Ibs. In the 100 years from 1710 to 1810, there were sold, at the East India Com- pany's sales, 750,219,016 Ibs. of tea, the value of which was 129,804,595 sterling. Of this quantity 116,470,675 Ibs were reexported. THE TEA TRADE WITH GREAT BRITAIN" DURING THE PRESENT CENTURY. . . Since the commencement of the present century, 1,385, 949, 566 Ibs. of summaryofthe tea had been sold in England, (down to 1845,) and there had been paid trade in Eng- land, into the British exchequer about 167,643,702 sterling on this last-men- tioned quantity of tea.f Tables of Mr. The following table, submitted by Mr. Winch to the Select Committee of the House of Commons in 1847, and referred to in his evidence before it, ^ gives the quantities of tea delivered for home consumption in England, from 1801 to 1846 > inclusive, the prices of common Congou, in bond, and duty consumption. ^^ w j t ^ fa Q var yj n g ra tes of duty ; and was designed to show the " sym- pathy of consumption with prices." Average price Delivered for of common home Congou. consumption. In Bond. Duty Paid. Rates of duty. 1800, Teas under 2s. 5d., 5 per cent Customs, and 15 per cent Excise ; above 2s. 5d., 5 Year. s. d. s. d. Pounds. per cent Customs, and 35 per cent Excise. 1801, May, 50 per cent above 2s. 6d. ; say, 1801... 3 2f 4 8* 24,470,646 ] on an average, 45 per cent. 1811... 3 Oi 5 11 23,058,496 1804, 96 per cent on all teas. 1821... 2 7 5 2 27,638,081 | 1821, 100 per cent on teas above 2s.; 9( cent on teas under 2 s. 5 per 1831... 1834... 2 1 H 9 4 3 3 11 30,920,879 35,490,901 | 1834, April 22d, duty on Bohea, Is. 6d ; gou, 596 > 803 22 > 454 > 532 itt^HSI 1821.. 14,391,631 Ireland 6,801,827 1831 . . Great Britain 16,539,318 26,754,537 1 Ib. per an. - 29,997,055 Ab't 1 Ib. per an. Ireland 7,767,401 1841.. Great Britain 18,720,394 ) Qft R b* ^ IJLVK Ireland 8,196,597 [ 86 > 675 > 677 H lb * P er annum . 1846.. United Kingdom (suppose) 29,000,000 47,534,000 If Ib. per an. It will be seen that from 1831 to 1841, there was only a rise in consumption of one-eighth of a pound per head of population, owing to the high prices of the Examination war still prevailing; from 1841 to 1846, the consumption has increased one- Consumption^ quarter of a pound per head, principally arising from the reduction in the import price to a point which is ruinous to the trade, notwithstanding the enormous duty levied. A strong inference may be drawn as to the large increase of con- sumption which would be likely to follow a reduction of the price of tea to two- thirds its present cost. In private families, whose expenses are based on competence, the consumption Fami i ieg in ______ competence use 12 to 13 * The prices always becoming adjusted to the extent of demand. 3 18 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. of tea is twelve to thirteen pounds per head. Domestic servants, in such fn mi- pounds per ij eS) when allowed tea, have usually one-quarter of a pound per week, or thirteen num, and ser- pounds per annum. the same. Within a few months, two coroners' inquests were held on two poor women starved to death, not known to each other. They were both proved to have lived > for the last fortnight, on a little tea and dry bread. Of the few pence ex- the poor. pended on tea, two-thirds went in the duty. No. 2. VARYING CONSUMPTION OF TEA, ACCORDING TO DUTY AND PRICE. Duty. Consumption. Pounds. In 1782 ...... 55 15s. lOd. per cent and Is. 1 4-5d. 6,202,257 1783 ...... " " 4,741,522 1784 ..... 12 10s. per cent only ............ 10,150,700 Increase 113i per ct, 1785....... " ............ 14,800,932 " 46 1786 ...... " ............ 15,851,747 " 7 1795 ...... 20 per cent ..................... 21,342,845 Incr'se,12y's,350p.c, 1801 ...... 50 per cent 2s. 6d. ; 20 per ct. under 23,730,150 I/ge profit f 1803 Q5 65 24,877,450 " 8y's,16ip.c- iv ^ Ji 1821 10 " 96 " 26,754,537 " 18 ' 31 > 829 ' 620 "12 "] In 1834 began free | trade. No artificial 1834 ........ 2s 2d. per Ib. Congou, Is. 6d. per Ib. , ofio /,-. j^prof 's, & reduct'n Bohea; in 1836, all sorts, 2s. 2d. <* 4 > yby > bd in price of tea fully j Is.6d.to2s. perlb. 1844 ........................................ 41,363,770 Great in- 1846 ........................................ 47,534,977 Incr'se, 12 y's, 35 p. c. sumption un- It will be seen that from 1784 to 1795, inclusive, 12 years, the consumption der a low duty. ^ ^ ea i ncrease d 350 p er cen ^ i ? an( j although, no doubt, the extremely low duty suppressed a great deal of smuggling, the increase in consumption must have been very large, owing to its great reduction in price. The duty, in 1795, was 20 per cent; 1797, 20 per cent; 1798, 35 per cent; 1800, 40 per cent; 1801, 50 per cent above 2s. 6d. ; and the increased consump- Faiiingoff tion in eight years, from 1795 to 1803, was only 16i per cent.. u^deTnigh- 11 I n 180 3 > the duty was raised to 95 per cent, 2s. 6d., and 65 per cent under 2s. erduty. Q^ to 180 g . 96 per cent to jgig, and 100 per cent to 1821 ; and the consump- tion increased in 18 years only 7i per cent, while the increase in the population during the same period, was 27 per cent ; consequently, the high price of tea ab- Great sus- solutely diminished greatly the consumption. consmnptioif ^ an P ro f ^ e carried further, of the extreme susceptibility to price of the con- to price. sumption of tea? If so, it will be found in the fact that from 1834 to 1846, in 12 years, under the modified price consequent on free trade, and notwithstanding the extremely oppressive duty, the consumption has again started forward, and is now increased 35 per cent up to the end of 1846. It may be said that in the population of 1783, a large portion knew nothing of tea until introduced to them \>y a remarkable reduction in price. True ! Equally it may be said that a large proportion of our present population does not consume tea, and would be induced to consume it, were 4s. Congou reduced Circumstan- to 2s. 6d. per pound. v^rfnglrwreas- All the present comparative circumstances of the country, free intercommuni- on wtthTtow" ca ^ on f i* 8 population, general employment, increased sobriety, extending ed- er duty. ucation and morality, " tea-totalism," &c., are in favor of the assumption that low prices would induce very general consumption; and a reduction of Is. 6d. TEA! AND THE TEA TRADE. 19 from 4s. per pound would be infinitely more attractive to the bulk of the people than was the decline from 6s. and 7s. down to 4s. and 5s. No. 3. PROBABILITY OF INCEEASED SUPPLY. Pounds. Prices in China. ; 'Ton'JS; 5 Season 1835-36 : Fukkein Bohea, 14ts. ; Campoi P 1 ? sufficient. < - on 94,129,48< Equal to per an. 47,064,740 Increased supply, 57 per cent. 1842c .......... In these six years, owing to the disputes with China, the exports were extremely irregular ; but the whole for the six years was 209,171,099 Ibs.; averaging 34,861,847 Ibs. Uncertain. ts. m. 1843d ......... 47,855,312 1842. October to December, Congou. . . 14 30 1844e .......... 50,241,428 1843 " " " ____ 16 33 1845/ .......... 53,959,618 1844. January to March " ____ 1336 18460 ......... 57,584,561 October, 1845, to March, 1846 ____ 16 36 - A very few chops ................ 40 00 a Export from China to United Kingdom, ending 30th of March ; b Export from 23d of April, 1834, to 30th of March ; c Export from 1st of July, 1836, to 30th of June ; d Export from 1st July, 1842, to 30th June ; e Export from 1st July, 1843, to 80th June ; / Export from 1st July, 1844, to 30th June ; g Export from 1st July, 1845, to 30th June. This season's exports expected to be equal to last. October, 1846, quotation, 16ts 34m. Mem. The latest advices from China have quoted a very considerable decline in the price of teas. Tea is grown largely near Canton, in 23 deg. N. ; Fukkein, in 27 deg. N.j where grown and above Nankin, in about 32 deg. N., along the course of the Yang-tse Keang River, whence the best teas are procured. Tea is also grown some degrees fur- ther north. The late Sir George Staunton remarks, in his account of Lord Macartney's embassy " Such immense quantities of tea are raised in China, that a sudden George staun- failing of the demand from Europe would not be likely to cause any material re- { no P mate" duction in price in the China markets." And it is seen that, under all fluctua- ri f al ri red ^ c t j l ( jH tions of supply to us, the price in China has remained nearly the same, while tf e follow a failing supply has ever been more than commensurate to our extreme wants. No. 4. ASSUMED EFFECT ON REVENUE BY ALTERATION OF THE DUTY ON TEA, FROM 2s. 2^D. TO Is. PER POUND. Assumed ef- Price of Common Congou, retail, is ........................... 4s. per pound, t^nof th^duty 9 - d - tola, per Ib. oil First cost ................................... 10 per Ib. the revenue. Duty ...................................... 2 2 " Assumed profit, wholesale .................... 2 " retail, 25 per cent as cash ...... 10 " 4s. per pound. If duty were reduced ; price ............................... 2s. 6d. per Ib. First cost ................................... 010 " Duty ...................................... 10 Assumed profit, wholesale ...... : ............. 2 " retail, 25 per cent as cash ...... 06 " 2s 6 d. per Ib. Or 2d. per ounce, instead of 3d. Thus 33 per cent of the present expenditure in tea would be saved, and ap- Saving of plicable among the economical classes, greatly to the increase of the strength of Jh P r e e b diture the tea which they drink, and which is now, in most cases, with the poor, mere water spoiled. 20 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. Suppose the consumption increased, in the second year, to 80,000,000 Ibs., increase of (and it is probable that it would be so, even in the first,) the calculation with the consumption reve nue would stand thus: and revenue. The present consumption of 45,000,000 Ibs. at 2s. 2d. per Ib 4,921,875 Would become 80,000,000 Ibs. at Is 4,000,000 Add 3 Ibs. sugar per Ib. increase of tea, 46,875 tons at 21 per ton 984,375 4,984,375 Causing an increase of 62,500 The following statements of the exports of tea from China to Great Brit- ain, are chiefly from the reports of the British Chamber of Commerce, of of thc^ex^ons Canton. (It will be observed that these show the total export to England, of tea to Great whereas the above statements do not include the tea not consumed in Emr- Bntam : years , , , i \ 1844 to 1850. and, and reexported.) EXPORT OF TEA FROM CHINA TO GREAT BRITAIN. Scented O. Pekoe. 1,056,800 1,832,300 2,592,700 Sorts. Total Black. 484,200 41,639,400 463,600 41,373,300 924,400 44,975,500 Hyson. Imperial. Gunpowder. Tot. Green. Total Ibs. Date. Congou. Souchong. Caper Pekoe. 1844a. 37,735,900 1,315,800 519,900 526,800 18456. 35,740,400 1,341,800 1,367.300 627,900 1846c. 37,173,500 1,966,100 1,637,800 681,000 Hyson Young Date. Skin. Hyson. Twankay. 1844a 549,000 1,465,200 3,828,600 1,276,300 581,700 1,273,400 8,974,200 50,613,600 18456 319,300 2,969,100 3,200,300 2,1 12,100 1,229,900 2,366,200 12,196,900 53,570,200 1846c> 207,000 3,395,600 3,680,300 1,685,100 1,104,000 2,537,100 12,609,100 57,584,600 a Year ending June 30, in 97 vessels ; b year ending June 30, in 105 vessels ; c year ending June 30, in 117 vessels. Scented Congou. Caper. Caper. Souchong. Sorts. 10,067,665 142,121 706,083 1,436,121 264,965 36,602,963 100,570 1,027,916 767,499 379,827 33,877,560 ....... 1,371,587 1,042,505 294,241 Hyson Young Season. Twankay. Skin. Hyson. 1846-47a ......... 1,425,560 39,236 1,443,468 Season. 1846-47a 1847-486 1848-49c Flowery Pekoe. 698,918 165,317 438,500 1847-486 1848-49c 813,232 116 1,088,270 2,168,190 118,062 49,246 967,697 3,077,882 a In 105 vessels 283,215 117,203 Gun- Hyson. Imperial, powder. 2,347,631 675,312 2,068,442 551,816 2,331,014 619,643 3,646,656 b in 92 vessels ; c in 86 vessels. Or. Scented Total Pekoe. Or. Pekoe. Black. 510,698 1,622,119 45,448,690 1,402,736 1,631,071 Total Green. 7,999,649 6,952,638 8,479.186 40,730,043 38,772,667 Total Export. 53,448,339 47,682,681 47,251,853 COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF EXPORTS OF TEAS FROM ALL CHINA TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, FROM 1ST JULY, TO SEPTEMBER 25TH, 1849, AND FOR THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD OF 1848. Congou. .... Souchong. . . Pekoe S. 0. Pekoe. S. Caper Powchong. . Sorts.. . 1848-49. Pounds. 9,352,044 531,382 16,142 426,826 354,223 5,190 53,357 1849-50. Pounds. 17329,290 Twankay Pounds. Pounds. 1848-49. 1849-50. 42365 680 214 Hyson 22723 44400 130,972 711,106 Young Hyson. . . . Hyson Skin 560,905 234,587 6,613 593529 Gunpowder 928 821 983 217 Imperial 88 353 19 368 OOO QQQ 19,728,510 Total Green Grand Total.... 1,649,680 1,281,572 12,328,844 21,010,082 Total Black. 10,739,164 The following tables, showing the condition of the trade in Great Britain, of the'trade tl< in ^ P resen * J ear an( i ^ e P 98 ^ are fr m the circular of Messrs. Brodribb and Great Britain Coates, of Liverpool : in 1848 to 1849. GENERAL STATEMENT OF IMPORTS, DELIVERIES, AND STOCKS OF TEA AT LIVERPOOL, DUBLIN, AND LONDON, FOR 1849 AND 1848. IMPORTS. Liverpool. Dublin. London, let January, to 16th August. 1st January, to 16th August. 1st January, to 16th July. 1849. 1848. 1849. 1848. 1849. 1848. Foreign.... 6,666,300 8,600,300 217,300 599,700 26,814.000 24,326,000 Coastwise.. 527,000 292,800 1,818,800 1,841,900 472,000 818,000 Totalimpr'ts 7,193,300 8,893,100 2,036,100 2,441,600 27,286,000 25,144,000 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. 21 DELIVERIES. Duty paid.. 3,966,000 3,573,500 2,068,800 2,121,600 Sentcoast'se 3,853,000 4,339,200 89,600 103,300 Exported.... 668,100 490,300 ................ 14,945,000 15,036,000 5,039,000 3,806,000 1,942,000 1,433,000 Tot. deliv'es. 8,487,700 8,403,000 2,158,400 2,224,900 21,926,000 20,275,000 Stocks 9,437,700 13,614,200 1,326,400 1,667,900 34,755,000 38,045,000 STATEMENT OF IMPORTS, DELIVERIES, AND STOCKS OF EACH KIND OF TEA, AT LIVERPOOL AND LONDON, FOR 1849 AND 1848. N. B. With the most trifling exception, the stock in Dublin consists entirely of Congou LIVERPOOL. Bohea Imports. De 1st Jan. to 16th Aug. 1st Jan. 1849. 1848. 1849. 8.600 liveries, to 16th Aug 1848, 5,800 6,393,200 35,500 159,200 11,500 10,700 114,100 22,000 15,100 96,800 199,500 150,600 4,400 199,500 330,000 154,300 261,500 239,300 Stocks. 16th Aug. 1849. 1848. 110,300 121,800 5,759,700 10,635,500 21,400 32,700 147,900 97,400 43,900 61,600 24,000 22,500 335,700 373,000 77,700 65,000 8,200 9,500 5,400 46,600 447,800 580,500 651,300 468,400 36,800 26,600 254,200 199,000 414,400 503,500 50,500 75,500 353,400 106,200 795,100 188,900 Congou 6,144,300 25,000 158,400 7,180,800 6,316,600 35,600 11,400 155,500 122,900 600 Caper. . . . S. Caper Pouchong Ng. Yg. & Og. Souchong. . . . Pekoe y. and this furnishes the explanation of it, as well as the confirmation of the views we have taken of the prominent cause for the slow increase of the consumption here : The exorbitant duty has compelled the shipper to Eng- land to send but few poor teas, and has induced, at the same time, the con- sumer to use the superior qualities ; and the further and natural consequence has been an increased liking for tea, resulting in the great increase of con- sumption. Here is a practical evidence of the excellence of the better qual- ities of tea, which should induce every one to make the change suggested. In this country, fortunately, it is not compelled by the pressure of an enor- mous tax, which in Great Britain doubles or trebles the cost of tea, and thus renders the better qualities many times the most economical ; but in no The disparity i -, .-, /. ., shown to arise other country, perhaps, do the mass ot the consumers regard more the ques- from the use of tion of economy than in this ; and although the disparity is not enormous, as in England, yet the pecuniary gain to a family, in a course of years, by the use of the medium and higher cost qualities, (whose cost is made up so much less, proportionately, of charges, with reference solely to weight or 4 26 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. bulk,) will be so great that, when once estimated carefully, will determine the choice, even without the aid of the more important consideration of the greater healthfullness of the better qualities of tea. As the rejec- This reason, then, we think it has been shown, explains in a great degree qualities 'pro- the disproportion of the increase in the consumption in this country and sumption wm England; and as the rejection of the inferior qualities proceeds, and the use of the better extends, we look to see a gradual and permanent increase of the consumption here. But, as we have before said, we think the actual increase of consumption an estimatl o^f exceeds the amount shown as the average between the two periods, and for t\on shoukhJot the following reasons : First. The imports of the first-named period were the accelSe somewhat in excess of the current wants of the country, having been stim- the apparent prosperity of the years 1834-7, which period was 1832> succeeded by another of general depression and disarrangement in business, during which the consumption was seriously checked, and for which reason large stocks were held over, and brought into the consumption of the sub- sequent years. Secondly. The custom was then common or general amongst the dealers in the cities and large towns, to hold large or considerable stocks at all times ; whereas a new system of business has gradually come into use, in that respect, under which the dealers rarely purchase beyond their imme- diate or proximate wants, so that the stock " carried over " in second hands has become gradually reduced ; and it is understood that the increased fa- cilities for communication and transportation to and from the interior, have produced a similar change amongst the country dealers generally. It is thus that consumption has been encroaching upon stocks, and rendering the statistics of the trade, so far as they are attainable, fallacious as the basis of estimates of actual consumption. Thirdly. The reexportation of tea to the North of Europe, (whose markets had, from the conclusion of the war of 1812 down to 1832 been principally supplied by American ships direct from China,) during the first period named had served to increase the ship- ments' from China to this country to a much greater extent than during the latter period, for the reason that since the war between England and China, there has grown out of the new relations with it an increased direct trade with several of the countries of Europe, and especially an expansion of the export of tea to England, from which last the wants of the countries named have since been largely supplied. And thus, whilst the shipments to this country have been shut out of the foreign markets alluded to, they have R d'cai gradually become absorbed by the increase of the consumption here ; and ges in the various causes have, at the same time, been working the change alluded to trade ; and re- . duced stocks in the mode of conducting the business on the part of the dealers, which in the hands of , the dealers. has gradually tended to the reduction of their stocks. The process The process of these changes, first in the system of the dealers here, an( l secondly in the export trade with the North of Europe notwithstand- pri " ing the concurrent actual reduction of stocks, has constantly tended to de- TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. press prices here ; and to such an extent has this effect been felt, that but for the prolonged depression of prices in England, growing out of the rail- way speculations, and other causes before indicated, and the consequent les- sened cost in China, the import would have fallen materially short of the current wants of the country. That the import, the past season, was below im^ ort be- J L low the cur- the current wants of the country, the present low stock m first and second rent wants of . I , . . the country. hands, as contrasted with the stocks of the same period ot previous years, sufficiently shows, without reference to the fact of the greatly reduced stock in the country generally ; nor is there any doubt but the importers might, with proper regard to the actual position of the trade, have given much abmty g topri- greater stability to prices during the season, if they had agreed upon a new ces - system of sales, in lieu of the present irregular mode of offering whole car- goes hurriedly at auction. It is apparent that some systematized mode of Hurried and ' * i i irregular mode effecting sales is required to counteract the new system ot business pursued of offering by the dealers, who, from having found other profitable channels for their at auction the means, are only to be tempted to stock themselves as they formerly did by the trade, very low prices for teas. It is for this reason that the present irregular mode of selling by auction has become the admitted greatest evil of the trade. It is an injury to all parties, and undesired, save by the mere speculator, for it causes such rapid fluctuations that the regular dealers, with a constant watchfulness, cannot so conduct their business as to give satisfaction to their constituents ; and thus the trade is kept unsettled all over the country, and the consumption checked by a rivalry, growing out of this state of things, to undersell each other, which, again, entails the other evil so vital to the healthy progress of the consumption the introduction of the false or low qualities. Such are, briefly, the evils of the present mode of conducting sales ; and A ,. emedy if an agreement could be made by the importers for periodical sales by auc- suggested. tion, in which each should participate in proportion to his stock, and in the order of each vessel's arrival, it would be a first step toward stability and regularity in prices ; and it would divest the trade, in a considerable degree, of its present speculative character. The more important causes for the general depression of prices, as well as for the rapid fluctuations in them, have thus been shown. A REVIEW OF THE QUESTION OF PRICES, AS RULING THE SUPPLY. It has been stated, also, that but for the depression of prices in China, of Dep r ^ s s ion in which was the greater from having been immediately preceded by a consid- China, and erable inflation of them, and which was produced by the crises in England and Europe, in 1845-7, and the Revolutions of 1848-9, the importers could not have kept pace with the wants of trade, in the degree that they have, under the reduced scale of prices here ; and it is now proposed to pre- sent the evidences of the necessity of a higher scale of prices in future, to keep the supply adequate to the actual wants of the country. 28 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. f -*- ^ In proceeding to consider the question of prices, and to estimate duly favor hl an ex- every circumstance bearing upon it, we find that there is no element of the pSsbeing'as calculation to favor an expectation of the continuance of the low prices of loW year. last ^ ae P as ^ season '> f r whether we inquire into the cost of production and shipment, or consider the probability of the action of external causes upon the producing country ; whether we regard the sure increase of consump- tion here, or the general and sympathetic advance in the prices of all other necessaries, and of almost every kind of propert} 7 , produced by general prosperity, we are brought to the same conclusion. We have seen that a remarkable concurrence of circumstances served to depress prices unnaturally in China the past year ; and we shall find, in taking a retrospective view of the trade, that nothing short of a similar coincidence of causes has ever depressed prices in a like degree. We must, indeed, go back to the memorable year of 1837, for the only parallel in- stance onsim!- stance since the expiration of the East India Company's charter in 1834, "' beyond which period it is not needful to inquire. In other periods we find the same effects in modified forms ; and without entering into unneces- sary particulars, since access may be had by any one to the published prices current of the China newspapers the more prominent instances of great fluctuations in prices in China will suffice to show that in the two periods of 1837-8 and 1848-9, the prices were depressed below the cost of produc- tion. Thus, in the season of 1837-8, after several months of inaction in Review of Canton, during which the crops of both green and black teas had come in, prices of green teas and and an unusual or even unparalleled accumulation of stock had taken place, 1837-38, and the prices of sound country-packed cargo- grade Young Hysons was reduced to seventeen taels, of Hyson Skin to thirteen taels, and of Twankays to fif- teen taels, with proportionate reductions in other grades and kinds of green ; and the price of Ankoi Souchongs to eleven taels, with Ning Yong kinds at fourteen to sixteen taels. These were the lowest points for sound teas, when, on the 29th January, 1838, the ship "Orixa" arrived in China, with letters of September 6th, from Liverpool, (it being seven years before the establish- ment of steam communication overland to China,) conveying accounts of a reaction and considerable rise in prices in England. The immediate conse- quence was a general rise in prices at Canton ; and before the immediate demand for teas was supplied, prices had already advanced, on the 9th of February, (eleven days after the receipt of the account,) to twenty taels for " cargo " Young Hysons, sixteen taels for Hyson Skins, twenty-two taels for Twankays, thirteen taels for Ankoi Souchongs, and other grades and kinds in almost or quite an equal proportion ; and by the 5th of March the same grade of Young Hyson had risen to twenty-six taels. And thus, in a period of thirty-five days, an advance of about 50 per cent was established, al- though the almost entire crops of the year were on hand at Canton. Omitting the subsequent years, until after the treaty of peace with Eng- land, and taking about the same period of each of the following, we find the AND THE TEA TRADE. quotations of prices as follows : February 18th, 1843 twenty-five to thirty taels for common to good " cargo " quality Young Hysons, with a stock of 20,000 half chests ; Hyson Skins, seventeen to twenty-one taels for "cargo" qualities, with a stock of 17,000 chests ;. Twankays, twenty to twenty-five taels for "cargo" qualities, with a stock of 30,000 half chests, and 10,000 chests. January 10th, 1844 twenty-five to twenty-eight taels for ordinary to fair " cargo " grades, thirty to thirty -two taels for strictly good " cargo " Young Hysons ; fourteen to nineteen taels for ordinary to good "cargo" Hy- son Skins ; twenty-two to twenty-four taels for good " cargo " Twankays. On the succeeding 6th of March, when it was clearly ascertained that the crop was short of the wants of the consuming countries, the prices had risen 10 to 15 per cent for the several kinds before quoted; and to supply the demand, resort was then had to mixing the Canton-made teas with the genuine country tea ; yet, notwithstanding this means of augmenting the export, the commercial year closed (on the 30th of June, 1844) with an aggregate of but 14,257,364 Ibs. shipped to this country, or more than two millions short of the previous export, and of the estimated wants of the country, as the succeeding season's transactions, which we proceed to quote, will show. November 25th, 1844. "For green teas the demand has been active for both England and the United States, and the different chops have been settled almost as fast as they have arrived, at thirty to thirty-four taels for ordinary to good ' cargo ' grades of ' Singo ' Young Hysons, and thirty-four to forty for ordinary to good * cargo ' Moyune Young Hysons," &c., &c. ; " And on comparing these quotations with those of last season, we find they show an advance of 25 to 30 per cent on all kinds, except Hyson Skins, which are 10 to 15 per cent higher." December 5th, 1844. A further rise to thirty-four taels for the lowest quality of country-packed Young Hysons, and to thirty-eight for strictly good " cargo " Moyune, al- though the process of mixing Canton-made teas had already been resorted to extensively. These high prices continued, and the reductions from them were only for mixed teas ; and by the aid of this process of mixing, that -in a period of sixteen years the prices there have but twice reached the scale of last year, and that in the intervening years, with a scale of prices 50 per cent or more higher, there has been no accumulation of stocks there at the end of the respective commercial years, although the fluctuations upon this side have repeatedly induced the shipment of simu- lated preparations, and of mixtures of these with genuine tea, by which we are brought to the inevitable conclusion that the average prices* of the four more settled years of the trade since the new regulations came into force, namely: 1843-4, 1844-5, 1845-6, 1846-7, are those upon which, only, we can predicate a just estimate of the cost to the producer, or an approximate one of a reasonable scale of selling prices here. This scale will be found, upon examination, much higher than that of last year here, for green teas especially. And, upon the other hand, we find in this country, at the pres- ent moment, a smaller stock of teas than has been held since 1832, not only in first and second hands in this city, but over the country generally ; and, at the same time, undeniably, an accumulation, as it were, of the various elements of a general prosperity,! wholly without a parallel, and which is * These prices have been already quoted, and, adding about 50 per cent to cover the cost of importation, will show the fair scale for prices here. f From the regular correspondent of the Commercial Advertiser, wlio is known to be in a position singularly favorable for the formation of correct and enlightened opinions : LONDON, December 14th, 1849. Looking at all these circumstances, it is impossible to doubt that a course of pros- perity is commencing, which must be attended by a general firmness in prices, and ul- timately lead to a degree of renewed activity and enterprise such as has scarcely been known at any former period. Nor is there the slightest danger, at least for some years, of any mad speculation. Even at this moment, in the face of the rapid rise in Con- sols, and of all other descriptions of sound investment, railway shares remain nearly uninfluenced, and there is such an all-pervading distrust of the concocters of public companies of every kind that it would be vain for these parties to make any attempt upon popular credulity. People are turning their eyes everywhere for good and sound means of investment, but their recent lesson has been too severe for them to have any thing to do with mere speculation. American securities are improving in estimation ; and were it not for the unclean fame of Mississippi, Florida and Michigan, the avidity for them would doubtless be general ; but the conduct of those States inspires a re- serve which, perhaps, at the present time, operates beneficially rather than otherwise. The rush, therefore, is toward Consols, and so strong is the feeling on the part of many persons that it will continue and send them up to a price which will enable the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer to reduce the interest below 3 per cent, that large sums have been sold and reinvested at a disparity, in a different stock, which has the advantage of a guarantee that it shall not be reduced below 3 per cent until after the lapse of twenty years from 1854. The total amount of Consols is upward of 500,000,000, so that a reduction of even a quarter per cent in the interest would produce an annual saving to the country of 1,250,000. TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. 33 becoming rapidly infused into all branches of business whence, with allowance for the rapid increase of the population, also, we may reasonably infer a large increase of the consumption of tea. teas? e giec Upon this view of the trade, we are brought irresistibly to the conclusion that with the opening of the trade in February, we shall witness an advance in the prices of green teas, generally, corresponding somewhat, at least, to that in Congous, Souchongs, and other black teas, last season. And if we turn to regard external causes again, we find that, so far from meeting any indi- cations favoring low prices in England, or a lessening of the demand for that country, there are expectations strongly entertained that the duty will be materially reduced there the immediate consequence of which, (or even a Extern.ii strong belief of its probability,) will be a great advance in prices in China, caus f n s g it f f vor - whilst the general return to a settled state of trade in most European coun- tries, tends to the same end. In short, whether we view the subject abstractly, and confine our inquiry conclusion to the results and inferences derived from statistical data ; or comprehensively, of ar s ument - and regard the influences which are inevitable, and as powerful, from the concurrent opening of a career of unsurpassed prosperity to the commerce of England and of this country, we are brought to the same conclusion. In now concluding these papers, so far as they relate directly to this Explanatory country, the writer desires to say that the remarks made are only such as S the m writor's the examination of the subject has elicited ; and that he believes no one who ?S. 9e8 and gives it an equally close one can escape the same convictions. Nor have they been made with any purpose or expectation of suddenly or temporarily raising prices beyond a fair and proper standard of value proportionate to the cost, but with the hope of aiding somewhat in the establishment of a scale of prices, so adjusted to reasonable expectations that it shall be more uniform less subject to rapid and great fluctuations than the market has presented the past two years. Upon this depends the prosperity of the trade, and the increase of the consumption of tea, for, besides the injury which an unsettling of prices causes, out of these great fluctuations spring the inducements to ship false and very inferior kinds. There are, undoubtedly, causes for considerable variations in prices insep- Of course it must be understood that all these considerations are to be taken sub- ject to the possibility of disturbance from war or other violent convulsions. Apart from any possible calamities of that nature everything is bright, and there never was a time when the attention of the Anglo-Saxon race might be more safely or vig- orously directed to great enterprises. So inspiring, indeed, is the prospect in this re spect, that I feel certain many large designs are on the eve of formation and accom- plishment, and that a wonderful epoch in human progress will date from the com- mencement of the latter half of the present century. 34 TEA! AND THE TEA TRADE. arable from the nature of the trade, and arising from the great distance* of the only producing country ; but when, after a proper allowance for these, we find prices depressed materially below the cost of production, as was the case in Congou-Souchongs, and some other black teas, in 1847 and 1848, and is now the case in green teas, it is proper to anticipate, by degrees, the natural rise that must take place in prices. It will be seen that no statement made rests upon the writer's opinion, unsupported by evidence from other sources. If the papers assist, in how- ever moderate a degree, to effect the beneficial changes so much required, to give regularity to the trade, the writer will feel fully repaid, as he will if those who read are influenced to introduce more extensively the wholesome beverage " That cheers, but ne'er inebriates." POSTSCRIPT. The following extracts from the speech of Mr. Brodribb, on Taxation, de- livered at Liverpool, November 22d, 1849, before the Financial Reform As- sociation of England, convey so direct and forcible a confirmation of the opinions and statements advanced in the first part of this article, (published in the January number,) upon4he subject of the duty upon tea in England, as well as in regard to the beneficial influences of the extended use of the leaf, as contributing to temperance and to the domestic and social comforts of the people, and hence to their refinement, and are at the same time so interesting, as furnishing a partial exposition of the working of that kind of taxation in England ; that their being appended hereto will no doubt be ac- ceptable to the reader, whilst the writer may consider himself fortunate to be able to present, at the conclusion of his paper, so respectable and com- plete an endorsement of the opinions he has ventured to advance in its first part, the writing of which here (in November) must have been about simul- taneous with Mr. Brodribb's preparation of the materials of his speech at Liverpool. The value put upon what Mr. Brodribb says, is shown by the following editorial notice of his remarks, extracted from the Liverpool Times of No- vember 24th. " There are few speakers at a public meeting heard with greater attention than Mr. Brodribb. He pours out the resources of a massive mind in a flood of earnest eloquence, which involuntarily arrests attention, less in reference to its rhetorical adornments than from the impressive manner which imparts to all he says a profound and practical value. Few men can arrange an army of statistics * Though, thanks to Sea Witches, (whether so-called, or Houquas, MontauJcs, or Samuel Russells,} and to knowing salt-water-men, the distance is so shortened in time as to be recognized as a new feature in the trade. TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. 35 with more force and beauty ; and the evident honesty of his purpose the cer- tain convictions of his own mind force on his hearers a conclusion that he enunciates a succession of truths, self-evident and powerfully persuasive. This is the more impressed on the public mind from the unfrequency of his appear- ance, despite the temptation within and without a ready delivery and an eager- ness to applaud. He comes forth not to " show off," but to do good. " Why tax tea and coffee, which are the very antidotes to spirits, and a free and cheap use of which would, in all probability, supersede the use of spirits ? ********* " Next come the articles that minister so much to our domestic and social comforts sugar, tea and coffee. Where is the home, however humble, or the board, however frugal, that does not think itself unfurnished where these are wanting ? The people of all classes covet them, and the very poor, perhaps, the most of all. The reason may not be difficult to assign. The meals they fur- nish are produced the most readily, and with the least trouble ; added to which, they are great promoters of sociality, without leading to intemperance or excess of any kind. Indeed, perhaps nothing has tended so much to civilize and soften the ruder manners of the uneducated classes as the use of these foreign pro- ducts. They have carried refinement with them, both of habits and mind, wher- ever their use has been continuous ; the pot-house and Ihe wrangling-club have found in them their greatest enemies. The drunkard by them has been re- claimed the truant from home restored. Desolate hearths have been made glad, and weeping eyes dried up, as, by their influence, husband, son, or brother has been won back to the endearing delights of home. Many is the child who dates from such a period the first anxious care of a father regarding his educa- tion and morals. From that day the father discharged his highest duties to the State ; and how has the State repaid him ? By taxing these three articles to- gether to the amount of 11,000,000 annually ten times the amount of the tax contributed by the costly protected land. ********* " Here we have an amount of nearly forty millions* weighing on the springs of industry. Taking into account the profit that must necessarily be put upon these forty millions, for employment and risk of such capital, it will amount to fully fifty millions taken from the people. This is what Porter describes as ' weighing with destructive force upon the springs of industry ;' and he is right in so de- scribing it. It destroys industry by preventing its development. A small huxter, who could find 3 10s. to buy his chest of tea with, and who, by selling that tea at Is. Id. per Ib. profit could clear 20s., or, at Id. per oz. could clear 2, must fore- go the profit of this industry altogether, unless he can command 9 3s. Id. wherewith to pay the duty. The consequence is, that he is doomed to idleness, and, most likely, to pauperism, and thus becomes a burden on the resources of others, instead of being able to contribute himself out of such earnings to a di- rect tax, and thus diminish the burden of others. But this is not the only evil of the tax. The effect of it is, that the tea, instead of being sold Is. Id., is sold at 4s. per Ib., and instead of Id. per oz., it is sold at 3d. per oz. ; and at the latter rate does not pay the dealer so good a profit, in proportion to capital employed and * This sum of forty millions includes the taxes on several other " necessaries of life." TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. risk run, as at the former rate. The increased price is no extra gain to the dealer ; it is all caused by the tax, and the additional taxation of the indirect system. Besides, it prevents any but men of large means from engaging in the trade, and, to a certain extent, creates a virtual monopoly. This property is not peculiar to the tea tax, only that the tax on tea is heavier than any other save the tobacco tax." ERRATUM. The following announcement was omitted by the printer at the conclusion of Part Second : Another paper upon this subject will appear in a future number of this Magazine : some statistics of the trade with Russia, Holland, and other countries, will be presented, as well as some further remarks upon the subject generally. POSTSCRIPT, JAN. 23d, 1850. IN the passage of these papers through the press the several mails from China and England, and the weekly reports upon this market, have furnished marked confirmations of the opinions expressed by the writer upon several of the more important points of the subject. Some of these, as confirmatory of the First Part, having reached in time for the Second Part, have been thereto annexed ; and the following, which have since been received, are here given to further as- sist the reader toward a correct understanding of the present position of the Tea Trade. A writer in the London Morning Chronicle, under date of Dec. 21st, upon the present position of the British Trade with China, thus speaks upon the question of the duty on Tea : " The several channels which give employment to British capital in connection with China, and which it should be the aim of our Legislature to protect and advance, may be reduced in the main to " First, the exchange of British manufactures, Indian cotton and opium for tea and silk, involving thereby the interests of the manufacturer, the welfare of our Indian possessions, the interests of the shipowner, and, what is much more to be feared is more narrowly consulted than any of these, and greatly to their in- jury, the Exchequer. " Secondly, to the trade conducted on native and foreign account, at all times upon British capital, between the several ports on the coast of China, and be- tween that country and the neighboring islands and places in the eastern seas ; thereby involving the same interests as in the former case, inasmuch as capital employed in this trade is derived from the same sources as in that instance. " It does not call for very acute discernment to account for the slow progress towards nay, rather the retrogression from an extended commerce with China. To arrive at our true position in mercantile intercourse with that country it is necessary that the precise degree of estimation in which our manufactures are held in China be understood, as also the capabilities of our market to take off the produce supplied by the Chinese at prices which will remunerate the produ- TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. cer ; there ia no limit to the extent that our commerce with that country might be carried, if under a reciprocal and unoppressive scale of taxation. But if we find that our markets do not admit of a remunerative price reaching the China- man without our manufacturer submitting to a loss upon his manufactures, is it not for our legislators to look into the scale of duties on which both our goods are admitted into China and theirs into this country ? What do they find ? That while our manufactures are subject to the nominal duty of 5 per cent, we en- cumber their returns with a duty varying from 80 to 600 per cent on tea, and upon the average consumption: of the country 200 per cent. " Can it, then, be matter of surprise that our trade with China has not real- ized former anticipations ?" The foregoing remarks, as well as the speech of Mr. Brodribb, already an- nexed to the Second Part, show the correctness of the opinions expressed by the writer upon the question of the duty in England. The following extract from the circular of Messrs. Baring, Brothers & Co., of London, of December 28th, announcing a speculation in common Congous, whether based upon an expectation of a change in the duty, or upon the ques- tion of supply, furnishes a confirmation of the opinions of the writer upon either point. "TEA. A public sale, 20th inst., when, of 1 9,800 ^packages put up, about 4,300 were sold; prices unaltered, except Scented Caper and Orange Pekoe, which declined Id. a 2d. A speculative demand for common Congou has since sprung up, and extensive transactions have occurred, upward of 20,000 chests having changed hands at prices, showing an advance of id. a Id. ; in fair mer- chantable common Congou, nothing is now to be had under 10d., and not much thereat." And the opinion expressed as to the unusual absorption of the stocks of tea over the country generally, is fully sustained by the following reliable reporta upon this market from the Commercial List Price Current, of Messrs. Burritt. " TEAS. There continues a very good demand for both green and black, un- usual for this period of the season, and we notice further sales of 800 half-chests Young Hyson, Hyson Skins, and Twankay, by a recent arrival, 589 chests Sin- gapore Ankoi, from Liverpool, and 501 chests Hyson Skin, just received, all at full prices." December 22d. " TEAS. Have continued in good request, and we note sales of 1,500 half- chests black and 1,000 half-chests green, in lots, the former to go out of the market at very full prices. The residue of the Samuel Russell's cargo of black is announced for auction 9th instant." January 5th. " TEAS. There is a firm buoyant feeling in the market for both green and black, and in some instances improved prices have been realized. We note sales of 2,500 half-chests Ningyong and Oolong, the residue of the Samuel Russell's cargo; 1,000 half-chests Young Hyson, and 5 a 600 half-chests Hyson Skin and Twankay. The cargo of the Houqua, recently arrived, will hot be offered at present." January 18th. " TEAS. The reduced stock of both green and black has induced great firm- ness in the market, and given rise to a speculative feeling ; and we note sales of 1,000 half-chests Young Hyson, mostly low grade; 600 half-chests Hyson Skin and Twankay, and a few Hyson ; and new crop black from the recent arrival, all at very full and even slightly improved prices." January 23d. 38 TEA '. AND THE TEA TRADE. POSTSCRIPT SECOND, JANUARY 26 TH , 1850. The following extract from the Circular of Messrs. Baring, Brothers & Co-, London, of January llth, 5 P. M., (just at hand per Niagara,) still further con- firms the opinions of the writer. " TEA has experienced an animated speculative demand, and large sales have been made in Congou, from lOid. up to Is. 9d. ; and in the lower qualities of green, common Hyson and Young Hyson, especially the former, from Is. 4d. to Is. 6d. the latter, 8i d. to Is. per pound." TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. AS PUBLISHED IN THE MAY ISSUE OF THE MERCHANTS 7 MAGAZINE. Two Papers upon this subject were published in the January and Feb- Introduction* ruary issues, respectively, of this Magazine, and have since been republished together in pamphlet form, in two editions. In the first edition of the pamphlet the following notice appeared : "ERRATUM. " The following announcement was omitted by the printer at the conclusion of part second: Another paper upon this subject will appear in a future num- ber of this Magazine : some statistics of the trade with Russia, Holland, and other countries, will be presented, as well as some further remarks upon the subject generally." And it is now proposed to conclude the series with the present Paper. The subject has attracted, by its intrinsic importance, a great measure of t^ted to the attention from others as well as mere commercial readers ; and the writer subject, hopes that it will hereafter be presented in a more worthy and attractive form, by practiced and skillful writers, those who are accustomed to treat of political economy, or who are the active promoters of temperance, in order that a knowledge of it may be more widely diffused, and the use of the beverage become more general. It has been appropriately spoken of in an editorial notice of these papers in the Evening Post as, " the drink "Evening characteristic of modern and improved civilization, used alike by rich and poor social, refreshing, humanizing Tea." And in the Literary World, in " Literary an appreciative notice of considerable length, it is thus spoken of: " Among all articles of luxury none has stood its ground more firmly than tea, none, probably, has been productive of more refinement, has been so pure and healthful in its associations. To extend these influences is a work of phi- , Major Noah. lanthropy, as well as of mercantile profit." Major Noah has recently published the following decided opinion in favor of tea. It appears in answer to a question put by a correspondent, who adopts the Chinese name of Ching : " CHING. ' Which do you prefer as a domestic beverage, tea or coffee ?' Tea, by all means. Tea is associated with rest after a day's toil, of happy firesides, 40 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. of temperance, and of peace, A liberal use of the cup, which cheers but does not inebriate, is calculated more than that of any other article to weaken the lures of intemperance, and to attract the laborer from the tavern to his domestic hearth." interest attach- T ^ e unusua ^ measure of attention given to this subject, at present, in ed to it in Eng- England, has been alluded to in presenting the speech of Mr. Brodribb, in a Postscript to Part Second, and subsequent accounts from there indicate that the interest in it has suffered no diminution as the following humorous report of the interview of the " Tea Deputation " with Lord John Russell, the Premier, from a recent issue of that " mirror of the times" " PUNCH " will show. "THE TEA DEPUTATION. The tea de u- " n Wednesday, the 16th of January, a deputation from Liverpool, headed by tation wait on its members, waited on Lord John Russell and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, ment, and are with the laudable desire of obtaining their consent to a reduction in the Tea humorously j , described by <"lty. 44 Punch" The business commenced by a few words from Sir Thomas Birch, who was very appropriately selected on this occasion, for, as the Premier (must have men- tally) remarked, "Birch has always been looked upon as one of the principal representatives of Tea in this country." Mr. Cardwell went into the arithmetic of Tea, and proved that, while in the United Kingdom the consumption amounted to only a pound and three quarters per head, it was nine pounds per head per annum in the Australian colonies. This, at a spoonful each, and one for the pot, gave several million cups of tea to the colonists, while, at the same strength of brewing, there would be little more than a dish (of Tea) per diem for the inhabitants of Great Britain. Mr. Edward Brodribb enlarged on the social merits of Tea, and insisted that, although mere spoons had sometimes made a stir in Tea, there was now a small but determined Tea party springing up in the kingdom, and, with all respect, he would say that the Government would eventually be teased out of the duty. Another member of the deputation took a view of the matter in reference to the agricultural interests, urging, that, so long as the genuine Tea was kept out of the country by the heavy duty, the hedges of the farmer would never be safe from those depredators who plucked a spurious sort of Twankay from the sloe, and stole for the Tea market that which was neither Hyson nor His'n, After a few further remarks from other members of the deputation, Lord John Russell courteously acknowledged himself the friend of Tea, and though some called it mere slop, sent over by our foes the Chinese, he was not one of those who regarded it as a " weak invention of the enemy," After intimating his willingness to take a Tea leaf, if practicable, out of the book of free trade, he assured the deputation that he and his friend, the Chancellor of the Exche- quer, would, some day, after dinner, take Tea into their best consideration." The plain prose account of the same is given in the London Spectator, of And in plain January 19th, as follows: prose by the . 44 Spectator." " A deputation, representing the mercantile interests of Liverpool, the Magis- trates and the Chamber of Commerce of Edinburgh, and the Chamber of Com- merce of Glasgow, had an interview with Lord John Russell and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on Wednesday, at the Treasury, to urge a reduction of the TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. 41 duties on tea. Sir Thomas Birch and Mr. Cardwell, members for Liverpool, in- troduced the deputation. The usual arguments in favor of reducing the duties on tea were reinforced by the explanation of the increasing difficulties found in obtaining an article of exchange for our increasing exports to China ; the bal- ance of trade on the past year is $10,000,000 ; and, unless the import of tea is increased, we can only diminish that balance by checking our exports. The propitious .state of the revenue was dwelt on as favorable to the hopes of the deputation. Lord John Russell courteously listened to all that was said ; prom- ised ' best consideration ;' and declined ' to give a definite answer.' " And some extracts from the circular of an extensive brokerage house, in London, of January 5th, will serve to show, in concise and ratber nervous terms, the merits of the duty question : ." OBSERVATIONS ON TEA. " What pays the enormous duty of 2s. 2d. per lb., which is more than 300 per cent on many qualities? Tea. What yields a revenue to our government of five millions and a half per an- num? Tea, Now if the sum realized by this oppressive tax were paid into the Bank of Eng- land in gold, it would take one of the clerks four years, twenty-one weeks, and five days to count and weigh it according to their custom. What made our present gigantic East India Company ? (Some here we know will diifer in opinion, but we say it could not have been done without) Tea. What has had fewer arguments employed in its favor, when more might have been used than on almost any other article subject to an Import Duty ? Tea. What article was untouched by Peel's Tariff? (While almost every other article either underwent some change, or had the duty taken off.) Tea. What article is that on which the duty to the poor man is 300 per cent, while the rich man only pays from 30 to 60 per cent 1 ? Tea. What article of consumption is now paying the expense of more travelers than any other? Tea. What article in the grocery business pays for all the loss of bad debts, &c. ? - Tea. What has made some of our London Bankers ?-^-Retailing of Tea. What has made some Members of Parliament ? Retailing of Tea. What has enabled others to purchase landed estates ? Retailing of Tea. " In order rightly to estimate the advantages of Tea, we must not look at its value abstractedly, but on the influence it exercises on the country at large. We look upon its use as one of the greatest counteracters of intemperance, for the man who enjoys his tea with his family is not a person who seeks the stimulus of the tavern, and in the lower classes, the public house and the gin-shop. We believe that Father Mathew did good service to his and our country; but we must not forget that men must have wherewithal to refresh themselves, and were they enabled to have good tea, at a low price, an enlivening and gently ex- hilarating beverage would be placed in the hands of the industrious classes, and man would not so often, as he now is, be tempted to " put an enemy in his mouth to steal away his brains." The gin-palaces, and such places, we look upon as pit-falls purposely placed to entrap the footsteps of the unwary. Few so heedless as to fall into a pit if exposed to their view ; but the warmth of the 6 .-A Th of the" 1 ** pithily 1 stated ^Brokerage** House. from Tea% 42 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. fire, the brightness of the lights, the temporary excitement of the draught are as flowers strewed over the deadly chasm beneath. We do not go so far as to say that good and cheap tea would in any very decided manner remedy this evil, but we do say this, and every man who has bestowed a thought upon the sub- ject will agree with us, that the man who enjoys a cup of good tea, and can get it, with its necessary concomitants, fire and comfort, at home, will not be in much danger of turning out after the labors of the day to seek the poisonous excitement of the drinking-house. The subject is one which has obtained, and deserves, the attention of the philanthropist. Who can number the situations lost, the hopes blighted, the workhouses filled by this one vice ? Let us not waste our breath in tirades against what is evil and wrong : a sensible man would say it is the best to oppose good to evil ; to provide things innocent, if not positively salubrious, in the place of those which are decidedly the contrary. The indulgence in liquor, if it does not merit the tremendous censure of the great Robert Hall, " liquid fire, and distilled damnation !" is at least detrimental to health of body, and totally incompatible with peace and serenity of mind Let us, then, be ready to co-operate with every endeavor made to persuade gov- ernment to REDUCE THE DUTY ON TEA, and if we are in earnest in our desire, they will, sooner or later, yield to the pressure from without." The following concise expression of opinion on the subject of the duty is from the Liverpool Chronicle, of January 12th, last: ********* The duty " The enormous duty on tea is likewise utterly indefensible. To impose a ciseiystated'by h eav y tax on the "cup that cheers, but not inebriates," which is almost the only th chronidie 01 su PP or ^ f that l& r g e class of distressed females for whom much commendable sympathy is now expressed, as though it were an article of luxury confined to the wealthy, is harsh, if not cruel. Not only would a much larger consumption of the article follow a reduction of the duty, which would speedily augment the Exchequer, but it would open, to an extent of which we have little conception, the markets of China to the manufactures of this country in that spirit of bar- ter which is the very soul of trade. ********* " The greatest comfort we possess, while oppressed with our present absurd and unequal system of taxation, is, that it cannot last long." THE QUESTION OF CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED STATES. The question of iTE^nited ^ n re verting to the consideration of the question of the consumption in states. this country, we are always brought to the necessity of a more stable and uniform market here ; -the prevention of rapid and great fluctuation of prices, out of which spring the inducements to ship/afoe and very inferior kinds of tea, from the introduction of which a distaste arises, and the use is checked.* * The same effect is seen in the use of coffee, as the following paragraph from the paper of Major Noah, of a recent date, shows : "A house in this city advertises 500 bbls. of peas for sale, and heads the advertise- ment " To coffee-roasters" This is an invitation to commit a fraud by mixing coffee with an article, which, if not deleterious, is at least objectionable. "We are in favor of burning our own coffee." TEA: AND THB TEA TRADE. 43 The nature of this commerce, based as it is upon an article of prime ne- cessity, which is the production of but one country, and that a distant one, and the extension of whose use follows so surely the diffusion of knowledge, and conducted, as well in second as in first hands, by a comparatively limited tlons> number of the most intelligent and respectable merchants, whilst its impor- tation is almost confined to this port, should exempt it from the frequent and rapid fluctuations to which coffee and other products of many, and of near, as well as distant countries, whose importation and sale is neither confined to a limited number of merchants, or to any one port, are subject. In reviewing the trade for the last period of five years, we find a remarka- Remarkable ble uniformity in its amount, as shown by the exports from China hither, {he imports." 1 which, for convenience, we now repeat the gross suras of. Thus, there were shipped to this country in 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849. Green. .Ibs 13,812,099 14,236,082 14,388,938 15,340,565 13,834,453 Black 6,950,459 4,266,166 4,498,798 3,998,578 4,875,564 Total.. 20,762,558 18,502,248 18,887,736 19,339,083 18,710,017 Showing an average of about 14,323,000 pounds of green, and of about 4,917,000 pounds of black; and of both, 19,240,000 pounds per annum. This presents a uniformity such as no other article of importation does for a like period, and indicates a commerce free of the elements of fluctuation. We find therefore, that the influences which have disturbed the course of The influences prices here are external, or of an imaginary nature, and that the remedy prices are not lies in the adoption of a new system of sales, by which a regular and more llSSSsary rem d - gradual offering of the annual and inevitable accumulation of the importations edy su ^ ested - in the spring may be provided for. As to the period of shipment from Chi- The period of na, the laws of nature control the operations of the merchant ; for the in- cate by natu- coming of the crop of tea at the shipping ports is naturally in the autumn ; the monsoon soon after favors the vessel's return hither ; and the approach- ing season of humidity does not less powerfully than the winds tend to warn the merchant against delay in China. These natural and uncontrolable causes, then, indicate clearly the necessity The course of of the suggested remedy. The considerations of its expediency have already he^sh^tte been presented in the previous papers, in anticipation of the opening of the ne re m ed the spring trade here ; and the subsequent course of the market, has, in the most marked manner, confirmed the opinions then expressed upon this point, after due allowance for the unusually limited country demand during the past six weeks. There is no doubt but that the highly respectable auction houses now em- its adoption ployed to sell the teas imported, would gladly concur in a new system of couvTiSencHo sales, whereby the amount obtained, and, as a consequence, their own com- a11 P arties - missions would be considerably increased, while their convenience would also be promoted. A great convenience would result to all the parties to the trade, also, in the greater diffusion of the payments for the teas over the year, 44 TEA:ANDTHETEATRADE. A ^ indeed, when the large aggregate amount of the sales of tea is considered, a greater equalization of the payments over the year will appear as a benefit to all branches of business. Peculiar in- ^he question of consumption is always recognized as the most important consumption e ^ ement m considering the progress of commerce in any article, and in the of Tea. examination of it with reference to tea, it is found to possess peculiar interest. It is an article whose intrinsic qualities are the least understood, generally, and the examination and judgment of which, by the few who have some practical experience in it, is the most important of all those products which enter into general consumption. No other necessary of life offers so great a variety of kinds, much less such a diversity of qualities ; nor is any other so valuable in proportion to weight or bulk ; yet no other is, as a general thing, so hurriedly examined and sold. The evils resulting from this haste, and consequent incompleteness of ex- E from e h 8 asty ng animation, are not confined to the mere fluctuation of prices, but affect the 8ales management of the dealers in all parts of the country, and thus act preju- dicially upon consumption; whilst, as has been before remarked, the fluctu- ation in prices induces the shipment of very inferior qualities, and this preju- dices the consumers against the good tea. The general want of nicety of judgment in the selection of tea, and the con- Undue regard sequent undue regard paid to the " style" or form and color of the leaf, ra- or the lea? 16 " tner ^ ian * ^ ne m ^rinsic quality, which can only be well tested in the cup, and which is often indicated by a broken leaf, whether in green or black teas, for the reason that the youngest leaves are naturally the tenderest and soon- est broken, and, at the same time, the richest in flavor, is at present a check to the growing predilection for the beverage. Other misapprehensions exert a similar influence : one of these, the general impression that teas seriously deteriorate in quality by keeping a year or two ; whereas, all kinds of black tea, save only the delicate white leaf of the Pekoe, which rarely or never comes to this country, are really improved by keeping a year ; and the kinds Teas improve most used here, Ouloong, Ning-Yong, Ankoi, and Congou-Souchong, really by keeping. re q u j re the effect of the lapse of time in abstracting the fire which has been communicated in the curing of the leaf, to render them mellow and palatable to those persons who have been accustomed to the use of tea in China or England ; and a very considerable portion of the green teas would gain, ra- ther than lose, in appreciative flavor, by being kept a year. It is necessary to say, however, that tea of no kind can be kept sound in a small parcel, or in an open package, any considerable length of time, although a package of 60 to 80 pounds would, if originally well cured, keep for several years un- impared in a dry, airy place. The Chinese do not drink new tea, but consider it necessary to allow time for the fire to escape ; and they say that the highly-fired black teas of the better qualities, really improve in flavor by being kept two years in tight leaden boxes. TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. 45 To the various causes alluded to must be attributed the comparatively slow increase of the consumption of tea, and the wide disparity shown by the re- ally immense increase in the consumption of coffee. That the introduction of the poor qualities of tea into the west and south-west, which was noticed in Part First, where the chief increase of the population has accrued, has had the effect to turn the consumption upon coffee, there is no doubt : for we find that the chief increase in the use of tea is in the Eastern and Middle States, including, however, Ohio, where the dealers and consumers appreciate the better classes, and where the judgment of qualities, from long habit, is better, and if this were not so, the greater economy of tea, as compared with coffee, irrespective of the distance of place, and which is more in proportion to the distance of carriage, as well as the greater portableness and convenience of it, would have kept the consumption at its relative proportion, as shown in other parts of the country. That tea, when properly used, is much the most economical, and its effects salutary, as compared with coffee, whose effects injurious ef- are usually injurious, there is no doubt. And it is understood that the phy- sicians, during the prevalence of the cholera last season, recommended the use of black tea instead of coffee. There are already indications of the turn- ing of the consumption upon black teas in Ohio and other parts of the West, in lieu of coffee ; and it may be hoped that, as the necessary knowledge in preparing it extends, and the better qualities become appreciated, the dis- parity in the consumption of the two beverages will be removed. The sincere sincere efforts efforts of every one in the trade should be used to this most desirable, be- to extend the use of Tea. cause mutually beneficial, end. By judicious and persevering efforts, the consumption may be brought somewhat nearer to correspond with the ratio of it in the United Kingdom, the consum P- 1 ' tipn may be where " a large proportion of the population does not consume tea," owing increased. to its high cost. In 1846, it will have been seen, the rate per head of the whole population, (including Ireland,) was If pounds; at which this coun- try would now require about 30,000,000 pounds, instead of 20,000,000 ; but, as has been before stated, the proportion of persons who can afford to buy tea in this country is immeasurably greater than in Great Britain and Ire- and ; and when it is considered that in England, as is stated in the papers consumption of Mr. Norton, in Part Second, " in private families, whose expenses are based on competence, the consumption of tea is twelve to thirteen pounds per head, and that domestic servants in such families, when allowed tea, have nearly one-quarter of a pound per week, or thirteen pounds per annum," the dis- parity in the consumption in the two countries is truly surprising ; and sug- gests the hope of a greater ratio of increase than the former statistics have shown. The past and present seasons, it is believed, will be found to show a greater increase. The following remarks referring to this branch of the subject are extracted from an editorial notice of the first and second of these papers in the Literary World of March 2d : 40 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE, " One striking result is prominently brought out by the apparent incongruity of cause and effect. It is that the increase of the consumption of tea is propor- tionably higher in England than in this country, notwithstanding the duty in one the~d^parfty country is enormous, and in the other nothing at all. In England there is a fixed S u n mp?io C n OI in dut J u P on a11 qualities of tea, Mr. Nye tells us, of about fifty cents a pound ! Sf Sit*'!? The ex P lanation of the different progress of consumption in the two different countries, Mr. Nye finds in a great degree in the use of better qualities of tea in England than here ; for the cost of transportation, &c., being as great on a tea of the higher qualities as on the lesser, and the duty being uniform, the obvious effect is to cheapen in comparison the better article. Thus in England the con- sumer of a poor tea pays a tax of 200 to 400 per cent on the cost, while the high-priced tea pays only 50 to 100. Between the two articles the latter thrives, and, the appetite growing by what it feeds on, the taste for a genuine article of luxury overcomes the cost and the burden imposed by the government. In the United States, on the contrary, poorer kinds of tea are introduced, poorer in quality and actually in economy, and the use of the beverage limited by the dis- taste created from the inferior article. This is the present working of the sys- tem ; but it must soon change when it is discovered where the defect lies. Bet- ter teas will be found to be cheaper ; and the more widely they are introduced, in the more rapid ratio will spread the demand." THE QUESTION OF SUPPLY. The question This question seems to be but little understood generally, and much mis- of supply con- . o j i sidered. apprehension exists amongst those who are connected with the trade. Opin- ions have been stated which appear contradictory. Misapprehen- ^ nas been shown in the previous papers that the downward tendency of Lyin- prices the two past years had led to the absorption of the old stocks by the consumption ; and it is now apparent that the supply of tea in China is inad- equate to the wants of the consuming countries, although the early in-coming of the crops, and the prompt shipment of them to England and the United States, appears, at the moment, to indicate an abundant supply. Prices ma- terially higher are required to induce the collecting and curing of the inferior descriptions of the leaf, by which to enlarge the shipments. It seems not to be generally known, either, that an increase of production by planting is only possible in two or three years, which period is required for the plant to grow to maturity and produce. Every successive mail from China, since the two first papers were written, has brought a confirmation of the opinion of the writer in the fact that the lower grades of both black and green kinds, are in considerably less than a proportionate supply this season, showing, as this does, that the prices of the two past jears did not suffice to pay for the tea ; and it is well known in England that the total supply of Congou will be less than the consumption there. It seems equally certain that the imports into this country before the 1st of October will fall short of the wants of trade. At the present moment, the data by which to sum up the supply from the 1st of January to the 1st of June, is at hand ; and taking the difference in the stocks in " first hands" on TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. 47 the 1st of January of each year, the supply to the 1st of June this year will f A ^ be about fifteen thousand half-chests of Young Hyson, and a considerable quantity of all other kinds of green tea, short of last year. There was no American vessel in China at the last dates, nor will any arrive thereafter, probably, in time to load and reach here before the close of the spring trade, or about the 1st of July. There was a deficiency of 2,000,000 pounds of green tea in the export to England, to the last dates ; and if this be made up (consisting chiefly in Young Hyson) from the stock in China, there will of shipmentto be a large deficiency, even if every package be taken, in the year's shipment to this country. This deficiency in England must be made up from this country, if not from China, for the tea is wanted for actual consumption ; and, in either case, the supply here must prove very much short of last year's im- port. The character of the lessened export of green tea to England, indeed, indicates that a considerable quantity of genuine tea will be required from this country, as stated in the following extract of a London circular of the 4th of March : " The following is an extract of a Canton letter of Decem- ber 26th : " The purchases of these teas (the new crop of green) for Eng- land have been very limited in extent, the run throughout the season having been almost entirely upon the Canton sorts, of which fully four-fifths of the export consists ; and of these, not a little is altogether spurious."* In December, 4,000 packages of the finest Hysons were taken at Canton for Portugal ; and a large quantity of Hyson Skins for Sydney. Considering, then, that there is not only a deficiency of 2,000,000 pounds in the export to England of green teas, but a still greater one of genuine Prices shonid tea, and a considerably lessened supply provided for this country to the 1st of June, there should be a brisk demand here at higher prices than last year for all kinds of green teas. THE TEA TRADE WITH RUSSIA, HOLLAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF EUROPE AND WITH THE COLONIES OF ENGLAND. We now come to a review of the trade with the lesser consuming countries. The trade with That with Russia, so far as has been ascertained, has been less subject to Ruasia - fluctuations, and is a gradually progressing one since 1820 ; but the exact statistics of it, for all the intermediate years, have not been obtained. The following are the different statements, so far as obtained : IMPORTATION OF TEA INTO RUSSIA. Years. 1824 Poods. 154 197 Roubles. 6 2604^9 1825 133 514 4- 807 04. Q 1826 130562 K fi7^ qqo 1827 161 958 6 719 166 Total poods 580 231 99 4.A9 RQfi Of which exported 3 843 77^ 730 Leaving for consumption 576,388 22,686,906 The same letter states that the supply of good and superior green teas is less than in ten years before. 48 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. On an average, 144,097 poods, of the value of 5,671,726 roubles ; or in English weight and money 5,187,496 Ibs., value 248,346 sterling. In 1832 the import into Russia was 179,474 poods, or 6,461,064 Ibs. In 1847 Mr. Martin estimated the consumption in Russia at 10,000,000 Ibs. It consists almost entirely of black tea ; and two to three years are re- quired, in the transit through Siberia, to reach St. Petersburg. Holland. The next country in importance of those now under consideration in the consumption or importation of tea is Holland. The shipments to that country The trade with have varied very greu; ly from the earliest history of the trade to the present time. During several u'^ti act periods of time great quantities of tea were shipped to Holland for introduction, by smuggling into England, varying with the induce- ments presented by the revenue laws. In 1 7 83 to 1 794 the exports from China by the Dutch averaged about 4,000,000 Ibs. per annum. In 1818 to 1829 there were shipped to the Netherlands, in American ships, about 19,000,000 Ibs., and by the Dutch, in the same period, 492,382 quarter-chests of 66 Ibs. each. From 1829 to 1838 there were considerable shipments in American vessels almost annually. In 1838 the consumption of tea sent into and through Holland was esti- mated at about 2,800,000 Ibs. per annum. At present the direct shipments to Holland are less than tLis quantity ; and not only that country, but every other one of Europe, except Russia, is now supplied, a considerable propor- tion of its wants of tea, from England. The following table contains the account of the recent exports to the con- tinent of Europe : EXPORT OF TEA TO THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE. GREEN TEA. Direct ship- ment to the Continent of Europe. Young Hyson Ibs. Hyson Hyson Skin Twankay Imperial Gunpowder Total green.. . Congou Souchong Pouchong Ouloong Flowery Pekoe Scented and plain O. Pekoe.. Caper Total black , Total green , 1846-7.0 202,422 291,268 149,219 190,773 108,044 63,219 1,004,945 BLACK TEA. 1,905,942 641,046 23,300 21,600 677,633 58,300 2,100 3,329,921 1,004,945 Total pounds 4,334,866 a In 15 vessels ; b in 7 vessels ; c in 1847-8.6 27,200 117,300 43,300 124,100 62,000 59,500 433,400 1,027,300 372,300 10,300 150,600 25,700 32,100 1,618,300 433,400 2,051,700 vessels. 1848-9.C 24,800 88,900 40,100 92,500 91,600 21,200 289,400 1,231,600 119,600 146,300 13,900 1,511,400 289,400 1,800,800 TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. To France two or three vessels with parts of cargoes of tea make up th annual shipment from China. To Portugal, some years, about 10,000 chests of Hyson are shipped through Macao by Portuguese vessels. To Hamburg and Bremen two or three moderate cargoes make up the average annual shipment from China. To Denmark and Sweden one or two small shipments in a year comprise the direct supplies. Australia has become the most important consuming country, iia propor- tion to population, as the table below will show ; and as the increase of the populations and of their means is very rapid, there will be a rapidly increas- ing outlet there for tea : EXPORT OF TEA TO AUSTRALIA. Congou Ibs Souchong Scented Orange Pekoe Scented Caper Plain Orange Pekoe Plain Caper Flowery Pekoe Sorts. . BLACK TEA. 1846-7.a 784,000 93,000 2,600 7,600 2,000 1,000 200 5,100 Total black. 895,500 GREEN TEA. Hyson Skin. . . Twankay .... Hyson Young Hyson. Imperial Gunpowder. .. Total green. Total black. 2,803,000 59,300 30,500 7,600 5,700 17,700 2,923,800 895,500 1847-8.& 472,1-00 19,200 19,200 510,500 1,592,400 29,400 11,500 2,000 1,300 15,400 1,652,000 510,500 Total pounds 3,819,300 2,162,500 a In 27 vessels ; b in 17 vessels ; c in 24 vessels. 'This closes the separate view of the minor consuming countries. 1848-9.C 902,300 32,600 800 3,400 939,100 2,046,900 3,700 9,300 7,000 600 15,500 2,083,000 .939,100 3,022,100 To France. To Portugal, To Hamburg and Bremen, To Denmark and Sweden, To Australia. The present consumption of tea by all the world, save China and Japan, may be estimated in round numbers as follows : ' 'Great Britain and Ireland will consume this year. .............. Ibs 52 000 000 Continent of Europe and other countries, exp't'd f'm Eng. 4,500,000 Continent of Europe, Except Russia, direct 2,500,000 7,000,000 2,000,000 Deduct for " other countries " Leaves for the continent of Europe, except Russia British North America, East and West Indies, Cape of Good Hope, Ac., through England and direct Australia Russia United States of America, including exports to various countries. South America, Eastern Islands, &c 5,000,000 3,500,000 3,500,000 10,000,000 20,000,000 V 500,000 Total pounds 94,500,000 the World. 50 TEA'. AND THE TEA TRADE. In concluding the series of these papers, we annex the following account of the growth and curing of tea, &c., extracted from Mr. Martin's Report to the committee of the British House of Commons : Account of The territory in which the large amount of tea consumed in Europe and growth of Tea. America is grown, is south of the Great Yan-tze-Keang River ; the whole region lying between the 27th and 31st degrees of north latitude, and from the sea coast inland for 500 to 600 miles, may be considered capable of producing tea ; but the most favored region is the generally sterile hilly province of Fokein, and the provinces of Keangsoo and Chekeang, between the 25th and 31st degrees of north latitude. This territory which extends over 350 to 400 square miles, is composed principally of the debris of a coarse granite, and of a ferruginous sand- stone, crumbling into decay ; but when well comminuted and irrigated, yielding sufficient nutriment for the hardy tea plant, (a camellia,) whose qualities, like that of the vine, are elicited by the nature of the soil, the elevation, the climate, and the solar aspect to which the shrub is subjected.* It is generally stated that green and black teas are produced from the shrubs of the same species, with a slight variety ; the leaf of the green being larger and broader than that of the black ; the former leaf is rounded, the latter elliptic, flatter, and more coriaceous. The cultivation in different soils, the picking of the leaves at different stages of expansion, and subjecting them to greater or less degree of heat and manipu- lation in dying, is the cause of considerable variety; probably the same differ- ence exists as between the red and white grape, or the black and white currant. The shrub is cultivated with great care, planted in quincunx rows, in beds,' by seeds, chiefly along the sides of hills with a southern aspect, and on a poor gra- vjelly soil, among the debris of decayed granite and disintegrated sandstone, and where nothing else will grow, and it is used for hedgerows or boundaries. The height varies from three to seven feet, and it is very leafy. The flower resembles the wild rose or briar flower, common in English hedges in autumn ; the seed vessel is a nut of the size of a small hazel, or rather like the castor-oil nut, but rounder : three red kernels are in each nut, divided by capsules, and from these a quantity of oil, termed " tea oil," is extracted, and used for com- mon purposes by the Chinese. Six or seven seeds are put into each hole when planting; in 12 or 18 months transplantation takes place, and about the third year the leaves are first plucked. At seven years of age the top is cut almost down to the stem (as gardners do with old currant trees,) and a more leafy set of shoots spring up the ensuing year. The age of the tree is unknown ; it has a useful duration, probably to 15 or 20 years. It is an evergreen, and blossoms from the end of autumn throughout the winter until spring. The leaves are dried by placing them first in flat bas- kets, and exposing them to the air and a moderate degree of sun. They are then further dried or tatched in thin pans of iron, heated by a small furnace of charcoal, the leaves being kept constantly turned round by the hand, and rolled or rubbed between the fingers, to give the leaf a rounded form. When suffi- ciently fired, it is picked and packed for Canton in chops of 100 to 1,000 chests, each chop having marked on it the name of the maker, the district where the tea is grown, its quality, date, &c. I found the tea shrub in several parts of China planted as hedge-rows or fences to fields and veg- etable gardens. R. Montg, Martin. T E A : A N D T H E T E A T El A D E . 51 Copper is not used in the preparation of any description of tea ; iron pans are , solely employed. I visited a tea manufactory five miles above Canton, where about 500 men, women, and children were engaged in converting coarse-looking refuse leaves into several sorts of green tea. A series of large flat iron pans were placed over a range of furnaces heated by charcoal, in several successive degrees. The teas, which had been previously picked and sorted, were then placed successively in these pans by men, who each rolled them to a certain ex- tent. After passing four or five pans a small quantity of turmeric was sprinkled over the leaves, in a pan highly heated, and in the next pan a blue powder, com- posed of prussian blue and gypsum was added, which gave a delicate green bloom to the leaf, which formerly had been of a dingy black or brown hue. The tea was then gradually cooled in large shallow baskets, then placed in a winnow- ing machine and sifted into different sizes, the smaller being packed and sold as gunpowder or pearl tea. Thus the greatest refuse of tea, or the leaves which had passed through the teapots of the Chinese, were converted into " Gunpow- der," " Hyson," and other teas lor exportation, as the Chinese never drink green tea. The proprietor of the manufactory told me that the green tea thus pre- pared was sold to the Americans, who consume but little black tea. It is said to be difficult to detect this colored tea from the pure, and as the Americans have good tea-tasters at Canton, the English probably receive their share of the adulterated manufacture. The names of teas are a very imperfect criterion of their quality. Formerly Bohea was the principal tea in use ; now the title is used to designate the lowest description of black tea. It may be useful to indicate the designation of the names in general use. Bohea is an English corruption of the words " Woo-e," " Voo-yee," or "Ba-yee," some hills of that name, about 12 miles in circumference, in Fokein, on the borders of Canton province, yielding a common tea of that name, which is gathered three times a year. It is called by the Chinese " Tacha" (large tea.) Congo, from " congfoo," laborer, is of a better quality than Bohea, less dusty, and with a rougher and more astringent flavor. Wo-ping teas are so called from a district of that name in Canton province, and when mixed with Bohea form " Canton Bohea." Ankoi, a coarse tea from the district of that name. Campoi, from Keinpoi, selected. It is a stronger tea than Congo. Souche or Caper, from swangche, double preparation, or choolan, fragrant pearls. A great deal from Ankoi district. Souchong, from seaore-chong, scarce or small, good thing. It is carefully made from trees three years old, grown in good soil. Older trees, in a similar situation, produce Congo; older still, Bohea and other inferior teas. There are different sorts of Souchong, and it is not easy to get this tea pure and good in England. The leaf is of agreeable fragrancy, somewhat like new- made hay ; the leaf crisp, of a glossy black color, and when subjected to boiling water, of a sick-red hue ; and the liquid is an amber brown. Peko, or Peho, from pih, have white petals or hair, so called from being made of young leaves, gathered in when the blossoming is over spring, when there is a whitish hair or down on the leaf. The tea flowers are fragrant mixed with the leaf, and give a fine odor and fla- vor to the tea. TEA.: AND THE TEA TRADE. Twankay, from Tunkay, a district where the tea is generally made. In green teas it corresponds in quality to Co-ngo among black teas. Singlo, from Sunglo, a mountain in Ganhway. Both these teas have large fiat leaves, and are not much rolled. Hyson, from hechuen, genial spring or first crop, when the young leaves are gathered. Hyson Skin, Puha tea skin. In Chinese " skin" signifies the refuse. It i& formed of the leaves rejected in the preparation of Hyson. The dealers in Lon- don give it the name of bloom tea. Young Hyson, from yee-tseen, before the rains. It is a very small leaf. Gunpowder is the picked, small, well-rounded Hyson, like shot, also called Pearl or Imperial tea. Several other teas with new names are being introduced. The different teas are prepared roughly by the tea farmers, and then taken to the manufacturers, who prepare and sort the teas according to the districts in which they are grown, the variety and age of the tree, the size and quality of the leaf, &c. The leaves are passed through sieves of different sizes before their quality is determined. The judgment of the manufacturer in selecting and sorting, and the skill of his workmen in firing or tatching the leaf, is of the first consequence. The better quality teas are more frequently roasted, and each leaf separately rolled. The finest descriptions do not reach England ; the man- darins pay very high prices for those teas, and their flavor is so delicate that they would not bear four or five months' sweating in the hold of a ship. The production of tea for the use of the Chinese middle and lower classes must be very great, as it is used at every meal. The tea found in Russia, conveyed by land and river carriage thither, is said to be superior to the tea generally used in England, This may be owing to the leaf being less fired ; many of the finest teas drunk in China would not bear five or six months' stowage in the hot and humid atmosphere of the hold of a ship, and therefore the teas conveyed to Europe by sea require to be dried and fired to a degree which must injure their quality. Teas that I drunk at Foochoo, Ningpo, and Shanghae were not highly dried, and had a very delicate flavor, when drank as the Chinese do, without milk or sugar; but these teas could not be preserved more than a few months. The Chinese say. that the high-dried superior black teas improve in flavor by being closely packed in air-tight leaden cases for one or two years. Some of the finest teas in China scarcely color the water, and the preparation consists solely in pouring boiling water on a small quantity of the leaves placed in a teacup, fitted with a close cover ; among the highest classes a silver strainer is placed at the bottom of the teacup. Tea made up into balls, or compressed into the form of bricks, or of flat cakes, is ex- ported to Tartary, Tibet, Burmah, &e., boiled with milk, and constitutes an agreeable and nutritious beverage. The constituent properties of tea are, Black. Green. Black. Green. Insoluble fiber 44.8 51.3 Loss... 2.0 2.5 Tannin 40.6 Vegetable albumen. . 6.4 5.7 Mucilage 6.3 5.9 The tannin blackens salts of iron. The proportions of tannin must vary with the quality of the tea. A salifiable base, named " theine," in regular colorless crystals, has been obtained from tea. TEA: AND THE TEA TRADE. The ashes of black and green teas yield silex, carbonate of lime, magnesia, chloruret of potash. In distillation tea yields a volatile oil, and according to some, a small quantity of resin, soluble in alcohol, and possessing the odor of tea. The effects of tea on the human system are, first stimulant, and then nar- cotic, according to the strength of the beverage. In moderation tea is an excel- lent diluent ; it promotes digestion, and stimulates the renal glands. The following decisive, testimony to the greater healthfulness of tea, as compared with coffee and all other drinks, from the highest authority, has just met the eye of the writer, and as fully sustaining, in clear and direct terms, the opinions he has ex- pressed in these papers, he desires to call particular attention to them : EVIDENCE OF GEORGE GABRIEL SIGMOND, M. D. BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF THE BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS IN 1847. Chairman. You have looked a good deal into the question of tea ? I was consulted by the East India Company in 1839, when the Assam tea was dis- covered in British India. At that period I read a lecture before the Royal Medico- Botanical Society, as its professor. I was requested to publish the lecture, and that led my attention to the subject of tea. I published a little work, and rendered it rather popular. Mr. Hawes. You think that the Russian imported tea is superior ? Yes. In what respect \ Both in aroma and in the principle upon which the power of tea depends, which causes its effect upon the nerves of sensation, upon which I think tea principally acts What has been the result of the medical inquiries into the effect of tea upon the human frame ? I think it is of great importance in the prevention of skin diseases, in comparison with any fluid we have been in the habit of drinking in former years, and also in re- moving glandular affections. I think scrofula has very much diminished in this coun- try since tea has been so largely used. For those classes of society who are not of laboring habits, but who are of sedentary habits, and exercise the mind a good deal, tea is of great importance ; not to those who have corporeal labor to undergo, but to those who lead sedentary habits, and whose nervous system is much acted upon. Sir G. Staunton. You consider that a considerable increase in the importations of tea would be favorable to the healthy condition of the people ? Decidedly. What is your opinion of the Assam tea ? I am afraid it will turn out a failure. And also of the other tea produced in the western part of India called Camoun ? I have not heard of that. Dr. Bowring. What is the objectionable character of the Assam tea ? I think the great watchfulness produced by Assam tea must always be an objection to it. Chairman. Is the effect of green tea sedative ? In some cases. Mr. Ewart. Is it not true that it may be in some cases sedative and in other cases exciting ? That depends upon certain principles. Can you give the result of a chemical analysis of tea ? That is not in my department; mine is rather the botanical than the chemical de- partment ; but the principal thing is theine, which answers to morphine. 54 TEA! AND THE TEA TRADE. Is not there an admixture of nitrogen in the composition of tea ? Not more than in all vegetable substances. In more than the common proportion ? We have only the dried leaf; we can hardly judge from that. Viscount Jocelyn. Are the principles in tea and coffee similar I No ; there is a principle called " caffeine " in coffee. We find a metallic substance in coffee, and in the greater part of the vegetable world there is a portion of copper, and it exists to a considerable extent in coffee. There is very little in tea. Dr. Bowring. In 1,000 parts of tea how many parts of theine do you find? That I am not prepared to say, for it must vary so much. Mr. Moffatt. Your impression is, generally, that tea is a highly healthful drink ? It is so ; the most useful drink with which we are acquainted. Viscount Jocelyn. Which do you think is the greatest stimulant, tea or coffee ? Coffee. To the laboring man who exerts himself from morning to night the greatest stimu- lant would be coffee ? Yes ; but it is the nutritive quality, often, that I should look to, and not the stimulant. As far as regards the nutritive quality, which should you say was the most nutri- tive, tea or coffee ? Tea. It prepares the system more for the nutrition to be derived from other sub- stances, both animal and vegetable. Chairman. Have you had an opportunity of ascertaining whether there is much adulteration of tea in England ? Some few years ago Professor Gilbert Burnett and myself were requested by the Court of Exchequer to examine certain leaves, sloe and other leaves, which it appeared had been collected for the purpose of adulterating tea, and we found that it was car- ried on to a very considerable extent. Mr. Harcourt. Is there enough of the copper principle in coffee to be unwholesome ? I think not, taken hi moderate quantities. I believe an analysis has been made. I believe it has been stated that in about ten ounces of coffee there is found enough of copper to cover two inches of a metallic wire of a piano-forte with copper. Dr. O'Shaughnessy made a series of experiments for the purpose of ascertaining which substances had the most (fopper and which had the least, and the conclusion to which he came was, that there was less of copper in tea and potatoes than in any other veg- etable substance used as food. Coffee, although having no prussic acid in it, has, nevertheless, the effect upon some persons of keeping them awake the same as green tea ? Yes. How do you account for that ? I did not ascribe the watchfulness to prussic acid ; I merely stated that watchful- ness occurs from the Assam tea and from green tea. The great objection to the Assam tea which I have found has been the watchfulness produced by it. Mr. Ewart. Do you think that if the consumption of tea were extended very much- among the laboring population of this country it would have a good or a bad effect ? I think it is the very best fluid that can be taken. For the laboring population ? It does not give that tone and strength which is derived from a very diluted spirit- uous fluid ; but still it would enable them to labor, though not to the same extent. It is more desirable for the manufacturing population. I think a manufacturing popula- tion cannot do without it. You think that it corrects some of the bad tendencies which the system of manu- factures in crowded cities tends to produce ? Decidedlv. T E A I A X 1) THE TEA TRADE. POSTSCRIPT. APRIL 27TH, 1850. With reference to the preface to the Second Edition, wherein the writer, under date of March 18th, alluded to the support which his argument, in respect to the question of supply and prices, had received from the course of events and of the markets ; and stated as the sole necessity to ensure stability or improvement a more gradual offering of the cargoes then arrived, in anticipation of the season of the greatest demand he now has the satisfaction to offer here the following reports upon the subsequent course of the market, as fully confirming the opinion he expressed on the 18th of March: and with this he takes leave of the subject : (From the Commercial List.) TEAS. There is a good demand at private, notwithstanding the frequent auction sales, and we note 1,000 half-chests Young Hyson, chiefly low grade, 500 half-chests Twankay, 1,000 chests and half-chests Hyson Skin, and 600 chests and half-chests Congou, on terms not transpired. 2*1 th March. TEAS. The market is much depressed by numerous arrivals and frequent public sales, holders thus evidencing an anxiety to realized ; prices in consequences have ex- perienced a decided decline, and the two sales of the week show a falling off of 2 a 5 cents on Oolong and Congou, 1 a 3 on Young Hyson, and 2 a 3 on good Hyson Skin and common Gunpowder and Imperial. Hyson and common Hyson Skin are without particular change. Three public sales are announced for next week. 6th April. TEAS. Notwithstanding the numerous public sales (three last and three this week) there is a steady fair demand from the trade, and full auction rates are realized. The sales include 500 half-chests Young Hyson, 1,200 chest and half-chests and 800 boxes Ningyong and Oolong, on private terms, 200 half-chests Hyson Skin, 23 cents, and 1,500 a 2,000 half-chests Canton Young Hyson, for Canada, 9 a 11|, 6 months. 17^ April. TEAS. At the two public sales, Wednesday and Thursday, most of that offered was disposed of, without particular change in prices, except for the good and better grades Young Hyson and Congou, upon which a decided improvement was established, and the market generally, owing to the firmness of holders and an improved country trade, stands rather higher than at the close of last week. At private, we note sale of 1,000' chests Congou at full prices. The cargo of the " Tsar " will be offered at auction this morning. 20th April. TEAS. The public sales of Saturday and yesterday went off with good spirit, show- ing a firm market generally, and some improvement in prices of Ningyong, Oolong, and Congou. At private, 500 hglf-chests cargo Young Hyson, sold at 26 } a 27 cents;, and 600 half chests Canton-made, on terms we did not learn. The "Talbot's" cargo was sold at the new " Wall-street Sales-room," which, we understand, has given general satisfaction, and is pronounced by some to be the best sales-room in the city. 24th April. TEAS. The public sales this week were well attended, and prices upon the whole have an upward tendency. 27/A. April. The following from an English Prices Current by the last mail from China will be seen to confirm the previous anticipatory statements : CANTON, JANUARY 28m EXPORTS. TEAS. Early in the month an active demand prevailed for the American market, and considerable quantities were settled ; but the wants of the shippers being supplied, and the large holders among the teamen demanding high prices, purchasers were checked, and latterly little has been made. Fine Hysons and Gunpowder are 5(5 TEA *. AND THE TE A TRADE inquired after for the English market, but the small stock and high prices prevent large transactions. In blacks the business done has been trifling, and there is every probability of the export of Congou to England falling considerably short of the year's consumption. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY BERKELEY Return to desk from which borrowed. This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. APR -22 ig^REC'D LD JULE71961 REC'D LD FEB4 '65 -KM LD 21-100m-9,'47(A5702sl6)476 YC 26060 M180784 . THE UNIVERSITY OF 'CALIFORNIA LIBRARY