The Express.
London, England, 1863-10-29 00:00:00

BRITANNIA.

Teta Cream, THE 151Y!1011OCIS XV. Mn. H. Lana.
—THIS 0/LZAS OMORT Kritzer. Kers. Reynolds sod coots
Mdras. Creatord and Varaold. —Sliming by flaw Collins. Mr. Ran-
dall, and um. ruon.—Aad TIM HONOUR OF 21111 ROCS?

MOH WAXMAN LONDON BILDOL
MN DAT & 16w Aflame.. Th. SOL
to&osikow— Mone& 3. 61a... Ilni

LONDON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29.

Tame are few who can tell us what Indian
Tea is like. How many of us have ever tasted,
except as a curiosity, any tea that did not come
from China ? Yet we have lived to hear of seventy-
seven tons of seed and seven hundred thousand
seedlings having been given away by the Indian
Government to planters, in the last season alone,
from the Government gardens of the North-
Western Provinces of India. We were curious
about the first Assam tea sent over less than thirty
years ago ; and when we did not like it we were
told that the fault was in the preparation, wl"ch
was to be amended by an importation of prime
manipulators from China. Some gourmands have
insisted to this day that there was no tea to corn-
pare with that which is served at Russian tables,
being brought overland from China, through the
great fair at Kiachta ; and when the same tea does
not appear so good in London, enormous as is its
coot, we arc told that the voyage spoiled it. As
we live in an island, we re:ght despair,
if this allegation is true, of ever being
bloomed with tea of prime quality ; but we
are exhorted to take comfort, as no tea ever was,
or ever will be, better than what is now rt...ed "i a
vast range of plantations stretching along the lower
slopes of the Himalayas.

A vast range it is indeed. The plants are now
thriving over an area of 35,000 square miles—•
territory which ro:7,ht supply the whole world. But
a few years ago these lends were lying waste; and
the Government hoped so little from a soil so un-
promising, in a climate so unfavourable, that it
parted with its metres to any applicants who
would take them off its hands. Where tea gardens
were tried and succeeded, it seemed as if the
native demand would absorb all the produce, so
rapidly have the Hindoos learned the uses and
benefits of tea. But nature has proved tan strong
for prejudice and custom, in both natives aid
Europeans ; and she has smiled on the efforts of
Government to provide a resource for the world
against the exclusive dependence on China,
which might others s, have become nearly as
great a calamity to Europe as the late
dependence on America for cotton. Great pains
were taken to introduce the best plants upon
suitable soil, in a good aspect ; and to put the
young nurseries under the charge of the best
qualified botanists and gardeners first, and then
to commit the p;cking, and preparation, and pack-
ing to the best Chinese tea-makers whom money
could procure. The success was complete, as
far as it went ; but there was much ;-icredulity '
about the scheme ever reaching the po;-it of com-
mercial profit. Mere was not enough suitable
land ; there was • deficiency of labour ; it was
idle to dream of competing with China. It seems
bat the other day that we were told this, and that
the Government gardens were sneered at as one of
the costly freaks in which rulers are apt to throw
away the people's money. In this ease, however,
the rulers of India have been wise and beneficent ;
and they are wise now, in retiring at the right
moment from an enterprise which can take care
of itself.

By deg.ees, rr;les upon miles of juir;le
have been cleared by proprietors, as they
became aware what a source of profit it
might be. Forest-grown slopes have been opened
to the sun and a"--enough timber being left to
protect the young tea plants. More and more
applicants, Europeans and natives, came to the
Government for seed and young plants ; and the
demand has increased so fast, and is so eager, that,
if the faith of the authorities was not pledrod to
make no charge, a great profit might have accrued
from the sale of these elements of production. In
one valley of the Punjaub a large sum was go-
tually paid for seeds and seedlings ; but the money
was returned when the Lieutenant-Governor pro-
nounced that such aid was to be furrialsed gratis
as long as the Government grew tea. Now that it
appears that private planters are deriving • part
of their profits from such sales, there seen. to be
no farther reason why the whole enterin'se shooed
not be committed to the safeguard of private
interest. The commercial spirit always pro-
duces the best of everything, in the most
economical way, when once left free to follow
its instincts. Government leaves • legacy to the
producers in the trained cultivators and manufac-
turers who are found distributed through all the
gardens and factories from one end of the tea
range to the other. It has handsomely sought out
the heirs of lands which were parted with when
they were unprofitable, and has reinstated such
as could be found ; and greatly astonished some
of them must be to find themselves in possession
of such • property. Now it has the remaining
work to do of providing roads among the planta-
tions and down to the great highway; as soon as
the landowners can bring their jungles sad wilder-
nesses up to the paying point which justifies road
making. Cause must be shown by individual pro-
prietors in this way, of course ; and they must do
it by actual demonstration of what they can pro-
duce, for there is naturally a run of speculation

just now in that direction, and foolish adventu-
rers are, as in all times, reeking baste to be
rich, without observing the conditions. They buy
Lind and plants, and then have not capital
enough to wait for the growth of their trees and
their profits. Mr. Jiersow tells us that new
parties are appearing monthly in the Debra Doon
Valley, where a score of flourishing plantations
lie within view, belonging to companies and capital-
ists, native and foreign. The unsound among these
" new parties" will vanish from the scene, and the
more substantial will do enough in the woods and
wilds to show that they deserve good maxi+ to a
market.

As for the market, there is no reason why the
world should not buy twice as much tea as at
present, if it could be had cheap enough. We
are assured that the North-Western tea districh
might, and soon will, yield as much as all China ;
and that with high cultivation they would yield
twice as much. On the side of the buyers in our
country and some others, it may be said that the
consumption of tea increases at every opportuniti
—with every reduction in the price, and every
improvement of wages which increases the pur-
chasing power of the working classes. Those
classes would like to drink better tea, and more of
it ; and it would be an advantage to morals to have
tea supersede more and more some other kinds of
drink. There seems to be no reason why this
should not happen, now that India is becoming ca-
pable of rivalling China in the article of tea ; and
an enormous commerce may be found to have
grown out of the first tea-garden in which the Go-
vernment planted the first shrub.

Whenever India opens the great fair which we
are persuaded will ere long compete with the
Kiachta, and Nijni Novogorod fairs for the com-
merce of Central Asia, the Indian tea-growers will
obtain all the EurWesn custom, and a good deal
of the Western Asian and the American. The
travell'ig mercharts of Centrio Asia will find it
more convenient and less costly to get their sup-
plies of tea and other commodities at a mercantile
congress on our northern frontier, than by going far
east in Siberia to meet the Chinese on their
northern frontier. We may thus enjoy an equiva-
lent of the Russian tea without having to fetch it
from China, or to pay so much for its coming over-
land. When there is the yearly fair which has
been so long prophesied for India, the AS' %12 mer-
chants will find other routes to Europe than the
single one, which is the only one they know of.
When we grow tea enough in India, new routs
will open, till every household in the heart of
Europe becomes as used to its daily tea as its daily
bread.

Vbr Court.

BALMORAL,Ocr. 27.

The Queen, accompanied by the Princemes
Helena and Louie% drove to Boinamit's Mom, yesterday
morning.

In the afternoon the Queen went out attended by Lady
Churchill.

The Queen, accompanied by the Princesses Helens, Louise,
and Beatrice, and Prince Leopold, end attended by the
ladies and gentlemen in wAing, leaves the Castle this morn-
ing at half-past 12 o'clock, for Windsor Castle, Unrolling to
Aboyoe by the road, where a special train will be in reed'.
mess to convey the Queen and royel farely and se. • to
Windsor. Her Majesty is expected to reach Windsor at
9 o'clock on Wednesday morning.
The children of the Crown Prince and Princess of Preside
will meet the Queen at the Aboyns station, and tassel with
her Majesty to Windsor.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Ocr. 28.
TIN Queen, accompanied by Primus Helena. Priacese
Louis, Prinosm Beatrice, and Prince Leopold, Prince Wil.
liam, Prince= Charlotte, and Priam Henry of Pram*
arrived at the Castle this morning at Ave misutre past aim
o'clock.

The suite iu attendance consisted of the Ledy In Waiting
(Lady Churchill), Lady Augusts Bruce, Baroness Vail Dabs.
neck (in attendance on the children of the Crown Prince sod
Primer). Lieutenant-Gamboa' Hon. C. Grey, Lord Charles
Fitzroy, sod Mr. Buff.
Sir George Grey attended her Idalady to Perth.
. .

PrincessHobeOohs, attested by 15oloost F. Seymour.
C. 8., arrived at the Castle yesterday Irma the Continent oa
a visit to bee Majesty.

Prime mid Pennon Louis of Haw, with the Prisms
Victoria, Weeded by Barters Rohm* sad (kptain
Westerweller, arrived at Buckingham Palace at 111$ minable
past 10 o'clock yesterday morning from Edinburgh.
The Duke of Cambridge visited their royal bighorns. The
Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mazy also paid
visit to the Priam sad Prime. at Boracinghata Waft.
The Right Roo. Oa George Grey has arrived as his matt,
Fallodoo, Northumberland. from
Drepatobra were received yeekaday at the Colonial-office
from the Governor of Canada.

The Earl of Derby is confined to his room at
Kaewelsy with se &Ur* of goat.
.

The Earl and Connte; Spencer and Lady Sarah
Speocor embarked at Emirates a few days ego for &lox-
sadria.

The Right Ron. Sir Charles and Lady Mill
Wood have left Studley Royal, near Ripon, alter whiting
the Earl and Omahas de Grey, for Howl* Hall, Northam-
berlaad, ea a visit to the Earl sad Cowmen Grey.
Count and Countess de Fialiault are expect-d
at °matey Haw,. Monday sect, from their meat, Tani.
&lea, N.B.

Lord Llanover has left Llanover, South Wales,
ea a tour of visits in Seot•ukel.

Mr. W. D. Seymour, Q.C., M.P., delivered a
lecture it the Hartley hatination. donthamptoo, on Wd-
•edey. The lectors wee entitled " The Footin'lta of
Uee'r•.•

The Dublin corporation has granted a salary of
1001. per mourn to the city analyst, Dr. Gunmen, who is
to band over to the city trearomr whatever fess he may
receive from persons who employ I 1, his public capacity.
The Lord Mayor is also anthorised to purchaes food suspected ,
to be adulterated, and submit it to him for analyeatioe.
ALDERMAN SALONIONS, M.P., AND um COMFIT.,
rorrrs.—Las night, at eight o'clock, a crowded public
amenity of the electors of the borough of Greenwich, was
held at the Literary leetiteVoe. Royal-bill, to beer ao ad-
dress from Alderman fialornona, M.P., explanatory of his
view. on various imporMot public climatical'. On the motion
of Mr. D. Baas, seconded by Mr. Cobbett,a resolution en.
praneive of cootinorl confidence in Aldermao Salomon* was
musainsonely adopted, and the meeting separated.
CONSOLIDATION or THE INLAND REYRNEE AND
Cuarome Eey.tatatersers.—Mr. T. B. Horeb% M.P.,
who was the chairman of theparliarnentary committee upon
this subject, attended • meeting of the council of the Liver-
pool Chamber of Commerce yesterday, and delivered as
address upon the question, in reply to • resolution moved
by Yr. C. R. Ball bed seceeded by Mr. L A. Mae& (pre-
Masai of the chamber), Unwiring Mr. Boreal for his ex-
ertions and referring the reports of the select auenMittNi to
the Customs committee of the chamber.
CoIoiNcRATION or ST. JUDIegl CHCRiII. —The
coremosy of consecrating the sew church of St. Jude,
(Cray's lea-roe-1, se edifice emceed to tube the place of
a temporary church of the same miss at the back of
the sew building, took place yeeterday. The building,
which is from the dries of Mr. Feramek, of Blooms.
bury-square, is in the ea:ly geometric idyls of Gothic
mehheotore. It is bo'it of stock bricks outside, and of
while bricks, at relieved with different abodes
of red bricks, inside. The Whiter of the building coo•
sista of • central save, side aides, sad chancel. The
columns of the nave are of Mmelield Moue, and the
stonework of the arches of Bath Noma. The chancel arch
is supported by marble, the column' it. the chancel being
of the same materiel. The spaadrils are breed work.
There is • handsome reredos is revved Caen Muse, Tepee-
' eating the Lest he I. fall relief. The upper nee wis-
dom.. which is in the pperearliest style, sad smaller pointed
windows at the °Wan end of the church, are fitted with
stained glean representing oar Lord's birth, crucifixion, re
einverdien,
is 8.5 and ascensioe. together with incidents in his life.
The nave fest Ice& 24 feet wide ; the chancel is 35
feet by V. A tower 100 feet is height Mande at the south-
east angle. The foundation atoms of the *diem. which is
sow nearly complete, was laid on the IDLY of November
het by lb. Right Hoe. Frederick Berra Cathay,. The
osteseney of coesseration was redeemed by the Right HOS.
preached the wawa.
and Right Rev. •
the Lord Bishop of Loedea, who she

THE' IXPRESS,