The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-07-10 00:00:00

THE TEA TRADE-LONDON.

On Tuesday, a &potation headed by Mr. Crawford,
M.P., Mr. Horsley Palmer, Mr. Travers, Mr. Sander-
son, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Richard Gibbs, and other mer-
chants and brokers interested in the tea trade, waited
upon Mr. Spring Rice and, Mr. Poulett Thomson, to re-
present to government that fresh ditlicultieS had been
thrown in the way of conducting business, by a recent
order 'emanating front the commissioners of customs, re-
lative to the collection of the tea duties. The circum-
stances Which led to the interviPw between the repre-
sentatives of the trade and ministers were these—

Public sales of upwards of 60,000 chests of the,new
•seasiin teas were announced to commence yesterday at
the Commercial Sale -room, and as soon as the broker who
had the inanageinent" of the first sale had ascended the
.rostrum, _

_ .
Mr. Sanderson said, before the sale proceeded he
wished to state, for the information of the trade, that an
,order had just been issued by the customs, to the effect
'that all Fokien bolleas whichmight be sold at the present
sale, as well as those heretofore so sold and uncleared,
would be, subjected to the congou duty of 2s. Gd. per lb.,
such teas, the trade being aware, only having heretofore
been -chargeable-with the duty of is. 6d. per lb. The
trade.Tiad bythis decision been placed in a situation of
considerable difficulty, and. under such c!rcuinstances it
would be impossible to proceed with the sale. He thought
it would be the most advisable step to. proceed to Lord
Melbourne at once, and represent to his -lordship the in-
justice that the Order referred to would inflict upon the
trade, especially those whohad purchased Fokien boheas
under the expectation that they would be liable only to
the loVe duty. The decision of the commissioners of
customs was at' variance with the' compact entered into
between government and the trade 12 months ago, when
it was decided that Fokien boheas should be liable only to
the low duty. The order in question bad originated in
the difficulties experienced• by one of the inspectors in
affixing the proper duty to this description of tea, some
description of Fokien boheas being superior to low
congou teas. The result had been that the order he bad
referred to had been issued by the direction of the com-
missioners of customs.

After some conversation the sale was postponed, and a
deputation was immediately► named to proceed at once to
Lord Melbourne, and about forty gentlemen connected
with the trade went up to the Treasury, but were informed
that his lordship was not in town. 'they sought and ob-
tained interviews with Mr. Spring Rice and Mr. Poalett
Thomson.

Mr. Crawford, Mr. H. Palmer, Mr. Travers, and Mr.
Sanderson addressed those two members of government
on the part of the trade, representing the facts which led
to the interview; and pointing out the hardship which the
order in question would inflict upon the trade. They
also represented the serious injury that would be done to
'the merchants and shipowners, who had engaged in the
trade to China under the new system, if the East India
COMpany continued to declare 4,000,0001 b. of tea for
their quarterly sales until their, whole stock was disposed
.of. The deputation stated, that so important was the
question at issue, with regard to the duty, that the sales,
amounting to between 60,000 and 70,000 chests of tea,
had been suspended. They expressed a hope that Mr.
Spring Rice and Mr. P. Thomson would obtain an early
interview with Lord Melbourne, in order that the whole
question might be definitely settled, as it was next to
impossible to carry on the trade with the present uncer-
tainty relating to the duties which might be levied
on tea.

Mr. P. Thomson said he would call the attention of
Lord Melbourne to the subject, and. fixed Thursday to
Meet the deputation upon the question relative to the
duty. With respect to the declarations °rifle East In-
dia Company for their quarterly sales,. the right honour.
able gentleman read a correspondence that had taken
place between the Board of Control and the Coui't of
Directors of the East India Company. The Board of
Control had sought to protect the trade from the effects
likely to be produced upon it by the too large declara-
tions of the company, and he (Mr. P. Thomson) had re-
commended, that instead of 4,000,0001 b. being put up,
only 2,500,0001 b. should be announced. The Court of
Directors, however, appeared determined to continue
their sales at the rate of 4,000,0001b5. per quarter. If
(as the right honourable gentleman was understood to
say) the Court of Directors were resolved to continue
their large declarations, some measures would be resorted
to by government to protect the trade.
After some further conversation the deputation with-
drew, with the understanding that the whole question
would be considered by his majesty's government before
Thursday next.
The sale of teas are postponed until Thursday next
(yesterday.)