The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-12
TONS OF BAD CHINESE TEA.
The United States the Dumping Ground
OF All the Worthless Crops.

The United States the Dumping Ground
OF All the Worthless Crops.
From the NewiYotk Herald.
A note Of warning to the American tea
drinker, sounded by United States Consul
Crowell, who Is stationed at Annoy, China,
has caused considerable excitement among
the trade in this city. In number OF in
terviews that I had yesterday with local
dealers and importers on the subject it was
developed that the very poorest tea raised
in China is fosted upon the American
public. Tons Of tea leaves are consumed
in this country that are no better than
dried hay, and frequently not as good, and
an immense quantity OF stuff is used for
tea that is positively injurious on account
OF the poisonous materials used in coloring
it.
| Some years ago, during President Ar
thurs administration, law was passed
through the efforts OF the respectable deal
ers and importers in the trade TO prevent
the United States being made the dump
ing ground for China's worthless teas. by
the terms OF this law, while there was no
duty imposed on tea, an inspector was at
tached TO the appraisers office whose duty
it was to examine all teas that came to this
country and TO exclude all goods that were
| adulterated, exhausted or below GER
tain standard.
For time this law served its purpose
fairly well, but within the last two or
three years II Is claimed large amounts of
stuff have been admitted that should never
have been passed by the appraisers office,
and the public has suffered accordingly.
This state OF affairs grew 80 bad that about
year ago the largest importing house in
this city wrote to the Secretary OF the
Treasury about Il, and steps were taken TO
| investigate the matter. Consul CrowelPs
report, which has Just been received by
the State Department at Washington, is on
q line with these complaints, and shows
how well founded they are.
He says that the crop Of tea known as
Annoy oolong, which comprises about all
the low grade tea with which this market
Is flooded aud which is just arriving here,
has been gradually growing worse and that
the 1888 production is Of poorer quality
than ever before.
at is the greed Of importers and ex-
porters alone" adds the Consul, "that
makes IL possible to impose this vile stuff
upon the American public, but il the pres
ent law is properly enforced it is sufficient
10 protect the tea drnker In tho United
States from this imposition. Practically
all the Annoy oolong goes to New York,
and honest inspection there would prevent
its admission into the country"
Messrs. Russell & Co., who are, perhaps,
the largest purchasers OF teas in China,
and who have an Office ut No. 90 Wall
street, this city, in circular recently sent
out from their Annoy house to their corre-
spondents, confirm fully what the Consul
says.
The total production Of this grade Of tea
this year was something over 5000, 900
pounds, every ounce OF which finds its way
into the teapots Of the people OF the United
States, and large quantity OF the crop
spoken OF by Consul Crowell was disposed
OF yesterday by auction at nom l3l 10 10
cents pound.
Not unnaiurally the opinion OF the i'm
porters and brokers is somewhat divided
on the ACCESSIBILITY OF excluding the Annoy
crop. but nearly all agree that IL would be
n good thing 10 discourage its importation.
Mr.. Boardman. OF Boardman, Nichols 4
Co., tea importers, at No. 40 Water street,
was one OF the gentlemen whom / saw on
the matter and he said TO me:
Consul Crowell Is perfectly correct In
everything he says and he deserves the
thanks Of the public for taking this matter
up. Tho stuff Is absolutely worse than a
decociion made from dried hay. / have
| some OF the trash on hand myself TO meet
, the demand which comes 20 me from red
and blue aud gold tea stores, who hang up
apiece OF crockery with every pound Of
tea they SELL"
A representative Of the largest import.
ing house In the trade, which handles
fully oneseyenth Of the entire tea that
comes 10 the country, said that lot OF the
Annoy oolong tea bought In Annoy for
their account was declared by experts To
be too poor TO pass Custom House inspec.
; ton and was rcsold. The purchasers took
chances. shipped IL TO the United States
and II was admitted, and Is now on the
market and is worthless trash.
Mr.. Robert |. Fearon, Of Fearon, Low &
Co, No. 81 Wall street. who told mo that
his firm had imported fully thrce-fourihs
Of the total crop Of Annoy oolong this
year. took an entirely different view Of
Consul Crowell's report
ITS all nonsense" he said, "and en-
tircly uncallod for This years crop OF
Annoy oolong Is Just as good rs II ever
was, and there Is absolutely no reason why
| ~ nNohAh W NAAlMh'hs AHln ~ M ktuuluf
tea, every Leaf Of IL, and not In the least
adultcratcd. OF course, lis poor tea, and
sells for 1874 10 10 cents at auction, but liz
none the loss genuine, and II the people
didn't want Il u wouldn't be imported.
The tea has been coming 10 this market
for twenty-five years, and Il strikes me
that IL IL pretty late 10 object now"
Charles l.. Beebc, Of Bccbc & Brothers
brokers Mt Pine and Water streets, took q
similar view. and said the demand war.
ranicd the importation, and this was the
opinion Of John I. Walker, Of John T.
Walker 4 Sons, Pine street
Tho office OF Tea Inspector at this port
Is vacant at present. the last inspector,
Pearson, having resigned on May |, and
the trade Il taking keen interest In the
appointment OF his successor.
AN ODDLY MATCHED PAIR