San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-06
ABOUT THE TEA TRADE.
INTERESTING FACTS GATHERED IN
THE NEW YORK MARKET.

Methods of Its Import, and the Kinds
Used In the United States-An Auction
Room Where Everybody Keeps Quiet.
| Professional Tasters in Demand.
New York tea importers, in order properly
to regulate orders sent out to the far east,
have to estimate in advance of each season
the probable qualities of the teas to be
brought forward-estimates evolved from
conflicting reports-and also the degree of
competition to be looked for from foreign
BUYERS at the Chinese and japanese ports, as
judged by the statistical position of stocks in
the London market. The course of each sea-
sons sales, too, reported geographically by
their correspondents in the far east, have to
he closely watched. As to supplies the full
quantity required of China and Japan by
their foreign buyers is invariably forthcom-
ing.
While all descriptions of tea find sale
throughout the United States, the consump
ton of large proportionate quantities of
some specific kind would seem to follow Ger.
tain parallels of latitude. Thus, north of
line drawn from Albany westward may be
found the area in which Japans are chiefly
drank, this area including Ohio, Michigan,
etc. New York's chief trade is in Oolongs,
but Japans appear to be gaining ground
JAPAN vs. CHINA.
1t is not possible to hide from the ultimate
purchaser the fact of chest or half chest
having been opened before it came into his
possession, if he is duly posted, the thin up
per corner of lead having been cut through,
and it being found impossible to solder it in
49, ,ola 70 tba Of fha toll in
lining. The renailing of the corner, owing
to the hardness and dryness of the wood,
often results in splitting it. The chest or
half chest that has been opened is skllfully
bound with split rattan imported for the
purpose from the far east, and covered with
mating and MANILA rope, also specially i'm
ported, so as to avert suspicion, SO far as ex-
terror appearances so, that the tea has been
tempered with.
Japan has continued to maintain a fair
reputation for the quality of her teas; Chinese
teas, Oh the other hand, have deterorated in
the course of a series of years. so also East
India teas. The falling off in the quality of
China leaf is attributed to less careful culture
and faulty manipulation. This decline has
been a source of vexation to New York i'm
porters, but during the last few seasons an
Improvement has been manifested due to the
representations of American and English
buyers to the tea farmers made through
native officials and supported by the influence
of the Hongs.
Sales of tea at auction in New York during
two years have amounted in each to about
q, 100000 pounds, approximating to one-half
the aggregate Importation. There are from
twenty to thirty sellers in every sale, each
sale usually comprising not less than 10000
packages The auction room at No. 1919
Water street is lofty apartment, with two
tiers of windows. At the sales, all the indi-
viduals on the floor are seated. The sales are
remarkably quiet; there is no lauding of teas
by the auctioneer. who merely announces in
advance of bids the number of chops and in
voices as shown in the catalogue, making no
extreme efforts to raise the bids nor is any
excitement manifested Advances ON bids
are mostly indicated to the auctioneer by
acquiescing mods. Even the rustling of the
leaves of the catalogue, as these are simulta-
neously turned over in the progress of the
sale, can be distinctly heard. The sale runs
its course in singularly short time.
CUTTING UP THE PROFITS.
The comparatively low figures at which
teas in bulk are disposed of at auction as
compared with the prices charged at retail,
are apt to be regarded by the public as
assuring enormous profits to the buyers,
which is far from being the case, taking into
account the work of dividing and grading
cargoes, the loss of interest on capital, with
possible deterioration, insurance charges and
other items, to all which are to be added the
ordiaary risks of trade. Tea as a beverage
being suggestive of coffee, it may here be in
cidentally remarked that the raw berry dis
posed of at auction and at public sale loses at
least II per cent. in the process of roasting In
the case Of consigned teas, often held over for
considerable periods under instructions from
consigners not to sell at given prices-priceS
necessarily fixed irrespectively of the course
of the market, and which frequently cannot
be realiZed-the change of terms OH the part
of consignors involving at times long CORE
spondence, very serious deterioration is apt to
set In before consent is given to their prices
under the hammer
Whatever the prices thus brought, con-
signors, as a rule, are better satisfied than if
they were disposed of at private sale, even
though the presumption is they would have
gone off at the latter some shades higher.
In the transaction of business by import
ers, Judgment is passed on the quality of teas
offered by means of decoctions in small cups,
set out on a round table, delicate pair of
scales occupying the center in which given
Quantity of any tea in question is weighted,
then deposited in cups, when boiling water
from a copper kettle, always in readiness, is
poured on them, the cup being almost one
fifth filled The services of professional
tasters are in constant demand. Seated at
these tables, experts will pronounce decisive