Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-10-08
SOMETHING ABOUT TEA.
1T CAME FIRST FROM JAVA AND
NOT FROM CHINA.
Prices Once Charged fer the Drug
Chinese Exports Falling Off.

Contrary to the popular impression,
SAYS the London Standard, we did not
receive our first supplies of what was
then known as ..chaw, - and drunk out
of "silver porringers," ;" from China,
but from Java, which, until the Dutch
obtained possession of the island, was
an English settlement. The commerce
in the herb could not, however, have
been great, for AT first the price ranged
from 80 to tlO per pound. Even
during the reign of Charles ii. and his
brother IL was disposed of at from los.
to 5Os., according 10 quality, the duty
payable on every gallon of the bever-
age sold in the coffee houses being
eightpence. In the reign Of William
and Mary it was further burdened
with all import duty of IS. per pound
and per cent. of the value, and dur
ing the next century, when the ave-
age price was los, the imports mount
ed up to fully 200 per cent. on the
value of the commoner qualities.
The tea trade, was, however, in that
era q comparatively small branch of
commerce, being mainly monopoly in
the hands of the East India Company.
1t was when the con~uunpti, II increased
enormously, while the business Of sup
plying the demand was not too much
subdivided, that il became and con-
tinued so remarkably lucrative. The
prices were not high enough to be pro-
hibitory, and yet were sufficiently
good to permit of a handsome profit 10
grower, buyers, bIokers and sellers.
This is no longer the case. The peo-
pie who expect to live by the traffic
have multiplied out of all proportions
to their customers, with the inevitable
result that prices haze been whitfield
down to figure which admits of little
margin. In China-so it is affirmed
by those in a position 10 know
suicidal attempt has been made by the
native growers to recoup themselves
for falling prices by more sloycnly
manufacture and even by fragrant
adulteration. The, at least, Is the
verdict of a body 50 well qualified 10
pronounce on the evidence before them
as the Shanghai Chamber OF Commerce.
a fact even more conclusive is that
while the exports of China tea have
! fallen off enormously, those of the
newer tea-produciug districts have in
! creased in an inverse ratio. 1t is known
! that between 1861 and 1866 the export
decreased by 2. ,OOC 900, and since then
the disparity has been even greater.
! Thus it is obviously useless for China
any longer to regard herself a. able 10
! control the tea trade Of tie world, or
! TO conduct herself as if she were the
| prime producer. She may be fortu-
nate, indeed, if India, Ceylon and Java
! leave her the second place in the strug-
! gle for supremacy.
The planters of Assam were the first
10 work their gardens on the p. inciplei
of scientific high farming, and now
! they are reapimg their reward. But OF
all the competitors who have disputed
the China monopoly, Ceylon is likely
to prove the most formidable, though
she entered the field so recently that
tea was only regarded as a likely crop
when the destruction Of their coffee
! plantations compelled the owners OF
estates to try other products. Now
thanks to the experience Of India viii
which the planters began, and to the
advantages of climate and soil, the eX,
port of Ceylon tea is increasing yeai
by year, while the quality, taking one
season with another, is of a decidedly
high standard.