The herald., 1896-07-04
MARKETS OF THE WORLD
Local, Eastern and Foreign
Commercial Dealings
WALL STREET SPECULATION
Coffee Production Does Not Promise to
Increase
A Double Money Standard In Java and How II
Works-Drinkins Tea In Japan -Locai
narket Changes

Mr.. J. Ferguson. of the Ceylon Observer
writes to correct an impression that there
is danger of an overproduction OF Coffee
and to encourage coffee planting expert
ments in British Africa. He points out
that in sixteen or eighteen years the coffee
export of Ceylon has fallen from LOO, 900 to
so, 900 cwts.. that of South India from $780,
600 to 240,0OO. and that of the West Indies
from 10000 to $4,000. Though Brazilian
production has largely increased, prices
continue high. Coos to 107s for middling
plantation coffee in 1895, against 91s to 1O2s
in 1880, and Ceylon tea planters are in
vestng surplus capital in new coffee
district in East Java.
An English exchange says: Java fur
nishes capital object lesson with regard
40 tne ba OF Rent
ON gold basis, with the result. among
Others that a considerable quantity o.
very well manufactured counterfeit silver
coin has found its way into the island from
lands government Note that these coins
pr bro being w9 made a out r Of the derence
between their metallic value and the value
at which they circulate as subsidiary token
money. Our consul states that as a deter
rent against the use of SO much silver, D
gullder notes have again been brought in
to circulation Thus. in the attempt TO
force an unnatural currency in the east.
the advocates of the gold standard have
once more shown themselves the sponsors
of paper"
The tea drunk in respectable japanese
households generally costs about % cents
per pound, While from. 80 cents to 81 viii
be paid for better quality, fit to set before
an honored guest The most expensive
Vii tea costs Sc per pound. At the opposite
end of the scale Isstand the so-called
bancha, the tea of the lower classes, which
sells at cents per pound. and is composed
of chopped leaves. stalks and bits of wood
taken from the trimmings of the tea plant;
for this beverage is tea, after all, little as
its flavor has in common with that of
Pohea or OF Vii Other tea-like infusions
sometimes to be met with are Nosen made
by pouring hot water on mixture of var
ious fragrant substances, such as orange
peel, the seeds of the Xanthoxylon, etc:
blossoms; Mugi-yu, an infusion of parched
barley; Mame-cha, similar preparation
OF beans. Fuku-ja, or luck tea" Is made
OF sailed plums, sea weed and xanthoxylon
seeds. and is partaken of in every Japan
csc household on the last night of the year
be made with boiling water. or it will give
an intolerably bitter decoction; and the
finer the quality of the tea the less hot
must be the water employed. The jap
anese tea equipage actually includes a
small open jug called the ''water-cooler"
If necessary, transferred before being
poured on the tea leaves. Even so, the first
brew is often thrown away as too bitter to
drink. The consequence of this is that
Japanese servants, when they first come
to an English house, always have to be
tea, and generally begin by giving, practi-
cal proof of their incredulty on the sub
ject of the Indispensable virtue of boiling
water-B. H. Chamberlain.