The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-08-05
ON TEA AND ITS HISTORY
A LUXURY OF THE ARISTOCRACY
TILL 1890.
Chinese Goods Which Took Twelve OF
Fourteen Months to Reach Boston
Now Brought in Thirty Days.

Discussing tea and it's history, a wri-
ter in The New York Times says:
Tea did not become a popular bev-
erage for a long period, as the masses
were precluded from drinking it by rea-
son of it's exorbitant price. The Dutch
East India Company monOpolized the
traffic and supplied the limited demand
for many years. Later, when England
and other nations effected treaties with
China, tea became an extensive article
of commerce in Europe. 1t figured con-
spicuously as a bone of contention be-
tween the mother country and her col
onies in 1913 in Boston and other ports.
1t was a luxury enjoyed by the arts
tocracy in the colonies up to 1890, in
which years lightweight pounds were
imported direct from China in an Am
erican vessel. In the next decade the
entire importation was 1343 pounds. In
| 1S01-02 came 9451 pounds in 1S15-16
came 20,S20 pounds. A portion of this
was exported to England. The con-
sumption in 1920 was less than one half
pound per capita. From this date up
to 1850 the importations We're about
equal to the consumption, which had in
creased to 1.22 pounds per capita.
AT this period the treaty ports,
namely, Foo Choo, Shanghai, Annoy,
Hongkong and Canton, were declared
open. The influx of China's productions
was made in old hulks, which required
from twelve to fourteen months for
each voyage. Later the clipper ships
replaced these, and the time was less
ened to five months. The Suez canal
reduced the time to sixty days, and now
the Pacific Mail steamers and railroads
deliver goods from China and Japan in
New York within thirty days.
Previous to 1856 China produced nine
tenths of all the tea grown. The varie-
ties comprised green, English breakfast
or Congow, Oolong, Powchong and Bo-
hea. The advent of Japanese tea in 1856
56 opened new feature in the United
States markets. It's first appearance was
not inviting, as 1t was uncOlOred, and
was packed in uncouth wooden boxes,
minated. The science of preparation
was then unknown to the Japanese
There was apparently no limit to the
production of this tea, and it's cup quail
ity was delicious When a treaty was
concluded with Japan in 1859 Americans
gained access to the tea markets of that
country, and without delay proceeded
to manipulate the leaf so as to make it
more acceptable in our markets. The
distinctive feature of the tea in infu-
sion populariZed it, and the demand
soon exceeded that of all other kinds.
This remained the case for a number
of years.
III Ioo0 II OIIuOSd YEA was introduced
direct from the virgin soil It's advent
produced no little excitement, as the tea
was superior in every respect to any
then imported. When it was exposed in
bulk it filled the room with a delightful
odor, and from the infusion came a
flavor resembling the extract of flowers
"a perfect bouquet-the higher grades
eXcelling in this respect This charac-
ter of tea is in greater demand and con-
sumption in excess of all other kinds
Tea is picked each year from Nav to
September. The first picking is in Nav,
the second in June and July. and the
third in August and September. The
latter comprises inferior grades and
refuse