The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-10-14
OF TEA INTO THE
UNITED STATES.
Varying Rates of Duty Imposed Dur
ing the Present Century-Depression
in the Tea Trade Now.

A recent article on the tea trade in
The New York Times says:
1.-THE increased production of tea in
Ceylon and India during the last ten
years, in addition to that from China
and Japan, has tended to depress val
ues A review Of the yearly importations
for twenty years is interesting: In 1875
this country received GO, 900 pounds,
value $22, 900; in 1890 the receipts
were $4,000, 900 pounds, and the value
s16,OO000O; in 1895 the figures were 9s,-
1000 pounds, and the value $4,000
900; in 1896 11O,0OO,OOO pounds and $13,-
900 in value, and in 1897 99,0O0,0 900
pounds, and $4,000, 900 in value.
1T will be observed that receipts in
creased IS per cent and values decreas-
ed 40 per cent This is largely account
ed for in the excess of interior goods.
1.-The consumption in the United
States in 1896 was 100, 900, 900 pounds, or
about 1876 pounds per capita. At the
same time, in England and her possess
sions. 221 900 900 pounds were used, or
5.65 pounds per capita.
ut may be of interest to many to
know the rates of duty on tea imposed
| by the United States from 1916 to 1872.
/ These were as follows In 1916, trans
ported by United States vessels, 2S
cents a pound, by foreign vessels SO
cents a pound This was changed in
1880 to u cents in the case of United
States vessels and 20 cents in the case
| of foreign vessels. From 1882 to 1912,
when entering by United States vessels,
tea was admitted free, when on foreign
vessels the duty was 10 cents a pound.
| During the Civil war, on August 5, 1861
a Is cent duty was imposed. December
| "a, 1861, it was changed to 20 cents. June
30, 1864, an additional cents was add
ed, making it 20 cents. This rate was
continued to July IA, 1870, when it was
reduced to Is cents a pound. May l,
1872, it was made free, and until June
| 10, 1898, it was exempt from duty.
During the Civil war Congress inn
posed a duty of 20 cents per pound on
| tea. Gradually prices advanced, until
the best grades of green tea sold from
first hands al 81 80 to SO so a pound.
The lowest grade was 80 cents; For
mosas, 81 70; Foo Choo, 81 so; Annoy
| Oolongs, 81 to 81 %, etc. These prices
were maintained until the duty was re-
moved in 1872, from which time prices
| declined down to 1888, when the Tea
Adulteration Bill became a law. Under
the operation of this law millions of
pounds of tea unfit for consumption
were rejected. The Government ap-
pointed examiners for the ports of New
York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco
and Tacoma. Under their supervision
| the reflections were submitted to a
Board of Aribtrators. If their reject
ions were sustained, the tea was reship-
ped or destroyed. Like most laws a way
was found to evade it, and relief was
sought and found in the Standard law
of April, 1897. This proved to be a sani-
tary measure, and no impure or I'M
wholesome tea is now admitted This
law rendered necessary by the fact that
foreign capital was largely employed
to throw upon the markets of this
country the refuse and impure stock
from China and Japan. No other cOun-
try would admit it. No other country
admitted tea free of duty.
Previous to 1875 all engaged in the
importation of tea prospered and made
fortunes During the Civil war and VI
to that date every dollar invested pair
from % to 100 per cent profit; since
there have been very few years wher
the profits exceeded the losses. Some OF
tn largest and oldest houses in China
have been wrecked in the last decade
These failures forced many here to re
tire. Many dealers of prominence ir
the trade here twenty years ago were
forced into retirement and are forgot
ten"