Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-15
CHINESE TEA TRADE
DESCRIBED BY BRITISH REPORTS
AS A VANISHING INDUSTRY.
Natives Charged With Lack Of Care
of Picking Leaves Of the
Fragrant Plant.
From the London Globe.

From the London Globe.
The latest report received at the foreign
office from Foo-Chow describes the tea
trade as a vanishing industry. 1t states
that the change which has come over the
tea trade not of Foo-chow alone, but at
other producing centers in China, and which
is running what was once a flourishing in
dustry, seems ascribable to several causes,
not all within the power Of the sufferers to
remedy. First, there Is the indisputable
fact that the use of due care in the manipu-
lation of the leaf when growing, when be-
ing picked and when being prepared for its
transit over the sea, is not exercised by the
native grower. The means of insuring all
this has been repeatedly indicated to him
and put within his reach, with no result.
either owing to apathy, ignorance or logged
conservatism. He has been in turns I'm
plored, scolded and lectured, but all to no
purpose.
Some years ago a circular was issued by
the inspector general of the customs warn
ing tea growers that. owing to the SUI
perior methods prevailing in India, the
trade was slipping out of China's hands
hands that used to supply the world. 1t
was recognized by Europeans interested in
the industry that the lead taken by India
and Ceylon had been secured by the substi-
tuition of machinery for hand labor. Ma
chinery was accordingly imported. In some
places more even than this was done in the
effort to infuse new life into moribund in
dustry. While Formosa was still Chinese
the governor imported into the north of the
island not only the machinery considered
desirable, but even an expert from Assam.
But neither in Formosa nor in Foo-Chow
have these devices proved of any avail. To
the intelligent native they possibly ap-
pealed. but not to the fountain head-the
grower and the picker. whose methods con-
tinued to be unscienttfc and primitive His
livelihood OhViOnS1y Shining from him
but the prospect Of even that catastrophe
has had no power to startle him from his
invincible optimism.
Change in Public Taste.
Second-There Is the change which has
come over the public taste in Europe. When
China held the monopoly Of tea production
China tea was necessarily bought. But
when Assam and Ceylon entered into the
competition it was very soon apparent that
the liking for their products was increas-
ing rapidly, and China tea was In no long
time hopelessly distanced. 1t is likely that,
as regards delicacy of flavor and aroma
the teas Of China are still assured the suf-
frages Of the cultivated few. Teas from
the nearer east are admittedly coarser Of
taste and contain a larger percentage Of
tannin. on which account they are con-
demned by medical men as prejudicial to
digestion. But they make an attractive
dark brew. and are economical in that a
little Of them goes long way. Thus they
attract the sixpences of the many and it
is on these sixpences that the merchant de-
Ponds for his profits. not on the conserva-
tive and perhaps more sensible half crewns
of the cultivated few.
Third-The trade In Indian and Ceylon
teas has been festered by judicious and per-
sistent advertising, to which the Foo-Chow
merchants appear to have not condescended
to resort.
Excessive Export Duty.
Fourth-The trade is crushed by an ex-
cessive export duty. When the duty on tea
was first made specific it no doubt repre-
sented fairly enough the per cent ad
valorem sanctioned by treaty. The dimin-
ishing value of teas has. however. resulted
in the export duty of today representing
49, instead of 8, per cent.
The first. second and fourth causes seem
beyond the control of the merchants, but
the remedy for the third should be well
within their reach Advertisement is the
life blood of commerce at the present day,
and is freely resorted to in all depart
ments wherever there Is an element of
competition. Where soaps, pills. cocoa, BIZ
cycles typewriters and host of other
articles are concerned, the advertiser, II
the statements are to be believed. owns
the best variety. 1t stands to reason that
this cannot be SO In each case. and though
each advertiser must be conscious that this
panegyric will not be universally accepted
as a gospel TRUTH he continues to pub
lish his vaunts, and presumably finds it