The Sketcher.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1060, 23 June 1892, Page 11

The Sketcher.

THE HISTORY OF THE INDIAN TEA TRADE.

The liistoiy of the gradual development of the Indian tea trade, "which has within recent years made such enormous strides, should be of more than passing interest to our readers, and we are therefore glad to have the following facts in connection with the cultivation of Indian teas for the World’s markets placed at our disposal : Tradition tells us that tea was first introduced into China from India, but like most traditions this is sufficiently vague to be of little value in the history of the product. 1 f it be true that China first imported some hundreds of years ago from the hills on the North East frontier of India the seed, which in due course produced the fragrant Boheaa and other teas so largely consumed by the last generation, it is equally true that the inhabitants oi the fertile Brahmaputra Valley, known as the splendid tea producing Province of Assam, where indigenous tea is now largely found, were, partly on fifty years ago, unaware of the existence of the valuable plants growing so abundantly in their remoter jungles, for it is certain than when in 1840 the Government of India urged thereto no less by private individuals than by scientific men, decided to inaugurate experimental tea plantations, believing that the climate and other conditions of various districts in the north and north east portions of India were eminently suited to the profitable cultivation of the tea plant, the seed necessary to the experiment was imported direct from China. As a result of the speedy success of these first experiments, tea seed from China continued to be annually imported in large quantities. The districts chosen by the authorities for these experiments wore the Darjeeling Hills, forming the southern spurs of the snow-capped Himalayas and the rich alluvial valleys watered by the mighty Brahmaputra and divided now into the well known districts of Sibsaugor, Mowgong, Tezpoi’e, Gowhatty, Cachar, and Sylhet, and forming together the Province of Assam, the late Chief Commissioner of which, with his staff, was recently so basely murdered in the adjoining native state of Manipur. The tea plant being essentially a thirsty shrub, requiring i over 100 inches of rain in the year to do it justice, the accessible area at the disposal of the pioneers of Indian tea was at first limited, and even now land suitable for this farm of cultivation is confined to hill districts and to flats running along the foot of the Himalayas, and known as Terais or Dooars, which get the full benefit of the rain torrents attracted to them by

the giant mountains in their rear. The successful development of the Indian tea industry in the present day, shows how wisely the Darjeeling and Assam districts were chosen for the first home of the acclimatised plant, for, in spite of the enormous quantities of tea produced by the various districts in Tndia and Ceylon, Darjeeling still maintains the lead for its delicately flavoured teas, and Assam remains unsui’passecl for the richness and strength of its crop. The experimental estates in Darjeeling and Assam steadily flourished from the commencement, plenty of capital being soon available for expanding the nascent industry ; and when in the sixties a further impetus was given to tea cultivation by the discovery, by a veteran planter—Mr Bruce, of Tezpore —of the indigenous Assam tea plant, yielding as was soon found a far richer and more delicately flavoured tea than that obtained from the China leaf, the production of Indian tea for the Enrepean markets became a firmly established and a highly successful industry. To return to the earlier years of the enterprise, however, cultivation of the plant was not all had to make himself acquainted with, but the far more difficult task of preparing the leaf for the market had to be acquired as best it might, for in the early days, when all were learning, there was no one to show the way. At first Chinamen were brought to India to teach Englishmen how to prepare the teas for the market; but the latter soon learnt all the Celestial had to teach, excepting indeed such ‘ ways that are dark and tricks that are vain,’ for which, on the authority of a great humourist, the ‘ Heathen Chinee is peculiar.’ For whatever may be said for or against Indian tea, it is certain that it has never been adulterated, nor will it be so long as its preparation remains in the hands of the high-class, conscientious body of men who are known to the world under the generic name of Indian tea jfianters. Gradually, by careful and intelligent experiments, the planter leai'nt the secret of preparing the most palatable teas, and the successful preparation of the leaf has now been brought to such a point of perfection, that Indian grown teas, together with those from Ceylon—that colony having been for years the pupil of India in the art of tea cultivation and manufacture—take the lead in the markets of the world, and China teas, which at any time have no rival, occupy quite a subordinate position both in Mincing Lane and in the colonies.

For many years the preparation of Indian teas remained entirely a manual process, with the simplest application of air and heat for withering and firing the leaf. Long lines of swarthy and scantily clad coolies were to be seen in every factory rolling the leaf by the hand, thereby imparting that peculiar twist so characteristic of good tea, and by bruising the cuticle of the leaf, encouraging the process of fermentation or oxidisation, which it is so important ia all well made teas to check at the right moment by the by the application of intense heat. In course of time, however, as the quantities of the leaf to be daily dealt with in each factory become greater and greater, manual labour was found t© be cumbersome and expensive, and the united intelligence of those employed in the industry was directed to devising mechanical means of replacing coolie labour, with the result that in every process of tea making, ingenious machinery and mechanic il appliances of all sorts are now employed.

This successful introduction of machinery into the industry, has resulted in the satisfactory verdict that British grown teas are prepared.in the most cleanly manner, or by the most scientific means known to the trade. That they produce an eminently wholesome beverage has been time after time proved by analytical chemists of high standing, and their popularity is evinced by statistics, which show that seventy-five per cent of the total consumption of tea in Great Britain is now British grown. VVe are indebted for this short resume of the Indian tea industry to Messrs Lattey, Livermore and Co., of 37 Featherston street, whose partners have been for years tea planters in various districts in India.

There is a rumour afloat, says an exchange, that Mr John Dillon, the well known Home Ruler, has it in contemplation to retire from political life, and it is also stated in this connection that he proposes going to Sydney (New South Wales) to practice at the bar.