Much curiosity has attached among commercial men to the first
sale of the specimens of Assam tea, imported by the East India Company from that part of the British territory, where it is expected that its cul- tivation and preparation may take place to such an extent as in course of time to exclude the Chinese from the market, and make the article itself one of British colonial produce. The quantity imported has been small in the first instance, not exceeding eight chests of about 801b. each ; and the more immediate object of the sale was to determine whether the Assam tea would command such a price here as to make it worth while to commence the importation on a larger scale. The result is a remarkable one ; for so much beyond the possible real value of the commodity has been obtained, great competition taking place for it as a curiosity in its kind, that no criterion is afforded of what it may fetch when it comes to be imported in larger quantities. There were two descriptions of tea, one of the souchong, the other of the pekoe de- scription; the first produced from 16s. to 20s., the last from 26s. to 34s. 'the pound, without duty ; while the usual tea from China is selling at 2& the pound or under, without the duty. The preparation of the . Assam is attended with so little cost, that it may be delivered at Cal- lucutta for export to Europe at Is. the pound or less.—Times, Jan. 12.
Previous page
