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boats proceed up the river, in an easterly direction, to the town of Yuk-shan. This place is in latitude 28° 45' north, in longitude 118° 28' east, and distant from Hokow 180 le. The stream runs very rapidly, and, upon an average, at least four days are required for this part of the journey. In coming down the river the same distance is easily accomplished in one day.

When the tea-chests arrive at Yuk-shan they are taken from the boats to a warehouse. An engagement is then entered into with coolies, who carry them across the country, in an easterly direction, to Chang-shan, in the same manner as they were brought from Tsong-gan to Hokow. The town of Yuk-shan is at the head of a river which flows west to the Poyang lake, while that of Chang-shan is situated on an important river which falls into the bay of Hang-chow on the east. The distance across the country from one town to the other is about 100 le. Travellers in chairs accomplish it easily in one day, but coolies laden with tea-chests require two or three days.

When the teas arrive at Chang-shan they are put into boats and conveyed down the river. The distance from Chang-shan to Hang-chow is about 800 le, and as it is all down-stream it may be performed in five or six days with perfect ease. At Hang-chow the chests are transshipped from the river boats to those which ply upon the canals, and in the latter are taken on to Shanghae. The distance from Hangchow-foo to Shanghae is 500 le, and occupies about five days.

We have traced in this manner the route which the black teas travel on their way from Woo-e-shan to Shanghae. The distance travelled and time occu

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Three le are generally supposed to be equal to one English mile, and in that case the exact distance would be, of course, 620 miles. I am inclined, however, to think that there are more than three le to a mile, perhaps four, or in some parts of the country even five. If this is the case we may be possibly nearer the mark if we estimate the whole distance at 400 miles. In calculating the time it will be necessary to allow about four days for time consumed in changing boats, for bad weather, &c. This will make the whole journey occupy 28 days, which is about the average time.

With regard to the next item in my account,namely, the cost and expenses upon these teas,-I must confess that I cannot speak with the same confidence of accuracy as I have done on the previous items. Having myself travelled up and down their rivers, and over their mountains, I was in no necessity of depending at all upon Chinese statements having reference to distance or time. Their statements upon all subjects, and especially upon those

relating to the interior of their country, must be received with a great degree of caution. I have, however, been favoured with the assistance of Mr. Shaw, of Shanghae, who adds to his abilities as a merchant a knowledge of the Chinese language, which enabled him to give me valuable aid in the item of expense.

In the first place, let us examine the expenses upon what is called good common Congou. By this is meant such tea as was selling in England in December, 1848, at about 8d. per pound. This tea was sold in Shanghae at about 12 taels per picul in 1846, 11 taels in 1847, from 9 to 10 taels in 1848, and 11 taels in July, 1849. These prices included the export duty.

I will suppose this tea to be brought from the town of Tsong-gan-hien by the route which I have already described. The expenses for coolie and boat hire upon it will be nearly as follows:

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1740 cash per chest would amount to 2718 cash. per picul, which, converted into silver, would be about 1 dollar 80 cents, or 1.359 taels. To this sum must be added the cost of tea in the tea-country, the expenses of the wholesale dealers for inspection, char

coal, and labour in extra firing, the cost of the chest and packing, and custom-house and export duties.

Such tea as that above referred to is sold by the cultivators and small farmers at about 80 cash a catty, which is equal to 4 taels per picul. The following table will show the total amount of these expenses :

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If these different items are as correct as I believe them to be, it would appear that the profit upon common teas is very small, so small indeed as to make it a matter of doubt whether they will ever be produced at a reduced rate.

It must be borne in mind, however, that all the expenses just enumerated, excepting the original cost of tea, are as heavy upon the common kinds as upon those of a finer quality, for which much higher prices are paid. Take for example the good and middling Ohows, and finest teas, which sold in Shanghae, December 1846, at from 20 to 28 taels, long price ; in 1847 at 18 to 26 taels; in 1848 at 14 to 22 taels; and in July 1849 at 16 to 25 taels per picul. Such tea in November 1847 was worth from 1s. to 18. 4d. per lb. in England.

These fine teas are said to be sold by the small farmers to the dealers at, on an average, 160 cash a

Long price [1. p.] means that the export duty is included.

catty, a sum

probably higher than that which is actually paid. But suppose 160 cash per catty is the original cost, the matter would stand thus:

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Total charges, as before, less the cost of tea 5.773

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In round numbers, the whole cost of bringing these fine teas to the port of Shanghae is 14 taels. The average price received from the English merchant during these four years appears, from the above prices, to have been about 22 taels, thus showing a clear profit of 8 taels per picul.

Before drawing our conclusions, however, it may be proper to mention that in the years 1846 and 1847 the trade in Shanghae was chiefly carried on by barter, which was managed through some Canton brokers then resident in Shanghae. Under these circumstances, it was difficult for any one not in the brokers' secret to say what was the exact sum paid to the Tsong-gan tea-dealer. It was probably, however, something considerably less than what it appears to have been by the above statements. Again, it is to be remarked that in 1848, when the prices were from 14 to 22 taels, the Chinese complained that they were ruinously low. But the average of even these prices would be 18 taels, thus showing an average profit of 4 taels per picul. Considering that this large trade is in comparatively few hands, even this, the lowest class of profits, must amount to a very large sum. It seems even a question whether the

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