Again, since my former articles I have spoken to dozens of Tea planters and Tea owners on the subject, and all of them think highly of the scheme, while many only wait for the company to be launched to take shares. I could name more than one influential native also who is willing to join, and this is a good sign, for, in my opinion, a moiety of the directors should be natives. I will myself become a large shareholder, though I cannot offer my services on the board, for it must be in Calcutta, and I do not reside there.
I am convinced, if the company is launched, the shares will be taken up in a week.
But if no one in Calcutta is public-spirited enough to launch such a company, why should not an association of a few individuals try to carry out the scheme. I quite believe Tea proprietors would help them, at starting, by supplying, on reasonable credit, the coarse Teas suitable. Were this done, the thin edge of the wedge would be driven in, and, if the association succeeded, they might later transfer the business at a fair profit to a company.
I had written so far when I saw your remarks on the same subject in your last issue. I cannot agree with you in thinking an association would be better than a company, but I say, failing the last let us have the first—in fact, let us make a beginning.
I give here below, to save the trouble of reference, the last part of my former article:—
“I will now, in conclusion, shortly estimate for how much two and four ounce packets could be sold to the consumer.
“Supposing suitable Teas could be bought at six annas per lb. (and all Tea planters know that a very large supply of broken Teas with some red leaf would be available at that price), one ounce would equal 4½ pie or 9 pie for 2 ounces. We may then calculate thus for each 2 ounce packet:
| R. | A. | P. | |
| Tea | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Tin foil, company’s mark, labour of making up packet, wear and tear, bulking machinery | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Profit to company | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Price at which company could sell 2 ounce packets | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Profit to dealer or middleman | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Profit to retailer | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Cost to consumer for 2 ounce packet | 0 | 1 | 9 |
“As making up a 4 ounce packet would be cheaper in proportion, and the profit to company, middleman, and retailer need not be double the 2 ounce rate, we may fairly say that 4 ounce packets could be sold at 3 annas.