Packing.—This is the final process. Unless Teas are packed directly they are made, they require to be heated once more to drive off any moisture imbibed. This can be done in a way in most of the dryers described, perhaps in Kinmond’s best of all.[103]
This concludes my remarks on Tea machinery; but I shall not have a more appropriate place than this to mention the ornamental tin boxes devised by Messrs. Harvey Bros. and Tyler, as a new mode of packing Teas. The following is an article of mine on the subject to the Tea Gazette, written in 1880:—
I saw lately tin Tea boxes made to hold 20 lbs., which are manufactured by Messrs. Harvey Brothers and Tyler, 21, Mincing Lane. I was much pleased with them, for I foresaw that by their use great good to the Indian Tea industry would accrue. I went to Mincing Lane, and had a long talk with the firm, and came away convinced that the fact of the said boxes should be known far and wide in India.
The boxes measure 15¾ by 10 15/16ths by 10 5/16ths. They are handsomely illustrated with Indian Tea plantation subjects.[104] Each piece runs into a groove in the adjoining one, so that one minute will put a box together, and a touch of solder here and there completes it; they are then perfectly air-tight. The boxes are very sightly. Price is now 2s. 5d. per box. Boxes sent to Calcutta up to this have been charged 2s. 7d. The price is dependent on the fluctuating price of tin, which is somewhat lower now. Of course they are sent out in pieces. Cases holding pieces for 100 boxes weigh 4 cwt. The firm tell me that Messrs. Schœne, Kilburn and Co., and Messrs. Begg, Dunlop and Co., in Calcutta, have consignments of the boxes, so any of your readers can see them.
In my opinion there are several advantages, to be derived from their use:—
1. They will help to open up new markets. The ungainly, unwieldly packages we have used hitherto are certainly detrimental, at least where Indian Teas are not known. By the use of these tin boxes the sale of our Teas would, I am sure, be extended at home, and they would also give great facilities for successfully introducing Indian Tea into Australia, Canada, the United States, the Cape, &c. It seems some Indian Tea has already been sent home in these tins, and I am told it met with a ready sale, quite to 8d. per lb. over what it would have brought in chests. This is, of course, too good to last, but less than one penny a lb. increase would pay for their use.
2. The sale of Indian Tea in India would be developed by using them.
3. The tares of these boxes is and must be exact, viz., 3 lbs. 15½ oz., so only a few would be opened at the Custom House,[105] and the great loss by the deterioration of Tea being exposed (few know how great it is) would be avoided.
4. There is no doubt Tea will keep better in transit in these boxes than in our old packages. How often are the latter broken and the lead torn! This evil would be quite avoided.
There seems to me to be but one doubtful point. The boxes cannot be sent loose on board ship: how then are they to be packed? Chests holding four tin boxes were recommended, but they do not smile on me. True, they might be made very light: still they would add to the size, weight, and cost considerably. I think crates of strong light battens would answer perfectly, and six, or perhaps eight boxes might then be placed in each. However, this is a matter of detail, which experience would quickly decide. To continue the advantages: