At present Indian tea is literally unknown on that side of the water. Not only is the tea unknown, but, with few exceptions, no one here is cognizant of the fact that any tea is produced in Hindustan. This, considering that a fair amount of Indian tea has been sent to America, may appear strange. But the explanation is not far to seek. When those who have not travelled in it speak of that country, they do not realize its vast size. How many dozen countries like England joined together would equal the area of the United States? Take away Scotland and Wales and all that remains, England proper, could be put into Lake Superior! Is it strange then that the comparatively little Indian tea sent has never penetrated into the interior? Again, the tea sent has been delivered in New York. There, and there alone, and in a very minor degree, has it begun to run the course it has pursued in England for years. Very nearly all received has been used to mix with other and weak teas, but the whole quantity has been hitherto far too small to visibly affect the strength even of the teas sold in New York.
Speaking generally, two kinds of tea are used in the States—Java green tea, and what they name "English breakfast tea." The first is Java, and that only, and more woful stuff I have never tasted. It is far weaker than the Chinese mixtures which were used in England years ago, ere the Indian teas came into play. It is literally tasteless. It has no aroma, and very little colour. I never tasted so bodyless an infusion. Nine-tenths of the Americans drink the above.
The other, styled "English breakfast tea," is a compound of Chinese black teas; and into this (the percentage very small, for all received will give no more) is sometimes put a little Indian. Bad as it is, 'tis better than the Java beverage, but, as compared with the general tea sold in England to-day, which is more than one-third Indian, it is a tasteless mixture.
In two words, I conceive all, or nearly all, the Indian tea sent to the States has been used up in New York, and consequently it would be strange if it were known elsewhere.
I travelled much in America, south to New Orleans, west to San Francisco. I asked as to Indian tea in many places. I found it in two only. At a tea-store in San Francisco (excuse the word "store," there are no shops in America) I found one kind, an inferior Souchong, with much red leaf. Still it was very drinkable, and I used no other while on the western coast. It had come, I was told, from Bengal, across the Pacific. Ordinary as the tea was, the store-keeper told me he sold much of it.
The only other place I got Indian tea was at Denver, the capital of Colorado. But it was in a shop kept by an Englishman named Cornforth. He had a large and very successful grocery business and made tea a speciality. He knew all about Indian tea, and had some of the very best, a high-class Pekoe Souchong, said to be from Assam. I was some weeks in Colorado (I bought a ranch there for my sons) and drank Mr. Cornforth's tea all the time. I used to give it to the Americans who came to my house, and they invariably liked it. Mr. Cornforth sells much of it in Denver, and many, his manager told me, drink it pure. Shortly, my experience leads me to believe that Indian tea could be easily introduced into the States.
Were it done, think of the result. The Americans drink individually far more tea than we do. As a rule, they are a sober race. When they drink alcohol, it is a big drink, lasting two or three days, and then for weeks nothing but tea and coffee, but far more of the former. I have not the statistics handy, but I doubt not for "tea per head" the denizens of the United States equal the New Zealanders, who I had previously thought the largest consumers on earth. Then, again, consider the area covered by those tea-drinkers. If Indian tea ever becomes popular with them, the Indian and Ceylon plantations will have to be increased threefold to satisfy the demand.
Tea, I well know, is an aquired taste, and it is not easily, or quickly, that even a better produce will make its way, opposed as it is, to the flavour which has become familiar. But we had exactly the same difficulty in England, and have conquered. We can do the same in America. We cannot expect them, they will not (they did not in England, even few do so here now) drink it pure. It will run in the States as it has here, and runs in a great measure still. Used to mix with and give body to weak teas, our trans-Atlantic cousins will be taught to appreciate the improved flavour, ignorant as the many will still be of the cause. The taste will grow. More will yearly be demanded, and in time, a long time I admit, may happen what will now certainly occur in England in five years more, half the consumption will be Indian.
But how is it to be so introduced? Certainly not by the very puny efforts made hitherto. The quantity sent should be multiplied many times, and arrangements made to forward it on arrival, to some, if not all, of the great cities in the interior. There it should be sold at auction to the highest bidders, as done here in the Lane. Were this done for two or three years, the introduction would be accomplished (it has not been begun yet) and the tea would then make its own way.
But how as to the financial result? Losses at first there would be. Some sacrifice must always be made to carry out large enterprises, but they would not be heavy or of long duration, and every rupee embarked therein would eventually bring back a hundredfold to the tea industry.