Visions of America: Public Representations of the United States Circulating in India from 1870-1900

Editorial: En Route to Peru

I am sorry I have to write this so hurriedly and have really not time to read it over: this you must do for me, excusing slips. You will find notes on my visit to New York &c. in the Free Press. I may mention that in all my intercourse with Americans- and I have met men from all parts of the States during the past few weeks- I have been led (and Mr. B. the same) to alter my opinion about America not being a tea-drinking country. It is decidedly a tea-drinking country.  We saw little or nothing else at the hotels we lived at or on board ship. Whatever it might have been previous to remission of duty, it is decidedly a tea-drinking country now. Don't tell me about imports, as now that there is no duty nobody seems to know exactly what the consumption is. One thing seems certain Ceylon tea suits the palate. Everyone we got to try it (and it has been a daily occurrence) pronounced it "Elegant." But it is too dear: the Ceylon tea we saw selling at 5s6d per lb can be bought in Mincing Lane at 10d, to my certain knowledge. No wonder Mr. Elwood May would like a monopoly. The thing is ridiculous. Who can give it? Even if so disposed the few planters who occasionally meet in Kendy have no such power. The whole American scheme is an absurdity. Let us be faithful to our free trade principles, and adopt the same tactics as have been successful in Britain and promise so well in Australasia. The more the merrier in the tea trade.

You will excuse this hurried letter and accept the will for the deed. We call at sundry ports along the coast and expect to be in Lima in 10 days. This constant changing is fatiguing but interesting. My first peep of Central America was Portobello. The spot was the scene of the saddest chapter in Scottish colonial history. As a boy, I well remember shedding tears over it. -- Ever yours,    S. 


From Overland Ceylon Observer. August 7, 1891. Pages 845-846.

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