The total export of Tea for the year was 500715.18 piculs, or 16548.11 piculs less than that of 1880, which was the largest on record; and the total amount shipped from the port—including re-exports from Kiukiang,Wuhu,and other places—was 601941.90 piculs,or a decrease on the whole trade of 15287.41 piculs.The direct trade with Europe shows a falling off of 9060.31 piculs on a total of 267541.72 piculs. On the whole, the year’s business seems to have been a fairly satisfactory one to most concerned in it, although the leaf was considered much inferior to that of previous years,and the first arrivals at London met with but a cold reception.Later shipments of fine Teas were,however,better appreciated,and sold at remunerative prices;cheaper sorts,however,do not at any time appear to have commanded much attention,and probably gave unfavourable returns.

The inferiority of the leaf is capable of easy explanation. In January and February,when the coldest weather is usually experienced,it was abnormally mild,and by the middle of the latter month vegetationwas as forward as it usually is at the end of March.Early in that month a sudden change was experienced;snow fell heavily for several days,the thermometer registered at one time nine degrees of frost, and all the ponds and inland pools were frozen hard.

In some of the more exposed situations there is little doubt that the Tea plants suficred,as the buds,if not opening,were well developed;but on the southern and sheltered slopes of the hills they were more fortunate, and escaped almost unhurt. The real damage, however, was caused later on while the leaf was being picked, continuous heavy rains checking operations and preventing it from being properly dried. Musters of the new season’s leaf were offered on the 16th May,and the market opened on the same day at prices considerably lower than those of the preceding year, although, if the inferior quality be taken into consideration,there was but little difference.

Buying proceeded briskly, Teas being disposed of almost as rapidly as they arrived from the country, and on the 22nd May the first steamer, the Glencoe, took her departure for London with a cargo of 22113.15 piculs, closely followed by the Loudoun Castle, on the 26th, with 20009.84 piculs; the Glenfruin, on the 27th, with 24176.42 piculs; and the Triwmph,on the 28th,with 22054.63 piculs.

The outturn of the first crop was sliglitly under that of 1880,being estimated at 590 000 half-chests, against 608 000 for that year; and the rapid and successful manner in which the Teas were sold induced an unusually large supply of second crops, but these latter did not meet with a correspondingly good demand,and the falling off in third crops showed the extent of the reaction tliat had taken place.

The direct trade was conducted with unusual dispatch, the last steamer leaving on the 16th of June—a date about two weeks earlier than customary.(www.daowen.com)

Brick Tea was exported to the extent of 191541.85 piculs—namely, Black Brick Tea, 143592.81 piculs, and Green, 47949.04 piculs, —being an improvement of 23266.15 piculs compared with 1880.This is due to the development of the trade in the latter description which is not made from dust but from coarse leaves and stalks, and is principally in demand amongst the tribes in Siberia and Mongolia. Hitherto it has gone overland from Tientsin but a line of steamers has lately been started by some of the Russian merchants at Kiakhta to run between Nicolaievsk, at the mouth of the Amoor, to Stretinsk,a distance of 1800 miles,and only 400 miles short of Irkutsk;and these steamers connected during the summer with other steamers plying between Shanghai and Nicolaievsk.

This improved system of transport has cheapened the cost of Green Brick Tea very materially, and an increased demand has followed, resulting in a gain of 32012.39 piculs. Black Brick Tea, on the other hand, shows a falling off of 8746.24 piculs, large stocks in Siberia having checked its manufacture.The abolition of Transit Dues in October came too late in the season to affect business in this staple, the bulk of the export having already gone; but there is no doubt that the concession will prove a great boon,and that it will stimulate trade to an appreciable extent by lessening the cost here, and thereby deduct something from the heavy transport charges that at present maintain prices in Central Siberia.

Hand presses have now entirely given place to steam, and an additional hydraulic press for the production of small cakes or bricks of the“compressed Tea”pattern has lately been erected.

——吴松弟整理:《美国哈佛大学图书馆藏未刊中国旧海关史料（1860—1949）》第180册,广西师范大学出版社2014年版,第92～93页