not go 10 to a ton of 50 cubic feet; he considers 4 feet 7 inches to 4 feet 8 inches an average for black tea, and 3 feet 2 inches to 3 feet 4 inches an average for half-chests of green. He also considers the tares 10 cent. too high; that 25 lbs. is an extreme tare for congou, and that 23 lbs. is much nearer the mark. Another merchant thinks 23 to 24 lbs. about the average tare on congous, and 25 to 26 lbs. on souchongs.

AVERAGE WEIGHTS, TARES, AND MEASUREMENTS OF DIFFERENT DESCRIPTIONS OF TEA.

1156. Tea averages rather more than nine cwt. to a ton of 50 cubic feet. Taking the weight of tea (cargo with cargo) 50 feet will average 1,200 lbs., which is 10 cwt. In China, when estimating what a ship will carry, the register tonnage, n.m., is multiplied by 1,200 lbs. per ton-say 800 tons register, 960,000 lbs. net of tea. Formerly at Shanghai a ton of congou averaged 10 chests; latterly, in consequence of their increased size, nine chests only. At Hankow the chests are so large that eight will measure 50 cubic feet. Green teas are heavier than black. Tea is computed to lose four cent. in weight between the time of shipment at Canton and of discharge in England. It will lose weight by being placed in a very dry store, and will gain in a damp store; the difference of the extremes is said to exceed two pounds chest. Fine teas weigh heavier than common. Bengal, Madras, and Bombay ton 50 cubic feet in chests; at New

York eight cwt.; at Baltimore 900 lbs. green tea and 1,120 lbs. Bohea and other black tea. Eight chests of congou go to a coasting ton in England. The Admiralty allows 9 chests or 18 half-chests to a ton, and 32 tea canisters of 20 lbs. or 60 of 10 lbs.; an Admiralty chest weighs 83 lbs. net, half-chests 36 lbs.

1157. According to Morrison's Chinese Commercial Guide, the following were the usual net weights and sizes of packages at Canton in 1848.

The column at the end shows the average weights of imports in 1866.

1158. A catty of tea 13 lbs., of silks 23 lbs. 84 catties of tea are estimated at about one cwt. 100 catties of tea make a pecul, estimated at 133 lbs. avoirdupois. A chop is usually 600, but sometimes 1,000 chests congou. A chop also means a parcel of one kind. If a Chinaman has 300 chests of one sort of tea he calls it a chop, and gives muster accordingly. If he sells two chops of one kind, say 650 chests each, he gives samples of both parcels, although they may be precisely the same sort.

Formerly the load of a Chinese chop-boat consisted of

The load of a Chinese chop-boat is considered to consist of the following amounts :

1159. Foo Chow Foo. The ship Corona, Capt. W. S. CRONDACE, belonging to Messrs. ALEXANDER STEPHEN and SoN, Marine Parade, Dundee, left Foo Chow Foo 26th August, 1869, with 1,764 tons tea, viz. 7,605 chests, 6,293 boxes, 16,934 half-chests, and 6 packages. She registers 1,199 tons, is 209.6 feet long, 35 broad, and 22 deep; 'tween decks 200 feet. With this cargo and 360 tons shingle ballast covered with thin slabs, she drew 20 feet 6 inches aft, 20 feet forward; her best trim say 18 feet 6 inches; with 1,400 tons Cardiff coal 20 feet 6 inches. She arrived home 31st December. Her port charges on the round were at Plymouth outward (400 emigrants), £200; Melbourne, including commission (leaving in ballast), £500; Newcastle, N.S.W., going in to purchase cargo, discharge ballast, load, &c., commission on purchase of coal, £270; Shanghai, six months' port charges, commission on sale of coal, pilotage and towage, compradore's bill for crew's food, &c., and ballast, £516; there were no port charges at Foo Chow, they being paid at Shanghai; commission 5 cent. on £4,500 freight, stevedores for stowing, towage, &c., £600. The season of shipment of new teas is during May, June, and July; for the American market September and October. DISBURSEMENTS AT MELBOURNE.