A deputation of tea-dealers had an interview on Thursday with
Lord Melbourne, Mr. Poulett Thomson, and Mr. Spring Rice, at the
Treasury. The object of the deputation was to remonstrate against a recent order of the Commissioners of Customs, directing that the Congou duty should be charged upon the Fokein Bohea teas. What took place at the interview, is reported as follows— Lout Melbourne, after some discussion upon the point, assured the Deputa- tion that the subject relative to the duty upon Fukein Boheas should have the immediate attention of his Majesty's Government, and promised that the deter- mination he and his colleagues might come to upon the question should be com- municated previously to the period to which the large sale of teas, which had been postpone I in conseqnnce a the recent order of the Commissioners of Customs, had been adjourned. Some of the members of the Deputation expressed a desire to draw the atten- tion of Lord Melbourne to the necessity of an alteration of the scale of duties upon tea ; but his Lordship was understood to say that that question was under the serious consideration of Government. The mode in which the East India Company were resolved to dispose of their large stock of teas in bond was also hinted at; but his Lordship expressed a disposition not to enter into a discussion upon that point for the present. After a lengthened conversation upon the topic which more immediately formed the subject to be brought before his Lordship, the Deputation withdrew. The feeling was that the Government would allow Fukein Bohm to pass at the low duty as heretofore.
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