“If true, as we hear, that it takes 3-1/2 maunds of wood generally to make one maund of charcoal, and if also true, as Colonel Money suggests, that the caloric in one maund of wood equals the caloric in two maunds of charcoal, it then follows that each maund of wood, put into Colonel Money’s furnace, equals seven maunds of wood to make charcoal. “Of course the above are more or less random figures, but they suffice to show that the saving of fuel will be very great--a boon of course to planters, but a boon also to the Forest Department and to India. “We knew of the invention some time back, but we forbore to notice it until the brokers’ reports on the Tea so made had been received. We have now seen these. Samples of ‘charcoal’ and ‘furnace’ Tea were sent down, made from the same leaf, the same day, and manufactured in one up to the “firing” process. Two brokers give the higher value to the furnace Tea, one to the charcoal kind--but the difference is small. “We believe, as one of our most experienced planters, who has tasted the Teas, been to Soom, and seen the brokers’ reports, says, that ‘the Tea dried by the furnace apparatus will be _at least_ equal to that prepared over charcoal.’ “As Colonel Money is already known as an authority in Tea, and as he has stated to us his belief that ‘charcoal days’ for Tea are now at an end, we await with confidence the ultimate success of his invention, which even if it makes no better Tea will certainly make it far cheaper, while the dirt from charcoal dust will be done away with, the temperature of the Tea-houses much reduced, and the deleterious fumes of charcoal, so very objectionable from a sanitary point of view in Tea manufacture, will be known no more.” Again, 29th August, a month later, the _Darjeeling News_ further remarks:-- “We alluded recently to Colonel Money’s very ingenious plan for drying Tea without charcoal. Since then his apparatus has been in full work at Soom, and has been inspected by numbers of the Darjeeling planters, one and all of whom have, we understand, reported most favourably on its working. Samples of Tea manufacture have been from time to time sent to Calcutta brokers for their opinion, and reports have been received from fifteen, of whom seven are in favour of Tea made by the old charcoal process, seven are in favour of the new furnace process, and one reports that the Tea made by each process is exactly the same. “Colonel Money is now taking steps to erect his improved furnace, which will be in working order by the end of September, and the whole October crop of Soom Tea will be fired by the new furnace.