Early Relations between the United States and China. 77 



Orange, Bohea, Congo, Campoi, and Pekoe. Of these Bohea 

 and Souchong were the main ones purchased by Americans. 

 Of the green teas, Hyson, Hyson-skin, Young Hyson, and Gun- 

 powder were the main kinds. ^-' In the years immediately after 

 1784, Bohea, the cheapest grade, was chief in American cargoes. 

 Later, Souchong, a better black tea, began to predominate, and 

 after 1800 the proportion of the still higher grades, green teas, 

 especially Hyson, Young Hyson, and Hyson Skin, began to 

 increase, until by 1810 green and black teas were imported in 

 nearly equal amounts.^-^ By 1837 the green teas were four- 

 fifths or more of the total amount. ^-^ This steadily increasing 

 demand in the United States for better grades of teas clearly 

 indicates a growing discrimination of taste and an increasing 

 ability to buy. 



The exportation of teas from China in American ships, how- 

 ever, was not to supply the home market alone. There was a 

 large shipment of teas to other countries, both directly from 

 China and by reexportation from the United States. During the 

 European Wars the proportion reexported had been large, usually 

 a third of the year's imports.^"** After the War of 1812 the pro- 

 portion declined to a fourth or even a tenth, largely because such 

 teas as were taken to foreign countries in American ships could 

 more easily be brought directly from China. ^^^ Some were taken 

 to Russia, ^^- some to France,^"^ some to Gibraltar,^^* some to 

 Brazil,^^^ but more to Holland and to the German ports, prin- 

 cipally Hamburg.^^'' The American tea trade in Holland fell off 



^"" Murray, Histl. and Descriptive Acct. of China, 3 : 52. 



^"® Consular Letters, Canton, I (estimates by the American Consul), 

 and Impost Books of the Providence Custom House, passim., are the best 

 authorities. The amounts are also shown by the tables in Pitkin, Stat. 

 View, ed. 1816, p. 209. 



^'■" Ch. Rep., 9: 191. 



"" Pitkin, Stat. View, ed. 1836, pp. 246-247. 



"' Ibid. 



"' Pitkin, Stat. View, ed. 1816, p. 195. 



""Pari. Papers, 1821, 7:381-382. Table prepared by Trumbull Bros. 

 and Co., of imports to Marseilles. See British Relations with Chinese 

 Empire, p. 28, for French Atlantic Ports. 



"* British Relations with Chinese Empire, p. 28. 



''' Ibid. 



^"° The amounts in 1826, rather a banner j-ear, were, Holland, 230,137 



