STATISTICS REGARDING INDIAN TEA. 197 



of India as a field of production, and the increasing apprecia- 

 tion of the British public for Indian Teas, whether used alone 

 or mixed with China sorts. Notwithstanding the check to 

 consumption in the early part of 1882, when Indian medium 

 and common Teas were just 50 per cent, dearer than they now 

 are, the average monthly deliveries of the first three months 

 were 3,670,000 Ibs., or 230,000 Ibs. a month more than the 

 average of the first quarter of 1880, with prices much the same 

 at both periods. Quotations last year receded step by step, 

 and, as prices dropped, so we found the consumption grew, till 

 for the last quarter of 1882, with its very low range of prices, 

 the average monthly deliveries reached the unprecedented 

 figures of over 5^ million pounds. 



The average monthly deliveries in each quarter of the last 

 five years have been as follows : 

 (In thousands of Ibs., ooo's omitted.) 



Jan. -Mar. April-June. July-Sept. Oct. -Dec. 



1878 ... 3,216 3, J 29 2,869 l' ^ 1 



1879 3,444 2,688 2,461 3,155 



1880 ... 3,441 3,418 3,522 4,228 



1881 ... 4,197 4,172 3,824 4,094 



1882 ... 3,670 4,125 4,116 5,254 



During the year 1878^ out of every loolbs. of all descriptions 

 of Tea consumed in this country, 23, or one in about four-and- 

 a-third, was Indian Tea. Last year the proportion was 31 per 

 cent., or nearly one in three. 



These figures show, in the clearest manner, how steadily 

 Indian Tea is becoming popular. 



The unevenness of the quarterly deliveries of China Tea in 

 the year 1878 and 1879 is due to the apprehensions 'felt in those 

 years that the duty would be increased. In consequence, 

 clearances were hastily made before the Budget announcement, 

 and the deliveries immediately after sank to very low figures, 

 increasing again as stocks of retailers were depleted. In 

 March, 1880, again there was a pressure to clear Teas, which 



