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. 127 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. 128 By 1837 the green teas were four- 

 fifths or more of the total amount. 129 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. 130 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. 131 Some were taken 

 to Russia, 132 some to France, 133 some to Gibraltar, 134 some to 

 Brazil, 135 but more to Holland and to the German ports, prin 

 cipally Hamburg. 136 The American tea trade in Holland fell off 



11&amp;gt;7 Murray, Histl. and Descriptive Acct. of China. 3 : 52. 



128 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. 



120 Ch. Rep., 9: 191. 



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



131 Ibid. 



132 Pitkin, Stat. View, ed. 1816, p. 195. 



13S Parl. 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. 



L34 British Relations with Chinese Empire, p. 28. 



155 Ibid. 

 30 The amounts in 1826, rather a banner year, were, Holland, 230,137 



