WORLD'S PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION. 243 



what it was only a few years ago, little interest being 

 taken there in the tea product of these countries. Year 

 by year since 1885 China and Japan teas has had less 

 hold upon the English market, and it is remarkable to 

 note how continuously the consumption of these varieties 

 have been on the decline there from that time, notwith- 

 standing their superior merits in drawing and drinking 

 qualities over both India and Ceylons. In that year their 

 consumption in the British isles amounted to over 

 113,000,000 pounds, but fell off to less than 105,000,000 

 pounds in 1886, to about 90,000,000 in 1887, to 80,000,000 

 in 1 888, to 60,000,000 in 1 889. The quantity of China and 

 Japan teas consumed in the whole United Kingdom declin- 

 ing to about 50,000,000 pounds in 1890, although the prices 

 for them were exceedingly low during that period. 

 There are two main causes for this serious reduction 

 which have been in operation simultaneously and for a 

 length of time. The first was the great competition of 

 India teas stimulated for the reasons already named, and 

 the second cause the extraordinary favor that Ceylon 

 teas found with English consumers in 1888, when the 

 quantity imported for use from that island amounted to 

 18,500,000 pounds, or nearly double of what it was the 

 preceding year, the quantities cleared for 1889 and 1890 

 being respectively 28,500,000 pounds and 34,500,000 

 pounds, showing an astonishing increase within the short 

 space of three years, and which fully accounts for the 

 decadence of the English demand for China and Japan 

 teas. The consumption of the latter varieties has retro- 

 graded there, while that for India and Ceylon teas has 

 increased proportionately, so that, although the market 

 for the former descriptions has occasionally given signs 

 of revival, they have been only spasmodic efforts at 

 recovering, the much expected and promised reaction 



