TEA. .')/) 



1744, to January 1745, was not less than 

 382,144 lbs. 



In the year 1755, the quantity of tea im- 

 ported into this country, in the regular 

 trade, amounted to about four millions of 

 pounds ; ten years after, it had increased to 

 six millions ; in 1785, to twelve millions ; 

 and in 1794, it had reached to the extent of 

 twenty millions. During the late war the 

 whole of this trade was in the hands of the 

 English; and it was an article of the highest 

 commercial importance. In the year 1814, the 

 home consumption amounted to 24,640,0001b. 

 and the duties for that year produced a re- 

 venue of 4,130,000/. Supposing the tea to 

 be bought in China at the rate of two shil- 

 lings per pound on an average, the supply of 

 this vegetable to England alone will pro- 

 duce above two million pounds sterling ; and 

 this is principally paid in bullion. The policy 

 of this traffic, in which we send out so Itoge 

 a portion of our precious metals, (for the Chi- 

 nese take few of our manufactures in return,) 

 may well be questioned, as there is no doubt 

 but we could, with very little care, grow tins 

 plant in many parts of our own dominions. 

 We have no hesitation in affirming thai it 



