354 COST OF TEA AT SEAT OF GROWTH. 



Tales, m. c. c. 

 Cost of growth and manipulation - - 12 



Cost of chests, canisters, and packing - - 1 3 1 6 



Expense of transport from the black tea districts 



to Canton - - - - -3920 



Charges at Canton on account of government 



duties, Hong merchants' expenses, and boat 



hire to the ships - - - -3000 



20 2 3 6 



The cost of this description of tea to the East 

 India Company was about 27 tales the pecul ; thus 

 leaving the Hong merchant 6 tales, 8 mace, 

 the pecul ; or, as previously stated, about 30 per 

 cent, profit. This tea usually sold at the Company's 

 sales in England at three shillings the pound or 

 sixty tales the pecul ; thus yielding a large surplus 

 to the East India Company. But, it must be re- 

 membered, that at this period the Company's ships 

 were expensively fitted, and manned in a very 

 efficient manner for defence as well as trade ; and 

 that every department of their establishment con- 

 nected with China was maintained on a munifi- 

 cent scale, though the charge did not exceed 2 

 per cent, on the trade. Further, that all above 

 10 per cent, dividend paid to the proprietors on 

 their capital stock was returned to the country, 

 — in the support of the Government of India; 

 on extensive surveys both by sea and land : in 

 the encouragement given to British manufactures 

 at a great loss ; and in an unbounded and liberal 



