13 



third, the consumption was 8 oz. After this, when the duty 

 on British-grown coffee was further reduced to 9d. and 6d. 

 the pound, the consumption rose to lib., and by 1850 to 

 1J Ibs. But this consumption was not uniform for the 

 United Kingdom, for while in England 1 Ib. 12 oz. was 

 used, in Scotland only 6 oz. were consumed, and in Ireland 

 but 2 oz. 



The quantities of coffee consumed in Great Britain in 

 each decennial period, comparing the consumption with the 

 growth of the population, and exhibiting the influence of 

 high and low duties, are shown by the following statement. 

 The figures up to 1841 are from Porter's " Progress of the 

 Nation." Those since are computed from official documents : 



It appears from the foregoing figures, that, when- the duty 

 amounted to Is. 6d. per Ib., the use of coffee was confined 

 altogether to the rich. The quantity then used throughout 

 the kingdom scarcely exceeded on the average one ounce 

 for each inhabitant in the year. 



Although about a quarter of a century ago the average 

 consumption rose to nearly 1J Ib., it has since been gradually 

 declining, for last year (1863) the total consumption was, 

 with an increased population, 2 million pounds below the 

 quantity taken for consumption in 1861. 



The following table shows the changes in our sources of 



