MR. GLADSTONE AND COFFEE 151 



few days before the expiry of the stated six weeks, 

 some futile objections were raised, which, of course, 

 stopped our proceedings. At that time our original 

 5/. shares were quoted at 2)11. The German company 

 was paralysed, the subscribers claiming a return of 

 their deposits, and declaring that they were not liable 

 for calls. Mr. Hayman strained every nerve to stem 

 the torrent without avail. Although works had been 

 erected at Hamburg, and twenty tons of dates were 

 in the docks with which to commence operations, we 

 offered to pay back the deposits to all who demanded 

 it. About 35,000/. was withdrawn, but we had such 

 confidence in the manufacture, and in the demand 

 which would ensue, that we determined to persevere. 

 There was, however, a greater crush to follow. 

 To our astonishment and indignation, Mr. Gladstone, 

 who was Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his budget 

 speech that year announced his intention to stop the 

 sale of all substances of any description coming in 

 under the name of coffee, other than that produced 

 from the real berry. He proved to his own satisfac- 

 tion by trade statistics that whereas the consump- 

 tion of tea had advanced enormously, that of coffee 

 had stood still, therefore the revenue was suffering 

 greatly by the consumption of extraneous substances, 

 which were being mixed with the real berry and 

 paying no duty. He therefore proposed to absolutely 

 prohibit the sale of such compounds under a penalty 

 of 100/., and that no retailer should sell, either as a 

 mixture or otherwise, any substance under the 

 name of coffee, other than the [)roducc of the coffee 



