184 COFFEE. 



United States money) per pound ; in 1811 for 215 cents (86 cents, 

 U. S.) per pound ; and in 1812 for 270 cents, or about $1.08 of 

 our money, per pound. Meanwhile, stocks accumulated in Eng- 

 land. After the fall of the French empire and the return of 

 peace, a rapid distribution took place. From 1814 to 1817, prices 

 ranged in Holland from 40 to 50 cents per pound in Netherlands 

 currency, representing a very moderate value — from 16 to 20 cents 

 of our money per poimd. But the impetus given caused consump- 

 tion to run ahead of production. The supply could not keep pace 

 with the requirements, and Java coffee rose again to 92^ cents 

 or 37 cents, ■ U. S. In 1823 it still brought 75^ cents in the 

 Amsterdam market (30 cents, U. S.). But the natural conse- 

 quences of this long period of high prices began at this time to 

 make themselves felt. For more than ten years coffee had been 

 yielding enormous profits ; under this powerful stimulus, the cul- 

 ture had taken a sudden and immense development. New plan- 

 tations had been opened everywhere. The product of the mil- 

 lions of young trees now commenced pouring into the European 

 markets. Production not only overtook the still increasing con- 

 sumption, but, like the famous dog in headlong chase after the 

 fox, it kept steadily ahead and gained more and more. Prices 

 for good ordinary Java coffee in Holland tumbled to 37^ cents in 

 1825, and to 21 cents (a fraction over 8 cents, TJ. S.) in 1830. 

 There they seemed to " touch bottom " for a while and rallied to 

 36 cents (14f cents, U. S.) in 1835, and after a plunge to 23 

 cents (9-^ cents, TJ. S.) during the great crisis of 1837, floated up 

 to 33 cents (13^ cents, U. S.) in 1839. 



The cheapness of coffee during these years no doubt con- 

 tributed powerfully to the spread of its use among a numerous 

 class of consumers to whom it had hitherto been denied. This 

 era of popularizing the article, at the expense of the trade and of 

 the producer, had not yet come to an end ; darker days were yet 

 in store for the coffee-grower. 



Toward 1840 the yield of Java attained imprecedented pro- 

 portions (68,414 tons in 1840), while, from the "Western hemi- 

 sphere, Brazil began to ship enormous crops, amounting in that 

 year to more than 76,000 tons. Consumption could not keep 

 pace. So low did prices fall that the Dutch Trading Maats- 



