COFFEE-CONSUMPTIOIT OF THE WOELD. 215 



ent prices," said a Dutch writer in 1868, " coffee is in Holland 

 the cheapest of all articles of food." 



The nations of Northern Europe, it will be noticed, ai-e heavy 

 coffee-drinkers, with the exception of Eussia, which is essentially 

 a tea and spirit drinking nation. 



The average annual import into the Netherlands from 1873 to 

 1877 was 101,567 tons; the export for the same period averaged 

 70,839 tons per annum, thus making the consumption 30,728 tons 

 per annum, or 68,830,720 pounds, which, on a basis of population 

 of 4,000,000, is equal to seventeen pounds per capita. Dr. Yan 

 Den Berg furnishes the following statement : 



1863—1807. 



Kilos. Tons, 



General import 81,494,000 80,038 



" export 67,534,000 66,328 



Probable consumption 13,960,000 13,710 



1888—1873. 



General import 92,916,000 91,257 



" export 74,689,000 73,355 



Probable consumption 18,227,000 17,903 



1873—1877. 



General import 103,416,000 101,569 



" export 73,127,000 70,839 



Probable consumption 31,389,000 30,730 



The above statement shows a remarkable increase, the present 

 consumption amounting to about eighteen pounds annually per 

 capita, based on a population, from 1873 to 1877, of 3,850,000 per- 

 sons. 



In Austria the consumption, according to the returns fi'om 

 1874 to 1878, was 36,587 tons (81,953,960 pounds) per annum, 

 which, with a population of 37,000,000, gives a per capita use of 

 2.21 pounds. 



Switzerland uses 8,200 tons per annum, which, divided among 

 2,750,000 inhabitants, gives to each 6.68 pounds. 



Italy, from 1873 to 1877, consumed 12,635 tons (28,303,000 

 pounds), or equal to 1.05 pounds per capita, placing the popula- 

 tion at 27,000,000. 



In Spain, cocoa or chocolate is used in preference to coffee, of 



