TOBACCO. 



293 



Though cultivated in Africa^ the tobacco of that country 

 has taken no important position in commerce. 



Nothwithstanding a high rate of duty payable upon im- 

 portation^ the consumption of tobacco in this country is 

 immense. In 1850 the imports were 42^441^520 lbs.; of this 

 a very large portion was re-exported. The following sta- 

 tistics of its consumption are taken from a paper ^ On the 

 history and conuumption of Tobacco/ by John Crawford^ 

 Esq._, read before the Statistical Society, November 15th, 



1852, reported in the ''Literary Gazette' of January 1st, 



1853. The table exhibits the rapid increase in its con- 

 sumption during the last thirty years. 



Years. 



Consumption. 



Duty 

 per lb. 



Revenue, 



Population. 



Consump- 

 tion per 

 bead. 





lbs. 





£. 





oz. 



1821 



15,598,152 



4s. 



3,122,383 



21,282,960 



11-71 



1831 



19,532,841 



3s. 



2,964,592 



24,410,439 



12-80 



1841 



22,309,360 



3s. 



3,580,163 



27,019,672 



13-21 



1851 



28,062,978 



3s. 



4,485,768 



27,452,262 



16-86 



^^The total annual production of tobacco is estimated at 

 2,000,000 of tons, and would require half the British ton- 

 nage which ^enters inwards^ or ^clears outwards'' annually, 

 to transport the same. The value, at 2d, per pound, would 

 amount to £37,000,000 sterling.'' 



