388 
151,234,175 lbs. During the first period, the excise duty 
was 3d. per lb. on first class or writing papers, and l^d. per 
lb. on second class ; during the second period, a uniform duty 
of l^d. per lb. was levied on all kinds of paper. This re- 
duction of duty, on first class papers, will not alone serve to 
account for the great increase in the quantity manufactured : 
for in the year 1853, the production amounted to 177,683,000 
lbs., being above 23,000,000 lbs., or 10,000 tons more than 
in the preceding year, and 36,000 tons over the production 
of 1834. Nor has there been any such great increase 
in the quantity of paper exported ; it is the home de- 
mand which has absorbed most of the additional quantity 
manufactured. Three causes amongst others have doubt- 
less operated to render this increased manufacture of 
paper necessary. 1. The great extension of the home and 
export trade, causing an increased demand for packing 
papers. 2. The immense circulation attained by the periodical 
literature of the country of late years, thus requiring a larger 
supply of printing paper. 3. The penny postage system, under 
which the number of letters passing annually through the 
post has increased from 76,000,000 to 443,000,000 in 1854, 
producing a greatly increased demand for writing papers. 
The consumption of paper of all kinds, of British and 
Foreign make, in this country, is about 175,000,000 lbs., or 
78,000 tons per annum. 
Estimating the gross weight of material employed in the 
manufacture of paper at 110,000 to 120,000 tons per annum, 
the increased make of 1853 over 1852 would require for its 
production not less than 13,000 tons of raw material, and 
nearly 47,000 tons over that of 1834. No wonder, then, 
that the price of best rags has risen from 26s. to 34s., and 
that of other qualities in proportion. It has been estimated 
that the cost of production to our manufacturers, during the 
present year, will exceed that which the same weight of paper 
