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commodious. Herein an Inland Duty of 
4 s. per Pound, was laid on all forts of it, 
befides all other Cuftoms, Subfidies and 
Duties payable to his Majefty for the fame, 
upon Importation. But this heavy In- 
land Duty (befides all other Duties and 
Subfidies) being laid on, not according to 
Value but the Weight, and paid by the firft 
Buyers at the Eaft-India Houfe ; this, I 
fay, was followed by two Inconveniencies, 
for the coarfeft Tea paying the fame Duty 
as the fineft, gave fuch an Excufe for run- 
ning it in from other Places, and Importers, 
that no Severity of Law, nor Diligence of 
the King’s Officers, was able wholly to hin- 
der it ; whereby the Revenue was greatly 
diminifhed, and the fair Trader injured. 
For what was then run in from other Pla- 
ces, was chiefly the coarfeft or damaged, or 
flightly drawn, dried, and curled again ; 
which being bought abroad at a low Price, 
and fold cheap here, fatisfied not only the 
lower, but middling fort of People. It alfo 
produced another Mifchief, which was, Tea 
becoming fo general and fafhionable a Li- 
quor, even by People that knew it not ; 
and the Inland Duty, and other Cuftoms 
added to the Price of the Tea, made it 
6 
come 
