The tea-duty produces about one twelfth of the total revenue. The tariff of 1842 made no alteration in the tea-duty. As it was foreseen that on the opening of the tea-trade there would be a consider able reduction of price, and that an ad valorem duty would not, even with the in creased consumption, be so productive as formerly, a fixed duty of 2s. ld. per lb. was imposed in 1836. Up to March, 1836, each of the hundred thousand tea-dealers in the United Kingdom was visited once a month by the officers of excise, who took an account of his stock ; and no quan tity exceeding six pounds could be sent from his premises without a permit, of which above 800,000 were required in a year. The number of tea-dealers in 1839 was 82,794 in England ; 13,611 in Scot land ; 12,774 in Ireland : total 109,179. Tea is now sold by the importing mer thants by public auction and private sales.
The following table shows the net amount which the tea-duty has yielded in the United .Kingdom in each of the following years during the present cen tury, and, to some extent, it is an index of the prices in each year.
£ £ 1801 1,423,660 1841 3,973,668 1810 3,647,737 1842 4,088,957 1820 3,484,226 1843 4,407,642 1830 3,387,097 1844 4,524,1931840 3,472,864 Between 1831 and 1841 the population increased 14 per cent., and the increase
in the consumption of tea was 161 per cent. The low prices of 1836, and the general prosperous condition of the country, raised the quantity which paid duty for consumption to nearly 50,000,000 lbs. In 1840 prices were about 25 per cent. higher, large classes of consumers were in a distressed state, and the con sumption fell to 32,000,000 lbs. In 1841 the distress still continued, but prices were lower, and the consumption rose to above 36,000,000 lbs. On the 5th of Jan., 1840, the stock of tea in London, Liver pool, Bristol, Glasgow, and Leith was 35,478,490 lbs.; and at the corresponding period in 1841 the quantity was 46,545,610 lbs. The proportion of black to green teas consumed in England is about as 5 to 1; but in the Muted States the use of green tea is greatest.
The duty on tea is still too high, and it is certain that an increased consump tion would follow a diminution of the duty.
(Papers issued by the Chinese and East India Association ; Parl. Papers, &c.) The total export of tea from Canton to Europe and America exceeds 50,000,000 lbs. Russia is supplied with 6,500,000 lbs. via Kiakhta ; the United States of America require about 8,000,000 lbs. ; France about 2,000,000 lbs. ; and Holland imports about 2,800,000 lbs.