It is foreign to my subject, or it would perhaps afford to a speculative mind no inconsiderable satisfaction, to trace the consumption from its first entrance at the Custom-house to the present amazing imports. At this time upwards of twenty-three millions of pounds are annually allowed for home consumption; and the East India Company have generally in their warehouses a supply at least for one year.

The following account of the importation of Tea, from 1776 to 1795, as related by Sir George Staunton (Vol. II. p. 624), may be satisfactory to the Reader:

An Account of the Quantities of Teas exported from China, in English and Foreign Ships, in each Year from 1776 to 1795, distinguishing each Year.

[ click here for larger image.]

Legend: #S. = Number of Ships
#S.1776. #S.1777. #S.1778. #S.1779.
lb.
By Swedes22,562,50023,049,10022,851,20023,328,000
Danes22,833,70022,487,30022,098,30011,388,400
Dutch54,923,70044,856,50044,695,70044,553,100
French32,521,60055,719,10073,657,50042,102,800
Imperial—— — —— — —— — —— —
Hungarian—— — —— — —— — —— —
Tuscan—— — —— — —— — —— —
Portugueze—— — —— — —— — —— —
American—— — —— — —— — —— —
Prussian—— — —— — —— — —— —
Spanish
Total Foreign1212,841,5001316,112,0001513,302,7001111,302,300
English private
Trade included		53,402,41585,673,43496,392,78874,372,021
1716,243,9152121,785,4342419,695,4881815,674,321
#S.1780. #S.1781. #S.1782.
By Swedes22,626,40034,108,90023,267,300
Danes33,983,60022,341,40034,118,500
Dutch44,687,80044,957,600—— —
French—— — —— — —— —
Imperial11,375,900—— — —— —
Hungarian—— — 1317,700
Tuscan—— — —— — —— —
Portugueze—— — —— — —— —
American—— — —— — —— —
Prussian—— — —— — —— —
Spanish
Total Foreign1012,673,7001011,725,60057,385,800
English private
Trade included		—none
imported.		17‡11,592,81996,857,731
1012,673,7002723,318,4191414,243,531
#S.1783. #S.1784. #S.1785.
By Swedes34,265,60034,878,900
Danes45,477,20033,204,00043,158,000
Dutch—— — —— — 45,334,003
French—— — 84,231,20044,960,000
Imperial—— — 53,428,400
Hungarian
Tuscan1933,300
Portugueze83,954,100—— — 43,199,000
American—— — —— — 2880,100
Prussian—— — 23,329,800
Spanish
Total Foreign1614,630,20021†19,072,30018†17,531,100
English private
Trade included		64,138,295139,916,7601410,583,628
2218,768,4953428,989,0603228,114,728
Legend: #S. = Number of Ships
#S.1786. #S.1787. #S.1788. #S.1789.
lb.
By Swedes46,212,40011,747,70022,890,90022,589,000
Danes34,578,10022,092,00022,664,00022,496,800
Dutch44,458,80055,943,20055,794,90044,179,600
French1466,6001382,26031,728,9001292,100
Imperial
Hungarian
Tuscan—— — —— — —— — —— —
Portugueze
American1695,00051,181,8602750,90041,188,800
Prussian—— — —— — 1499,300—— —
Spanish—— — —— — —— — 2318,400
Genoese—— — —— — —— — —— —
Total Foreign13†16,410,9001411,347,0201514,328,9001511,064,700
English private
Trade included		1813,480,6912720,610,9192922,096,7032720,141,745
3129,891,5914131,957,9394436,425,6034231,206,445