468
Appendix.
Report on the Tea
Trade.
[54]
1841. On 1st October 1841 Tinghe, the capital of Chusan, was captured after an assault of two hours. Ningpoe and Chinhæ were next taken, and during the winters of 1841-42, forcibly retained in our possession. Chapoo, 16th May 1842; Shangai, 19th June 1842; yet during these proceedings 36,799,905 lbs. of tea were shipped from Canton for the United Kingdom, in 29,300 tons of British shipping, divided as equally as in the other seasons over the different months of the year, as shown in the accompanying return printed in the "Friend of China and Hong Kong Gazette, No. 11, No. 17 of 14th July 1842." This return is a complete answer to the erroneous allegation that the possession of Hong Kong by England is essential to a steady prosecution of the tea trade at Canton.
Even during the blockade of Canton, and before we had any settlement at Hong Kong, the tea trade was carried on nearly as extensively as ever, by conveying the tea to the outer anchorages in the Canton waters in a few ships under Danish and other foreign colours, temporarily used for the purpose.
STATEMENT of the Export of TEA from Canton to the United Kingdom, commencing 1 July 1841, ending 30 June 1842.
Month. Tons. Bobea. Congou. Caper. Souchong. Anhoi. Campoi Hung Muey, Pekoe. Orange Pekoe. Other Sorts. Black, Lbs. July 41,545 Lbs. 416,268 Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. August 609,057 September 1,290,742 October 2,903,649 492 1,380 2,546 39,957 2,902 433,073 1,093,027 2,868 November 2,189,428 4,228 110,322 4,623,978 45,306 129,620 43,810 3,718 357,411 December 121,821 2,741 6,974 3,901 2,812 13,490 January 484,990 3,703 5,844 37,783 16,894 98,642 89,224 3,158 February 16,537 5,534 61,210 38,843 24,537 6,405 97,897 11,461 37,257 March 78,440 20,847 137,669 111,392 85,083 44,570 42,587 April 704,449 1,472,344 1,373 1,679,079 2,031,772 May 5,121,532 5,819 54,800 4,228 2,425 2,562,769 June 22,861 36,536 450 33,180 9,842 37,977 81,196 25,491 51,031 617 390,947 11,966 9,093 3,669 20,028 53,265 3,633 3,401,971 12,212 15,747 730 1,750 1,098,219 114,205 38,773 7,958 59,076 44,932 53,256 109,090 457 4,555,016 411 3,004,240 8,848 2,753,650 488,968 $133,652,395 33,917 23,510 29,300 982,306 24,498,061 245,784 635,940 89,540 270,124 530,155 755,636 1,461,514 11,402 Total Black 28,009,950[55]
Between 1st July 1840 and 30th June 1841 there were shipped from Canton for England, black tea, 23,694,159 lbs.; green tea, 4,992,825 lbs.; total, 28,686,984 lbs.; and to the United States, black teas, 1,524,244 lbs.; green teas, 6,030,103 lbs.; total, 7,554,347 lbs. Report on the Tea Trade.
A considerable portion of tea was shipped in the month of May 1841, a few days previous to the storming of Canton; and a large portion in June 1841, immediately after the capture and ransom of that city.
The trade in tea, as well as in other articles of different foreign countries with China, will be given under their respective heads; but it may be useful for comparison to examine the importation and consumption of tea in continental Europe at former periods,
The quantity of tea consumed in Europe must formerly have been considerable, as it is stated that the quantity of tea exported from China to Europe in 1666 was 17,000,000 lbs., and that in nine years preceding 1780, there were 118,000,000 lbs. of tea imported into the Continent. The average of teas exported from China to Europe in foreign ships for nine years, viz., from March 1772 to 1780 (says another authority), was 13,191,201 lbs. ; the average number of ships, 12.
In 1785 the importation into the Continent was 19,000,000 lbs.; but in 1796 it had decreased to little more than 2,500,000 lbs. The decline of the tea trade on the Continent will be best seen by the following table, by which it will be perceived that in the latter period there was a falling off of 97,119,724 lbs.
In 1808-9, &c., I find no account of tea exported from Canton to Europe; the amount having, I suppose, become so small for each country, the names of which are distinguished in this Table. The Americans, as will be seen under the head of "American trade with China," became the chief carriers of tea and eastern produce during the latter years of our war with France, and this trade they still in some degree possess.
YEARS. Hyson. Young Hyson. Skin, Twankay. Gunpowder. Imperial. Green. TOTAL. 1782 Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. July. 14,695 18,509 7,968 5,121 3,716 60,009 534,999 1783 August, 14,630,200 19,072,300 September. 584,123 135,452 15,507 467,626 299,818 192,379 1,694,925 3,167,269 1784 16,651,000 October. 3,626,083 1785 15,715,900 November. 27,091 32,845 53,259 167,310 19,718 117,224 317,447 December 6,438,979 1786 10,165,160 1795 2,759,800 1796 2,515,460 98,354 91,621 24,519 621,640 110,954 61,770 1,008,858 1797 2,714,000 294,717 464,507 106,993 398,753 186,404 81,139 1,532,513 1798 4,319,300 1799 1,577,066 160,141 148,605 32,603 329,015 194,032 129,915 994,311 1800 3,968,267 January. 136,144 30,225 15,316 493,625 40,354 29,832 745,496 3,749,736 February. 3,133,931 1787 13,578,000 March, 190,248 12,623 11,170 87,915 50,924 27,402 380,280 April. 65,412 45,623 24,128 15,662 170,320 659,288 1788 10,675,900 1801 185,533 103,792 135,091 45,934 584,561 51,200 995,192 May. 73,690 1,810,436 11,131 1,209,065 327,749 295,819 June. 71,682 40,419 402,741 4,647,587 1,954,255 1789 7,174,200 1802 5,812,266 1790 2,291,560 1803 1,074,266 1791 1,149,406 687,907 1792 1793 1794 Total Green 8,789,954 TOTAL EXPORT Lbs. 36,799,905 1804 3,318,799 1805 3,462,800 1806 4,138,930 1807 1,809,466 1,534,267 1,144,268 TOTAL 129,852,480 Export to London Black. Green. TOTAL. Ditto to Liverpool Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Ditto to Cork 21,726,461 3,423,170 25,149,631 Ditto to Scotland 1,895,001 1,017,688 622,299 TOTAL 28,009,950 Between Foreign Exportation, the First Period 129,852,480 Ditto the Second Period 32,732,758 Decrease on 13 Years Lbs. 97,119,724Of the Portuguese tea trade I have been unable to get any data; the demand is so trifling that we know nothing of the amount, although Macao, their settlement, at the entrance of the Canton River, has long been the residence of the English tea merchants. The following Table exhibits the Dutch tea trade at an early period.