The quantity and value of the tea imported into the United States, from 1821, is thus stated:—­

Years.  Pounds.  Value, dolls. 1821 4,975,646 1,322,636 1822 6,639,434 1,860,777 1823 8,210,010 2,361,245 1824 8,920,487 2,786,812 1825 10,209,548 3,728,935 1826 10,108,900 3,752,281 1827 5,875,638 1,714,882 1828 7,707,427 2,451,197 1829 6,636,790 2,060,457 1830 8,609,415 2,425,018 1831 5,182,867 1,418,037 1832 9,906,606 2,788,353 1833 14,639,822 5,484,603 1834 16,282,977 6,217,949 1835 14,415,572 4,522,806 1836 16,382,114 5,342,811 1837 16,982,384 5,903,054 1838 14,418,112 3,497,156 1839 9,439,817 2,428,419 1840 20,006,595 5,427,010 1841 10,772,087 3,075,332 1842 13,482,645 3,567,745 1843 12,785,748 3,405,627 1844 13,054,327 3,152,225 1845 17,162,550 4,802,621 1846 16,891,020 3,983,337 1847 14,221,410 3,200,056 1848 18,889,217

The annual reports of the Secretary to the Treasury, for the last twenty years, show a considerable increase in the consumption of tea in the United States, but not so great as in the article of coffee.  The establishment of tea shops, in all the large cities of America, is a new feature in the retail trade, dating only some six years back.

The average rate of duty, which previously ranged between thirty and thirty-four cents. per pound, was reduced in 1832 to fourteen cents (7d.) a pound.

The proportion of green to black used is shown by the following return of the imports:—­

lbs.
1844 Green 10,131,837
Black 4,125,527
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Total 14,257,364

1845 Green 13,802,099
Black 6,950,459
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Total 20,752,558

The large import of 1840, of 250,000 chests, of which 200,000 were green, was in anticipation of the disturbances arising from the war with Great Britain, and the blockade of the ports.

In 1850, there were 173,317 chests of green tea, and 91,017 of black tea exported from China to America; these quantities, with a further portion purchased from England, made a total of about twenty-three million lbs. of tea which crossed the Atlantic in 1850.

The imports and exports of tea into the United States, in the years ending Dec. 31st, 1848 and 1849, were as follows:—­