&c.  The Cong Souchong, or Ning-young teas, are chiefly purchased for the American market.  Oolong tea is the favourite drink in Calcutta, though less prized in England, its delicate flavor being injured by the length of the voyage.  For delicacy, no teas, approach those usually called “Mandarin teas,” which being slightly fired and rather damp when in the fittest state for use, will bear neither transport nor keeping.  They are in great demand among the wealthy Chinese, and average 20s. per lb in the native market.—­(Jury Reports.)

The consumption of tea in the United Kingdom may now be fairly taken at fifty-four million pounds yearly, and sold at an average price to the consumer of 4s. 6d., per pound.  The money expended for tea is upwards of twelve millions sterling.

The expenditure of this sum is distributed as follows, in round numbers:—­

Net cost of 54,000,000 pounds, average 1s. per pound L2,700,000
Export duty in China of 11/2d. a lb. 337,500
Shipping charges, &c., in China 25,000
Freight, &c., China to England, about 2d. per lb. 450,000
Insurance, 1/2d. per lb. 112,500
Commission, about 1/4d. per lb. 56,250
Tasting charges, &c., about 1/8 of a penny per lb. 28,125
Interest for 6 months on L3,709,375 at 5 per cent. 92,734
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Total outlay in China L3,802,109
Profit to exporters in China,(about 12 per cent.) 445,116
Landing charges, &c., in England 39,000
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Cost price in bond in England L4,286,225
Duty received by government at 2s. 21/2. per lb., about 5,985,482
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L10,271,707
Profit divided among tea-brokers, wholesale and retail
dealers, &c 1,878,293
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Total outlay by British public for tea, at 4s. 6d. per lb.  L12,150,000

The tea imported into England in 1667 was only 100 lbs., while for the year ending June 30, 1851, the export from China to Great Britain was 64,020,000 lbs., employing 115 vessels in its transportation; and to the United States, during the same time, 28,760,800 lbs., in sixty-four vessels.  Within the last five years, the export has increased 10,000,000 lbs. to the United States, and 17,000,000 to Great Britain.  These statistics will show the immense importance of this article to commerce, and the vast amount of shipping it supports.  But let us follow out the statistics a little more in detail.