Average number of pounds
of Tea consumed per
head per annum.
Russia 0·93
Germany 0·12
Holland 1·48
France 0·06
United States 1·09
Canada 4·64
I should like to say a few words concerning the sources of tea supply
to the United Kingdom. Of course until fairly recent times practically
all the tea came from China. Early in the last century it was found
that the tea plant was indigenous to India. In 1825 the Society of Arts
offered their gold medal “to the person who shall grow and prepare the
greatest quantity of China tea, of good quality, not being less than 20
pounds weight”[9] in the East Indies and British Colonies. In 1832 Dr.
Wallick made a report on the cultivation of tea in India and said “that
under a well-directed management the tea plant may at no distant period
be made an object of extensive cultivation in the Honourable East India
Company’s Dominions.” Several years afterwards in 1839 the Society
of Arts Medal was awarded to Mr. C. A. Bruce “for discovering the
indigenous tea tracts and successfully cultivating and preparing tea in
the British possessions in India.” In 1840 the first Indian Tea Company
was formed, in 1853 tea was growing in Cachar, in 1856 in Sylhet, and
in 1864 in Darjeeling and other places. Much more recently Ceylon has
become prominent in supplying this country with tea. It came about in
this way; the coffee plantations were destroyed by disease in 1868
and the planters succeeded in growing cinchona and tea as alternative
crops. This experimental growth of tea in Ceylon has now become a
flourishing industry.
The following table shows in five year periods since 1866, the
proportion of each 100 pounds of tea imported into the United Kingdom
from India, Ceylon, China and other countries respectively: