TEA LEAVES: - Yesterday Image

That the Company should open a chamber in one of the principal, & central cities, of
North America, under the[200] direction of managers, and that an assortment of teas from
England should be lodged in warehouses, and sales to commence quarterly upon the same
terms & conditions as those in London.
By this means the merchants and grocers from the Southern and Northern Provinces will
attend the sales and purchase according to their abilities. The goods thus brought from
home to them, and sold cheaper than they can be smuggled from foreigners, the buyers
will be bound by interest, and think no more of running that risk, to which may be added
that they have them when paid for, immediately, for whereas, when commissioned from
abroad, they generally wait six months before the receipt of them.
This country is now become an object of the highest consequence, peopled by about three
millions of inhabitants, one third of whom, at a moderate computation, drink tea twice a
day, which third part, reckoning to each person one fourth part of an ounce pr day, makes
the yearly consumption of 5,703,125 lbs. This quantity, at the medium price of 2s. 6d. pr
lb., amounts to £712,890 2s. 6d.
The common people in all countries are the greatest body, few of those in North Briton or
Ireland drink tea, this is not the case in America, all the planters are the real proprietors of
the lands they possess; by this means they can afford to come at this piece of luxury,
which has been greatly introduced among them by the example of the Dutch and German
settlers.
The great object to be considered is to bring the goods to market in such a manner as to
afford them as cheap as they can be bought of foreigners. Should this be the case the
success of the design is beyond a doubt.[201]
The duty of 3d. pr lb. some time ago laid on teas payable in America, gave the colonists
great umbrage, and occasioned their smuggling that article into the country from Holland,
France, Sweden, Lisbon, &c., St. Eustatia, in the West Indies, &c., which, from the extent
of the coast, (experience has taught) cannot be prevented by custom officers, or the king's
cruizers, and as the wisdom of Parliament reckons it impolitical to take off this duty, the
colonists will persevere in purchasing that article in the usual manner if the above method
is not adopted, and the goods brought into their country and sold as cheap as they can
have them abroad.
The freight, &c., of teas to America would not much exceed what they might cost to
Holland, or any other foreign company, particularly as the ships may load back with
masts, and other goods that might nigh pay the whole expence, and should the Company
think of exporting their overstock of teas to Holland, or any other foreign country, it is
not to be expected that the merchants abroad would buy them but with a view of profit.
This, with freight, commission, duty, &c., would far exceed the expence of sales and
freight to America.