The Natural History of the Tea-Tree

Section IV ⁂ — ⁂ Origin of Tea

As China and Japan15 are the only countries known to us, where the Tea shrub is cultivated for use, we may reasonably conclude, that it is indigenous to one of them, if not to both. What motive first led the natives to use an infusion of Tea in the present manner is uncertain; but probably in order to correct the water, which is said to be brackish and ill-tasted in many parts of those countries16. Of the good effects of Tea in such cases, we have a remarkable proof in Kalm’s journey through North America, which his translator gives us in the following words:

“Tea is differently esteemed by different people, and I think we would be as well, and our purses much better, if we were without tea and coffee. However, I must be impartial, and mention in praise of Tea, that if it be useful, it must certainly be so in summer, on such journies as mine, through a desart country, where one cannot carry wine, or other liquors, and where the water is generally unfit for use, as being full of insects. In such cases it is very pleasant when boiled, and Tea is drank with it; and I cannot sufficiently describe the fine taste it has in such circumstances. It relieves a weary traveller more than can be imagined, as I have myself experienced, together with a great many others, who have travelled through the desart forests of America: on such journies Tea is found to be almost as necessary as victuals17.”

About the year 1600, Texeira, a Spaniard, saw the dried Tea leaves in Malacca, where he was informed that the Chinese prepared a drink from this vegetable; and, in 1633, Olearius found this practice prevalent among the Persians, who procured the plant under the name of Cha orchia, from China, by means of the Usbeck Tartars. In 1639, Starkaw, the Russian Ambassador, at the Court of the Mogul, Chau Altyn, partook of the infusion of Tea; and, at his departure, was offered a quantity of it, as a present for the Czar Michael Romanof, which the Ambassador refused, as being an article for which he had no use18.

This article was first introduced into Europe by the Dutch East India Company, very early in the last century; and a quantity of it was brought over from Holland about the year 166619, by Lord Arlington and Lord Ossory. In consequence of this, Tea soon became known amongst people of fashion, and its use, by degrees, since that period, has become general.

It is, however, certain, that before this time, drinking Tea, even in public coffee-houses, was not uncommon; for, in 1660, a duty of four-pence per gallon was laid on the liquor made and sold in all coffee-houses20.

So early as 1678, Cornelius Bontekoe, a Dutch physician, published a treatise, in his own language, on Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate21. In this he shews himself a very zealous advocate for Tea, and denies the possibility of its injuring the stomach, although taken to the greatest excess, as far as one or two hundred cups in a day. To what motive we are to impute the partiality of Dr. Bontekoe, is uncertain at this period; but as he was first physician to the Elector of Brandenburgh, and probably of considerable eminence and character, his eulogium might tend greatly to promote its use: however, we find its importation and consumption were daily augmented; and, before the conclusion of the last century, it became generally known among the common people in England.

It is foreign to my subject, or it would perhaps afford to a speculative mind no inconsiderable satisfaction, to trace the consumption from its first entrance at the Custom-house to the present amazing imports. At this time upwards of twenty-three millions of pounds are annually allowed for home consumption; and the East India Company have generally in their warehouses a supply at least for one year.

The following account of the importation of Tea, from 1776 to 1795, as related by Sir George Staunton (Vol. II. p. 624), may be satisfactory to the Reader:

An Account of the Quantities of Teas exported from China, in English and Foreign Ships, in each Year from 1776 to 1795, distinguishing each Year.

Legend: #S. = Number of Ships
	#S.	1776.	#S.	1777.	#S.	1778.	#S.	1779.
		lb.
By Swedes	2	2,562,500	2	3,049,100	2	2,851,200	2	3,328,000
Danes	2	2,833,700	2	2,487,300	2	2,098,300	1	1,388,400
Dutch	5	4,923,700	4	4,856,500	4	4,695,700	4	4,553,100
French	3	2,521,600	5	5,719,100	7	3,657,500	4	2,102,800
Imperial	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Hungarian	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Tuscan	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Portugueze	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
American	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Prussian	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Spanish
Total Foreign	12	12,841,500	13	16,112,000	15	13,302,700	11	11,302,300
English private Trade included	5	3,402,415	8	5,673,434	9	6,392,788	7	4,372,021
	17	16,243,915	21	21,785,434	24	19,695,488	18	15,674,321

	#S.	1780.	#S.	1781.	#S.	1782.
By Swedes	2	2,626,400	3	4,108,900	2	3,267,300
Danes	3	3,983,600	2	2,341,400	3	4,118,500
Dutch	4	4,687,800	4	4,957,600	—	— —
French	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Imperial	1	1,375,900	—	— —	—	— —
Hungarian	—	— —	1	317,700
Tuscan	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Portugueze	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
American	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Prussian	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Spanish
Total Foreign	10	12,673,700	10	11,725,600	5	7,385,800
English private Trade included	—	none imported.	17	‡11,592,819	9	6,857,731
	10	12,673,700	27	23,318,419	14	14,243,531

	#S.	1783.	#S.	1784.	#S.	1785.
By Swedes	3	4,265,600	3	4,878,900
Danes	4	5,477,200	3	3,204,000	4	3,158,000
Dutch	—	— —	—	— —	4	5,334,003
French	—	— —	8	4,231,200	4	4,960,000
Imperial	—	— —	5	3,428,400
Hungarian
Tuscan	1	933,300
Portugueze	8	3,954,100	—	— —	4	3,199,000
American	—	— —	—	— —	2	880,100
Prussian	—	— —	2	3,329,800
Spanish
Total Foreign	16	14,630,200	21	†19,072,300	18	†17,531,100
English private Trade included	6	4,138,295	13	9,916,760	14	10,583,628
	22	18,768,495	34	28,989,060	32	28,114,728

Legend: #S. = Number of Ships
	#S.	1786.	#S.	1787.	#S.	1788.	#S.	1789.
		lb.
By Swedes	4	6,212,400	1	1,747,700	2	2,890,900	2	2,589,000
Danes	3	4,578,100	2	2,092,000	2	2,664,000	2	2,496,800
Dutch	4	4,458,800	5	5,943,200	5	5,794,900	4	4,179,600
French	1	466,600	1	382,260	3	1,728,900	1	292,100
Imperial
Hungarian
Tuscan	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Portugueze
American	1	695,000	5	1,181,860	2	750,900	4	1,188,800
Prussian	—	— —	—	— —	1	499,300	—	— —
Spanish	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —	2	318,400
Genoese	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Total Foreign	13	†16,410,900	14	11,347,020	15	14,328,900	15	11,064,700
English private Trade included	18	13,480,691	27	20,610,919	29	22,096,703	27	20,141,745
	31	29,891,591	41	31,957,939	44	36,425,603	42	31,206,445

	#S	1790.	#S.	1791.	#S.	1792.
By Swedes	—	— —	—	— —	1	1,591,330
Danes	1	1,773,000	1	520,700	—	— —
Dutch	5	5,106,900	3	1,328,500	2	2,051,330
French	1	294,300	2	442,100	4	784,000
Imperial
Hungarian
Tuscan	—	— —	—	— —	—	— —
Portugueze
American	14	3,093,200	—	— —	3	1,863,200
Prussian	—	— —	3	743,100	1	5,070
Spanish	—	— —	—	— —	1	— —
Genoese	—	— —	1	260	—	— —
Total Foreign	21	10,267,400	10	3,034,660	12	6,294,930
English private Trade included	21	17,991,032	25	22,369,620	11	13,185,467
	42	28,258,432	35	25,404,280	23	19,480,397

	#S.	1793.	#S.	1794.	#S.	1795.
By Swedes	1	1,559,730	1	756,130
Danes	1	852,670	—	— —	1	24,670
Dutch	3	2,938,530	2	2,417,200	4	4,096,800
French	2	1,540,670
Imperial
Hungarian
Tuscan	1	393,870
Portugueze
American	6	1,538,400	7	1,974,130	7	1,438,270
Prussian
Spanish	3	400	—	— —	1
Genoese	2	578,930	2	289,470	1	17,460
Total Foreign	19	9,403,200	12	5,436,930	14	5,577,200
English private Trade included	16	16,005,414	18	20,728,705	21	23,733,810
	35	25,408,614	30	26,165,635	35	29,311,010

† Most of these foreign ships went to China, previous to the Commutation Act, which passed into effect in England in September, 1784.

‡ Part of these should have arrived in 1780.

It is probable that the Dutch, as they traded considerably to Japan about the time Tea was introduced into Europe, first brought this article from thence. But now China is the general mart, and the province Fokien, or Fo-chen22, the principal country, that supplies both the Empire and Europe with this commodity.