-----+-------------+---------+---------------+------------ | No. of lbs. | Duty on | Population | Average | consumed. | B. P. | of |consumption. | | coffee. |Great Britain. | -----+-------------+---------+---------------+------------ | | s. d. | | lbs. oz. 1801 | 750,000 | 1 6 | 10,942,646 | 0 1·09 1811 | 6,390,122 | 0 7 | 12,596,803 | 0 8·12 1821 | 7,327,283 | 1 0 | 14,391,631 | 0 8·01 1831 | 21,862,264 | 0 6 | 16,262,301 | 1 5·49 1841 | 27,298,322 | 0 6 | 18,532,335 | 1 7·55 1851 | 32,504,545 | 0 3 | 21,000,000 | 1 4·98 1861 | 35,204,040 | 0 3 | 23,266,755 | 1 1·33 -----+-------------+---------+---------------+------------ It appears from the foregoing figures, that, when the duty amounted to 1s. 6d. per lb., the use of coffee was confined altogether to the rich. The quantity then used throughout the kingdom scarcely exceeded on the average one ounce for each inhabitant in the year. Although about a quarter of a century ago the average consumption rose to nearly 1½ lb., it has since been gradually declining, for last year (1863) the total consumption was, with an increased population, 2¼ million pounds below the quantity taken for consumption in 1861. The following table shows the changes in our sources of supply of coffee even in the last ten years, taking the quantities entered for consumption only. COFFEE TAKEN FOR CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.