---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Total 57,053,450 63,315,787 50,803,152 53,110,660 54,377,254

In the year 1832 chicory was first imported into England, subject to
a duty equivalent to that levied upon colonial coffee, and permitted
to be sold by grocers _separately_ as chicory; but notices were at the
same time issued, that the legal penalties would be rigidly enforced,
if discovered mixed with coffee.

In 1840, in consequence of memorials from the grocers and dealers in
chicory, and also from the circumstance of exceedingly high rates then
ruling for coffee, together with the disruption of our commercial
relations with China, simultaneously advancing the price of tea (thus
rendering both these popular beverages excessively dear to the
consumer), an order was issued from the Treasury to the Excise Board,
authorizing the admixture of chicory with coffee; a duty, however,
being still maintained on the former of £20 per ton on the kiln-dried,
and 6d. per lb. on the powdered root, when imported from abroad.

In the year 1845, the cultivation of chicory was introduced upon
British soil, and, being a home-grown commodity, was exempt from duty,
but nevertheless, by virtue of the said Treasury Order, was permitted
to enter into competition with a staple production of our own
colonies, contributing on its import a tax of 60 to 80 per cent. to
the revenue of the State.

The result, as might have been foreseen, necessarily created and
stimulated a demoralizing system of fraud, unjust and destructive to
the interests of the coffee planter, and prejudicial to the national
revenue.