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.
1853. 1862. lbs. lbs. British India (including Ceylon) 24,980,375 5,422,369 Ceylon -- 23,886,007 British West Indies and Guiana 2,742,913 2,380,683 Central America 4,948,848 2,087,638 Brazil 814,133 280,837 Venezuela 1,033,071 -- Hayti 862,254 20,701 Java 112,892 -- Holland, &c. 442,863 8,862 Egypt 112,360 90,932 United States 112,673 30,476 New Granada -- 133,144 Chili 379,930 -- Mauritius 61,884 -- Portugal -- 23,052 Philippine Islands -- 82,820 Other parts 487,574 216,650 ---------- ---------- 37,091,770 34,664,135 Exported on drawback 108,648 212,369 ---------- ---------- 36,983,122 34,451,766
There is imported into Europe annually about 270,000,000 pounds of coffee, of which France consumes one-sixth, the consumption there having increased fully fifty per cent. within a very brief period.
The coffee-berry of Cayenne is rather convex, irregular, of a dull green, covered with a slight pellicle. It is analogous to Mocha, and of a pleasant aromatic flavour.
That of Guadaloupe is elongated, larger, of a dark greyish green, and nearly always without any pellicle.
The coffee-berry of Martinique is also large, oval, flat on one side, with the furrow deep and straight for the greater part of its length, but diverging at the ends. Its odour is agreeable, and the flavour strong when used alone, but it is generally mixed with Mocha.
The Mocha berry is very variable in form, size, and colour, but it is generally more round or compressed than other coffees; its odour is strong and agreeable, and very characteristic. Many of the seeds are often covered by the endocarp, while others are without the pellicle. A great number also are rounded, and the involuted edges form a deep furrow, differing from the ordinary one. The form of these seeds is due to the abortion of the other half of the fruit, which gives it this particular formation.