Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/385

 ARTICLES OF EXPORTATION. 3C)9 consumption of all Europe was ^.000,000 lbs. It has continued to increase since that time with the increase of wealth and of consumers ; and, in the period before the suppression of the monopoly, when the prices had fallen to one half what they were when Mr Munn's estimate was made, it had increased to 11,218,000 lbs. The price has since fallen to less than lid. per pound, or about one-third of Mr Munn's price ; and, unless pep- per be different from all other commodities, we may reckon upon a corresponding increase of con- sumption. A practical illustration of this estab- lished maxim in political economy is afforded by the progressive increase of consumption, in pro- portion to the fall of prices within the last few years in England alone. In 1814, when the price was lid. the consumption was only 785,89^ lbs. ; in 1816, when it was 8J^d. it was 914,840; and in 1818, when the price sunk to yd. the consump- tion became ], 113,584, or 147 per cent, more than in Mr Munn's time. If it is reasonable to suppose the consumption of other parts of Europe has been in this ratio, the whole consumption at pre- sent ought to be about sixteen millions of pounds, or as 8 is to S of the consumption two centuries back. In point of quality, the pepper of the Indian islands is usually reckoned inferior to that of Mala- bar, but there exists no material difference between them, as between some other colonial productions, VOL. III. A a