How did the tea trade start between Chinese and British?
Answer:
- In the late 18th century, the English East India Company was buying tea and silk from China for sale in England.
- As tea became a popular English drink, the tea trade became more and more important.
- In 1785, about 15 million pounds of tea was being imported into England.
- By 1830, the figure had jumped over 30 million pounds.
- In fact, the profits of the East India Company began to depend on the tea trade.