▁tea ▁at ▁Ost end ▁col lapsed ▁when ▁the ▁British ▁Government ▁introduced ▁the ▁Comm ut ation ▁Act ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 4 , ▁which ▁reduced ▁the ▁tax ▁on ▁tea ▁from ▁fifty ▁to ▁ten ▁per ▁cent ▁and ▁made ▁sm ugg ling ▁from ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁un prof itable . ▁ ▁The ▁price ▁of ▁tea ▁in ▁Europe ▁fell ▁suddenly ▁from ▁ 3 0 ▁to ▁ 3 3 ▁French ▁sols ▁to ▁ 1 1 ▁to ▁ 1 4 ▁sols , ▁or ▁around ▁si xty ▁per ▁cent . ▁Dis astr ously , ▁a ▁sixth ▁ship , ▁the ▁Bel gio ioso , ▁carrying ▁a ▁large ▁amount ▁of ▁silver ▁specie ▁for ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁Chinese ▁goods , ▁found ered ▁in ▁a ▁storm ▁in ▁the ▁Irish ▁Sea ▁soon ▁after ▁depart ing ▁Liverpool , ▁where ▁she ▁was ▁fitted ▁out , ▁on ▁the ▁voyage ▁to ▁C anton . ▁Reg ard less ▁of ▁mount ing ▁losses , ▁deb ts ▁and ▁li abilities , ▁the ▁Company ▁inv ested ▁in ▁a ▁further ▁ship , ▁the ▁Kaiser liche ▁Ad ler ▁or ▁A ig le ▁Imp éri ale ▁[ Im per ial ▁E agle ], ▁a ▁giant ▁of ▁ 1 , 1 0 0 ▁tons , ▁spe cially ▁built ▁for ▁the ▁Company ▁by ▁the ▁F ium e ▁ship y ards , ▁which ▁was ▁launched ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 7 8 4 , ▁bringing ▁the ▁Company ' s ▁fleet ▁to ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁nine ▁vessels . ▁ ▁Mat ters ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁head ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 7 8 5 ▁when ▁the ▁Company ▁susp ended ▁all ▁pay ments ,