2-969-732 - /Heritage Images

The Great Tobacco Warehouse, at the London Docks, 1856. 'On first entering the building and glancing down the avenue - stretching to an immense distance - before one, hedged on each side with huge casks, much resembling the sugar-casks one sees at the doors of grocers, intermixed with large wooden packages of square shape, the mind receives a mingled impression of wonder and amusement at the idea that all these are filled with the closely-pressed leaves of the tobacco plant, and that in a space of time, more or less short, the greater part of the contents of these innumerable and bulky casks will, by the aid of human lungs and lips, have curled off in graceful circlets of white vapour, and "made themselves air".' From "Illustrated London News", 1856.