The National Register. — London, England, 1820-06-05 00:00:00

". . 182. .IGRICCLIVRAL CLAIMS. • Itlat A sort of manifesto has been just put forth by the Committee of the Agricultural Associations, purporting to be the Report of Mr. George Webb Hall. Its assertions arc of the most sweeping cha racter : its conclusions are. proclaimed as discoveries; and a tone of triumph is assumed well calculated to flatter the interested, and• convert the unreflecting. This production tiliallearyi inquiry. It has been sent to every Member of Parliament ; and to every Editor of a.Newspoper throegbout the kingdom. Our readers will perceive that the conclusions of Mr. Hall arefeunded upon the very able and most laborious work of Dr. C,olqubpn ; that the researches of this celebrated writer on statistics have slumbered since' NI 14, as far as they told forittile Agriculturists —bur that a light has been shed over theta by the genius of the Secretary to the Agricultural Associ ations, which is to put out the eyes of all objectors. To reduce the statements of Mr.idal; to a narrow eompass they are intended to prove -Ist. That the property created in Great Britain and Ireland. in the year 1812-13, by Agri tuts, in all its branches, was 12t6,817.624 By Mines, Minerals, Coals, &c ....... 9.000,050 • Total from the Soil 2d. That of this sum, after deducting all the ex pends' of labour. working-mak. seed, pours- , Yates, taxes. &c. the profit of the owners and Cultivators. Mks .: 09,510.60 sd. That the introduction since 1514 of Foreign s , • Preduce. Ditty-free. has diminivhed the va lue of Agticultue Produce eae.thied, or the , sum of , i 71.272.551 -4th. That the Surplus Profits of every other • Branch of Industry—Manufactures. Inland • Trade. Banks, &c. &c. was, in 1413. 0n1y... t 25.055.461/ TO prevent every possibility of mistake asp to -this conclusions which Mt. Hall infers from these state ments, we think it right to select the' concluding pirsage of his Report : The data which Doctor Colquhoun has afforded ins are coo roborated and borne out in every instance by the payments to the prope tax; aced front the statement of profits respectively which Irty have formed. we have this glorious result. viz. that the cultivators of the soil of the United Kingdom, did, by their skill. capital, and industry. employed in agriculture in 1815. earn fur the land-owners, the Clergy. and themselves, a net clear profit of 911.1110,605 L ; while in the same period. all die bowed results of all the commerce and manufactures of the United Kingdom. both at home and abroad, amounted no to more than a profit of 25,045,4651. ' If this esseenset will not endow the Legilatnre, hie poys=7. B 1 • y's he imi she British public, of the justice, she .std the eem* elepid teseemisa lor the skills= soil sd die ieshese alba mil. with the sod bet a matinumise of their rm.* =sr feriltellife tle "s dear es fasts and twee sea dim iflhe yisitisiems dour ant sell kw= I elated ermadded is vales pee einem dam BIM 102 Ow ties etteeelga predeme erstrimikaissa has Brea wom souses the third. pen el' higtini.4l9o. et the era d 10.1111416 ti. pm alt list engp perm 4 wahldeg au essohants and so esettfient iota, ia.ona.ooeL worth of their annosedides in foreign markets, whereby a profit d a million and a half, or at most two million. sterling may be gained, to sot apias' t the awful depreciation of 72,274,5411. We might have gone very far with Mr. George Webb Hall to have agreed that such a depreciation was indeed alarming ;—and we apprehend that many have been of the same opinion. But it occurred to us to examine at what standard Dr. Colquhoun fixed the prices of Agricultural Produce in 1812-IS ;as the ratio of estimating its aggregate amount. We were perfectly astonished to find that in Dr. Col quhoun's tables, 'the several kinds of grain aregtaken at fifty per cent. less than the average prices in the public markets of the 12th of September, 1812.' as a fair and permanent standard of the price of grain. The prices upon which Dr. Colquhoun builds the very table which Mr. Hall thinks so conclusive are • as follows : X 225.817 1426 s. d. .70 6 per quarter• Bailey 37 0 Oats ll9 0 Rye 43 10 Beans and. Peas 3B 10 • To put the argument in the clearest light we subjoin, from the London Gazette, the aggregate average prices preceding the 15th of May, 1820, by which Importation is regulated in Great Britain, and by which the Ports are closed to the 15th of August next : 10 per quarter Barley 33 1 Oats 24 5 Rye 43 1 Beans 42 7 Peas 46 5 And thus, instead of a depreciation of one third upon the calculations of Dr. Colquhoun, agricultu ral produce has not been depreciated one per cent. from the price this statistical writer set as a perma nent standard, predating the estimate of new pro perty created annually from the soil as 225,817,6241. —or in other words, that only one per cent. instead crone third, is to be deducted from the 99,810,6v8! which Mr. Hull assigns as the profits of the land owners and cultivators of that period ! It Mr. Hall thinks so highly of these estimated pietas in 11112, he must be perfectly satisfied with their amount in .820. Or has he not really a conceal.si longing for those etionhous prices which Dr. Co quhoun thought admitted a depreciation of 50 pe. Cent. ? If the actual prices of 181 4 were returned to, a tax of above One Hundred Millions would be question between the agriculturists and the I 4~ THE SATTONAL REGISTER. manufacturers is simply this ;---whetlicr all foreign commerce is to be swallowed up and destroyed by un advance in the price of food, causing a necessary advance in the price of labour; or, on the other hand, whether the cultivation of the soil is to be dis couraged, by a reduction of the cost of ibod below a remunerating price, to enable the manufacturers to proportionately diminish the wages of labour. It is imposed upon the whole kingdom by the complaining agriculturists. for all wise and humane persons to hold the balance between these contending parties. It is manifest that any attempt to injure the one must recoil on the other ; that if bread is unreasonably high, manufac tures and commerce must decline, and there must be a consequent declension of the demand for food ; and that, on the other hand, if bread is unreasonably cheap, the land-owner and cultivator must neces prily reduce their expenditure, and that the ma nufacturer must in consequence find a reduced market for his commodity. It is the ordination of an all-wise and beneficent Providence that !Walvis dependent upon man in every degree of society ; and that no one rank or class can be naturally. ele vated or unnaturally depressed, without a cone*. pending injury to the whole social system. Let ue not seek to disturb this merciful provision ! . • IRELAND. • • Tnt FAiLynce.—Cork, May 27.—The scenes of distress which this City has presented since the stoppage o( two extensive Banking-houses 4 whose issues of paper forms a* great portion of the &cus latgig medium of the South of Ireland, aye t noment aril, multiplying, and we, grieve to say, that no 'prospect of alleviation opena to , the view to cheer ort to emsantage. It iftoo soon to expect any report from those gentlemen who undertook to examine the state of Messrs. Leslie's affairs. But . the public i l sipectation, is Such an emerent crisis, exceeds all men, and the result is looked for with much anxiety. In the mean time considerable rzlief. has been experienced by the partial acceptant e of the notes of this house, in several merchants' offices and retail shops, without, as we learn, any material charge being made thereon. More than one res pectable house are said to have suspended payment, and, from the total want of the means of payment, employment may be said,altogether to have ceased. The streets, from this cause, as well its from the numbers arriving from the country, and the groupes who are sure to collect on such ocessiorts, are extremely crowded, and tales of distress and despair ing countenances meet the ear and the eye at every corner. Last night that was some indication of tumnit outside the house of Messrs. Roche, but it was confined to a few individuals, and was soon interrupted by the arrival of the sheriffs, high con stables, a number of peace officers, and we regeet to observe, some niilitary. Two or three persons were conveyed to bridewell, and. their appearance„ as they were conducted along, indicated that they bad received some blows, This morning the streets have exhibited similar scenes to those of the last itwo days, bin the crowd is not so great as it was ant ici ' pate:l it would have been owing ulits beingmarhet day. As a proof of the universalapprehension and want of confidence which prevail, it was distressing to observe the numbers who flocked to the Savings Bank this day, for the purpose of drawing their deposits. ' Conn,. half past four o'clock, Saturday.--We just learn the result of the meeting of those gentlemen , who undertook to examine the mete of Moors. Leslie's affairs. A deputation, consisting of Meseta. Crawford and Gerard Callaghan, have been appointed to repair to Dublin immediately, to wait on the Lord Lieutenant, for the purpose of soliciting a loan of 100,0001. to be vested in managers, and lent out by them on approved securities or deposits. The Deputation leaves this City on Monday morning. " Letters from Cork and Limerick," says the Dublin Evening Post, " speak of the consternation in those cities, in consequence of the recent failures there. There is no apprehension, we are happy to understand, entertained as to the bank of Mr. Pike, of Cork; orMr. Roche, of Limerick. The latter house was open last Sunday, from seven o'clock in the morning until evening. for. the purpose of pay ing. Mr. Pike had comparatively few notes in cir culation. There is no run upon any of the Dublin Banks. Stoppage of a Limerick Bank —Saturday last, the Bank of Messrs. Mante.ell, Kennedy, and Maun. sell, of Lunerick, stopped payment, " In conse quence of the sudden and great pressure upon the Bank, resulting front the very unexpected suspension of payments of the two late banks; but they will avail themselves of the ea: hest opportunity to sub mit a statement of their ,ill:tirs to the public, which they have Ito doubt will aliortl perfect satisfaction, and insure t at confidence at.l support which they have hitherto experien,el,'' A meeting of the landed and commercial interest was to be held at the Commercial•buildings, for the purpose of ap. pointing a committee, to investigate the affairs or the Batik of Messrs. Moonset', Kennedy, and Moonset', and to report thereon. --- MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR'MAY. ; ere is almost •,universally a glorious appearance of l u xuriance and promises of abundance iii all the pro &tenons of our soil. Sowing the spring corn has been cmipheied most succesfully. The late unfavourable weather has beets succeeded by a more genial tempera ture, and by copious and fructifying showers, which have induced a sudden and rapid vegitation. The mis chiefs of early blight are thus countervailed in our cli mate; it is the latter blight, whenever that unfortu nately happens, and mildew, which are fatal. Not but that he ill effects of blight are generally under-rated in the country, and the first blossoms have suffered to a considerable degree ; but enough has been left unin jured to produce a large crop. The pulse, artificial grass crops, and the hops, k% hicks were beginning to suffer severely f their peculiar blight it.sects, have been well washed and cleanied by the showers, and are hourly gaining strengths and rising superior to the da. inage. Even the light and poor laud wheats, which had appetraclied the verge of a falling crop, are now Im proving rapidly, and Considerable hreadihs of then', give hope of nachos to sucti . an extent, as to cover the land with a heavy burden of groin. In those counties which have adopted the row-culture, the falling wheat lands have been judiciously re-planted with spring wheat, by, dibble or drill; byt it is mortifying to hear olhuore weeds , than any thing else' in such emprovr mulcts, and• surely argues the need of further rule enrol at the row system. The early sov/p and strong land wheats never looked better, or of a more healthy colour, and in many parts are full thick upon the land. Potatoe-land- wheats leave been generally successful • this year, and it has been long since time that, in all covenants, fallow crops should be accepted as fallows; the option of a naked fallow being left to the tenant: Looking tothe logic of facd, nothing can be chore true. than that periodical naked fallows are the nursing fur diets and perpetuators crf.root steeds. Potatoe planting will soon be finished, and the turnip culture will succeed, for which the ,lauds are in a fine state of prepa r atio n. The grasses have been ready for the reception of stock full as early as was expected, and the ewes and lambs, which had been retarded in proof, are at present in a fine and improving state. In the northern counties, parti cularly, cattle have paid well for their winter's keep; and there seems little probability of any but the usual periodical reductions of price, in the meat markets. Bread corn has been as high in price,.for some time past, as the ciremustances of the country would possibly ad mit; and however great the difference of price usual * our markets, in respect.of quality, there has probably been such a price given its London, of late, as 851. per quarter and upwards, for fine samples of wheat. The agricultural associating petitioners to Parliament. are about to receive a wholesome conviction, that they have betrun at the wrong end—their business is with the root of the tree of distress, not the branches, all concern about which, is mere amusement and delusion. Long wool is said to be saleable on better terms than the fine; but the truth is, our English flock-masters, as a body, have never, in latter times, strewn a disposition to the exten sive culture of fine wool, or to enter into a competition with foreigners. On Saturday night last, between 11 and 12 o'clock, as Mr. James Shaw, a respectable farmer of Brennington, near Chesterfield, was returning home after having received a considerable sum of money, he was attacked within a quarter of a mile of his' own house, and robbed of upwards of 7001. in coun try bank notes. Extensive Robbery.—On Sunday morning last,• the warehouse of Messrs. L. M. and J. Morley, 108, Wood-street, Chgapside, silk mercers, was entered and robbed of a quantity of umbrella and parasol silks, 151. in Bank Notes, a watch, and plate. The family were st church at the time. Early on the morning • in qaestion one of the partners had been in the warehouse, and all was then safe ; but on the return of the family at one o'clock, the warehouse, which is situate in front of the premises, had been entered with a picklock key,and the goous taken away. Messrs Morley sent for two Bow-street officers, who, on examining the warehouse, were of opinion with Mr. M. that some persons acquainted with the pre mises were concerned,"and proceeded to' interrogate the maid servant. She denied all knowledge of the robbery. but after some hesitation she confessed that she had rt cently tbrmed un acquaintance with a man of whose charainer she knew nothing, and that she had repeatedly permitted him to come to the house. She described him particularly to the officers, who immediately knew him as an old thief lately returned from transportation. The girl said she gat acquainted with him in the street, and his manners were so pleasing glui so like the gentleman, that she had no suspicion whatever that he was any other than a respectable man. DISPUTE UPON THIS DERBY iIIACE.---There mach rot isy relalive 1.. which was the fist favourite at "M I K , Psittlatr o ` or Sailor. Many heavy bets svere lientlnig that Pieitlarite would coo •to be the first lii , wirs ' l ' at "Isilt•lnt, 01111 it a le s raioesidea th at lie u O4 . alitl the SieWitld* lIAVe 1111401 e 1 MI in Inv Calendar, by /daring the odds against I at 6to 2, 41141 Sto I agaiits . t Sahel, and this derision should bc r •insi v e. foto .lanle patty bat led Sailor Jaw liable starling, but yet Pindarlie had the man. The Jockey Club will ; it 11 $ 41j ' wake another decision, nisich will be fual.