The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-07-27 00:00:00

THE HIGH PRICE OF PROVISIONS.

On this subject of increasing importance to every house-
hold, tom Tattle" writes to the London Standard

In the early part of the session of 1801 the aquae o
Commons appointed "a committee to consider of and
report on the present high prices of provisions." At
that time we were at war with the French Republic,
we were fitting out our Baltic fleet against the Danes
and Russians, and Ireland was then, as it is now, by
no means quiet. Yet this committee found time to go
into this extra work alloted to it, and from time to
time issued its reports. My object in writing is to sug-
gest whether, as we are now threatened to have meat
at is. &l.per pound, bread 10d. per four-flnund loaf,
and coals 10s. per ton, our present House of Com-
mons of 1872 would not be doing some real good in
taking an example from its predecessors of 1601.
At the first thought many persons might say, "There
is no comparison to be made," and that "at that time
such a committee was necessary. Then how much
more necessary now! We are constantly being told
that England never was as prosperous as she is at the
present time and that Mr. Lowe has such a large sur-
plus that he does not knew what to do with it. During
the latter half of the eighteenth century we were at
almost continuous war with one nation or another, and
often with two or three at once, as was the case from
1793 to 1802, when we were fighting against the French
Republic and its allies, yet in 1801. when things were
dearest, meat was at a less price than at the present
" prosperous" (I) time.
The following prices are extracted from the County
Heralds of their respective dates ;—" March 14th,
1801, Beef, 4s. 4.1. to Is. Bd. per stnie of Sib. ;
mutton, Is. 83. to 6e. 84. per stone of 81b. July 11th, '
1801, beef, Is. 81 to 4s. &I. per stone of 81b.;
mutton, 40. 41 to Is. 43. per stone of 8113. ; Decem-
ber 24, 1801, Beef, Is. 81 to Is. per stone of 81. ;
mutton, 48. to 55. 41 per stone of 81h." And yet
during the second week of July, 1872, I paid my
butcher, ready money, is. per pound for beef steak,
ls. 44. for rump steak; 9d. for shoulder, and 11d, for
leg of mutton; and we are led to expect them 20 per
cent, higher in price before the year is out.
With regard to bread, that certainly is cheaper; but
in 1801 we had to depend on our home-grown corn—
principally in the hands of monopolisers—and a small
quantity front America. Taking the same dates, the

Lord Mayor of London ordered the price of bread to be
ass follow, viz :—" March 14, 1801, IL 100. per
quartern ; July 11, 1801, Is. sd. per quartern ;
December 24, 1401, Is. per ouartern ; and during ors
patched-up peace, May 8, 1802, 9id. per quartern." I
am now paying in a time of settled peace Bd. per four'
pound loaf.
As to wale, remembering there were no railways in
those days—
Per thaldron in the Pool of London. Delivered
1801.—March 14, Newuastle .... 40e. 04. .... 405. Od.
Sunderland none sold.
July 11, Newcastle 4ta 01. .... r Ss. 04.
Soriderland 38a. 64. .... 475. 04.
forls. o'.
01e. 01.

Dec. 24, New/cantle— 475. 01.
Sunder 431. Oil.
Making the allowance for the difference between ton
and chaldron, are we now getting coals much cheaper in
these prosperous days than they were in the war times,
"when provisions, my dear, were in those days fear-
ful," as our grandmothers have told us.
The present government says the best thing for
the country is to have the Italia and close the public-
houses, with the closing day in town, in the country at
sunset—a moiety of the country agreeing with the
government. The other moiety—of which I am a
humble unit—prefer things as they are. But one thing
the whole coutry is agreed upon—"provisions are far
too dear."

Will this government, think you, who canoe an
official inquiry to be made as to how long a box of pens
should last, " appoint a committee to consider of and
report on the present high prices of provisions n.