The Express.
London, England, 1855-04-12 00:00:00

THE WHEAT AND THE WAR.

Tai decline is the pries of wheat from 74e. 3d.,
the weekly average of January 6, to 665. kla., the
weekly average of Marsh 17, though it has east
advanced a trigs, is a subject cas whWk we can con-
gratulate oar readers. Up to this time the delivethe
by our own Wrenn have much exceeded them of last
year, justifying the reports that our own wee en
serpent harvest. In the seventeen weeks of 1864
thiesquest to the beginning of September, and the
them weeks of 1836 of which we have the amounts,
tits number of quarters of wheat sold in the 290
Wu from which returns are made was 2,964,742,
%Mast 2,096,385 in the corresponding period of
1110-4—as increase of almost one-half. This
Increase of oar own growth is a great na-
tional advantage, and it has given oar growers
already upwards of 2,000,00 W. more than they
ereeivel he the berme of 1863, and may
rein *ea &NOW a the unjust advan-
tage they derive ithm the use shilling duty on corn
imported. At reeve they are likely to be busy in
out-door work, and, their deliveries in consequence
being circumscribed while the protracted winter
impedes arrivals of COM from the north, we are likely
now to have a rise rather than a fall in price. In
fact, though a great deal has been mid about the
effects of war, they have had much less influence
over the price of corn than our own harvests and. the
harvests of other countries.
In 1863 the average price of wheat was 535. 3d.,
and in 1854 725. 6L--a difference of 19s. 2d.; but
the highest pries was in January and February, be-
fore war was declared, when it averaged 80s. sd.
It appears that in the fleet eight months of 1864,
while we were livingon the harvest of 1853, there were
only 1,853,543 quarters mold, against 3,067,326 quar-
ters sold in the corresponding period of 1863; but in
the subsequent months the case, as we have seen, was
reversed. The price accordingly through the period
that elapsed between the close of the harvest of 1853
and the middle of March was on the average up-
wards of 4s. 6d. higher than the price during the corre-
sponding period subsequent to the harvest of 1854.
The failure of the harvest of 1864 in the United States
has at the same time tended to keep up the prise
here, and is the main cause of the rise in November
and December, and of the high price at present.
They have been quite unable in the States to meet
the foreign demand ; their ships have been idle in
consequence of there being no flour and wheat to ex-
port ; and their exports have fallen since July 1 in
value—though the prices of most articles are higher
now than last year—to 35,900,000 dole., from
43,700,000 dole, in the same time last year. Their
exports of breadetuffs to Great Britain and Ireland
were from Sept. 1 to latest dates—
Floar—bbls. Whist—MlA..
18614
18646

Name 1854-6.. 1,188,370
Since last September, therefore, we have not re-
ceived one-tenth as much flour, nor one-twentieth as
mush wheat, from the States es last season. The price of
wheat at New York, unaffected by the war, is nearly
as high as the price in London, and puts a stop to
exportation from there hither. Our imports of tallow
and hemp were larger in the first month of 1855
than of 1854. The war, and blockades, and prohibi-
tions, do not shut out the supply of these articles; nor
would they exclude the more balky article of corn,were
it abundant in other countries, and did the relative
prices abroad and here suffice to pay the expense d
importation. But, high as the price is and has bun
here, it is not sufficient to pay the coot of importeden,
and should we require to import largely, the price
must rise still higher. Europe hes been afflicted with
a dearth the severity of which does not seem to be duly
appreciated; and itis at least misleading and erroneous
to ascribe to war the effects of a natural visitation.
We are informed that all through Silesia and a
great part of Austria the want of food is very great.
At Trieste, according to the statement of the Mesta.
Bruno; the price of wheat is 74e., or as high as in
London or New York. They tell us, too, that " pr-
otheses for Austria have been, and are, making at Ga-
lata on a large scale, extending even as far from the
Austrian frontier as the Galata district, while nsor
011 s frontier moat exorbitant prices ( known
Wow) are being paid, so that not only is the
rein from the vicinity of the frontier which in
flumer years came here (to Galata) for shipment
withdrawn from us, but the grain already in Galats is
(conveyed back." Such exorbitant prices then prevail
on the frontier of Austria as were never known be-
im ; and the wheat, instead of being heaped up to
set at Galata—as we were formerly told was the
ease--is all wanted for the consumption of the famish-
ing people in the neighbourhood.
Before the war began, while peace was as profound
ust any time within the last thirty years, and
in consequence partly of the peace, there was a great
extension of trade, and a great increase of con-
sumption in various parts of Europe, without a corre-
sponding inane*e in production of the means of
subsistence. England, enjoying free trade, aad
drawing supplies from many places, has suf-
fered far less than other countries from the
disproportionate production. But the average
price of wheat in England was at the beginning of
1854 more than 80s. per quarter, while it was quite
as high in France, and the French Government at the
end of 1853 and beginning of 1864 was entering into
all the markets of the Continent and taking various
active measures to ensure the French against a
want of broad. When, therefore, these two great
emintries, with a purchasing power far superior
le any others, were ransacking the markets of
the world for corn, we need no other proof
Gat the bulk of the people of Europe, from
011•11100tinople to St. Petersburg, wen suffering
Sem a want of food. For the permanent interests
of truth, and the immediate practical action of society,
it le of importance that tho cause of this should be
aeourately ascertained; and the oenolasion should not
at once be adopted—because a high pries of food has
been coincident with the first year ot war—that it is
the effect of the war.
We readily admit the disturbing effect of war. It
is a prodigious evil; otherwise no one would care to
heap curses on the mad ambition which under false
pretexts: (covering itself with the mask of religion, has
inflicted war on the fairest portions of Europe. But it is
wrong to exaggerate the evils even of war; and when
this hideous for a party purpose, to excite dimwitted
and make political capital for demagogues, no censure
is too severe for each conduct. Official educe re-
aptly laid before the public inform us that in 1854
we received from Russia 995,488 quarters of
all kinds of grain lees than in 1853, though we
received 709,421 quarters ; but we also received
448,790 quarters lees from Prussia, and we reseind
lees Ikon several other countries; and the proper
inference is, that there was much less in all thus
countries, including Russia, to export than in 1853.
The price of wheat in them and in England after
=ea the imports began to fall off, was net
to tempt importation, or corn would have
=Ls way hither, like hemp and tallow, in spite of
and blockage. The pond falling aria
the imilltilaireet nearly all the countries in /Imp%
1864 lilies* flue the consequence of the general
dearth we have adverted to than of the war.
In truth, the silly and contemptible &abides In
Curs an& Kaisers to interfere with Wads ad rms.