The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-03 00:00:00

hands, fully as many as ave 'have had at any previous period
The advance in wages is by no means an index to the great
increase in comfort of that working-classes. The low prices
of provisions enable the, 11 to live much more comfortably
with the same means. 1. consider the fall in price of commo-
dities cqual to an advance of 25 per cent. in their wages, more
or less." The same statement would apply to Manchester;
but I will not detain the House with any lengthened details
relative to Manchester, as gentlemen who know that district
much better than I do are likely to address the House and
give all the information that can be derived. I may state,
however, that at a distn.ct of the Bury Union four miles
north of Manchester, tho relieving officer is now paying 20/.
per week less than he did a year ago, whilst at Burr the
relieving officers is paying 501. a week less than he did a
year before. A gentleman connected with a large house in
Manchester gives this general view of the state of their
operatives. He says :—."The operative manufacturers are
fully employed and at full wages. Cotton, which in 1847
and 1843 was used only to the extent of about 24,000 bags
weekly, is now used to the extent of 32,000 bags—an in-
crease of nearly 35 per cent. While such is the condition
with respect to the demand for labour, the wages have kept
up. In general terms wages are the same as they were in
1814; and food, taken altogether, bread, beef, groceries, &c.,
wee never in recent times, as a whole, so low. These circum-
stances place the mass of the industrious class in a decidedly bet-
ter position, with a greater command of the necessaries and
comforts of life, than they enjoyed even in 1836, which was
he most prosperous year they ever had in my experience."
The gentleman goes on to allude to the pressure that pre-
vailed some years ago, and then goes on to say:—"From all
these harassing difficulties this middle class is now recover-
ing ; has, indeed, in an astonishing degree, actually re-
covered. Industry of every kind is returaing to its regular
channels ; confidence is expanding ; profits in the home
trade are satisfactory, though moderate; while, in some
foreign trades, the East Indian and Attie:lean, they are un-
quesponably good."—(llear.) The out-door relief has, ac-
cordingly, greatly diminished. In the week ending; July 3,
1847, the amount paid was 1,4884 •on June 17, 1848 it was 9081. ; and in June, 1849, it was 5761.—(Dear.) I layl great
weight on the diminution of crime, and on the good con-
duct of the working classes, as an indication of comfort
and prosperity; and I rejoice to learn from the report of the
Inspectors of Prisons at Manchester, in which there is a com-
parison of the offonces in 1340 and 1848, that in 1840 the
offences against the person were 1,420; in 1848 they were
753. Against property, they were, in 1847, 211; in 1848
they were 110. Offences against property without violence
in 1846, 3,454 ; in 1848, 1,697. Miscellaneous offences, in
1840, 7,064; in la4B, 3,43o.—(Hear, hear.) As to Scotland,
a gentleman in Dundee, speaking of the linen trade, says—
" During the past 18 months a very extensive and remune-
rative trade has been enjoyed in all departments of the linen
trade; the working classes have been well employed, and
wages of labour have certainly been more than an aver-
age." And from Glasgow a gentleman says —" With one
or two exceptions, and these not of large extent, all our
cotton mills and powerloorn factories are in full operation, and
working full time. Calico printers are well employed, and
there is abundance of employment in the different depart-
ments of hand-loom weaving. Other trades are also in a
state of moderate activity, so that there is full employment
for all our operatives. The rate of wages is not generally
higher than it was last year, but the people
are in more comfortable circumstances than they
were, in consequence of the prices of both pro-
visions and clothing being so moderate," "Note
of River Trust revenue for five months-1848, 21,9251.;
1849, a 3,266/." " The number of applications to the Dean
of Guild Court for authority •to execute building operations
has been, up to the 21st of June this year, 103; and in the
corresponding period of 1848, only 78." " All the factories
in the (Glasgow) district are in full work at present. Tta
persons employed are now in a better condition generally
than they have been in for the last two years, as to the
means of obtaining the necessaries of life." "All the mills
in Belfast district, now working, are on full time, and the
position of the manufacturing interest is generally admitted
to be better than it has been for two or three years. The
condition of the people employed, from the cheapness of food
at the present time, is certainly more comfortable than in
1847 or in 1848, and there is work for all." Well,
Sir, I have now gone through all the seats of manu-
facturing industry in the three kingdoms. 1 have read
reports from them all. I have stated facts connected with
the condition of the people in all of them ; and no
one can deny that those facts show an improved condition
of the warking classes; that they show that the people are
employed at increased remunerative wages, and that even
those who receive no increase of wages are improved in their
circumstances of comfort in consequence of the greater
cheapness of the articles of food, clothing, and other things
which constitute the ordinary items of consumption among
the industrious classes. It must necessarily be so; for who
can say that the cheapness of the raw material does not con-
siderably increase employment; or that the
taking off the
duty from that raw material does not contribute to increase
the amount of its importation ? I will read to the House a
statement of the increased amount of importation of certain
main articles constituting the raw materials of manufacture
in this country, which has taken place in consequence of
the cheapness which has been brought about by the altera-
tion of the law. I take the comparison between the amount
imported in the year 1841, being a period before this mis-
chievous legislation, so strongly denounced by the Hon.
Gentleman, commenced, and the amount imported in the
year 1816, when that unfortunate law commenced, and the
year 1848 :

IMPORTATION OF RAW MATERIALS.
1841. 1846. 1848.
Flax, cwt. 1,355,475 1,146,743 1,462,007
Hemp, cwt. 643,423 88.0,810 832,212
Oil, train, &c., tuns 23,717 17,542 21,959
„ palm, cwt. ..• 303,849 367,054 510,129
„ olive, tuns ... 5,316 8,532 9,995
Tallow, cwt. ... 1,243,112 1,189,685 1,411,944
Cotton wool, cwt. ... 3,931,224 4,176,327 5,731,200
Sheep's wool, lb. ... 53,020,067 65,117,668 63,946,373
Silk, raw, lb. ... 3,388,662 4,390,008 4,413,360
Take, then, either of the two years which the Hon. Gentle-
man has taken for his period of comparison-take either the
year 1816 or the year 1848, it must be obvious that theie
has beets a very considerable increase of importation of
raw materials. Now, the argument is irresistible that where
there is au increased importation of a raw article of manu-
facture into any country there must necessarily be an in-
creased impetus given to employment. It would be absurd
to contend otherwise, and it would be equally absurd to
argue that when the people were fully employed they
were not in a far better condition than when they were
only partially employed.-(Hear.) The Hon. Gentleman
then referred to the subject of exports, and made use of one
of those ingenious arguments which have been urged by
others on that fertile topic. The Hon. Gentleman admits
that there has been a very considerable increase of the quan-
tity of articles exported-the produce of British industry and
of British skill ; but he says that the value of those ex-
ported articles is diminished ; and he further argues that as
the working men have been employed at higher wages, and
as from the increased demand of the raw material its price
must also be higher, the natural inference is, that from the
reduced price of the articles of British industry exported the
manufacturers of this country must necessarily be ruined.
But are they ruined ?-(Hear. ) I leave the Hon. Gentleman
to settle that argument with the manufacturers; my opinion
is, that though they may give a higher price for their raw
material, they certainly are not ruined; and that though
they pay better wages to their labourers, still, in spite of all
that, they look with pleasure at an increased and increasing
export of their manufacturing produce, and rejoice to know
that misfortune has not yet fallen upon them, and that they
are not yet ruined, notwithstanding they have been export.-
ing larger quantities of goods since the reduction of duties,
and since prices have been diminished.-(Cheers.) But it is
a most extraordinary thing, that when the Hon. Gentleman
was pointing out the utter ruin of this country in conse-
quence of the increased exports of British manufactures, and
was indulging in those desponding views with regard to our
manufactures, he did not perceive that he might with the
same justice have taken similar views with respect to almost
every other article of British produce. For I find that, as
respects agricultural produce, there has been a very consider-
able increase of exports-of British and Irish manufactures.
The comparison in the following table is between the four
months ending the sth of May, 1848, and the sth of May
1849 : -
EXPORTS OF BRITISH AND IRISH MANUFACTURES FOR THE
FOUR MONTHS ENDING THE STH OF MAY.
1818. 1849.
Butter, cwt. 7,897 14,483
' 'andles, lb. ••• •.. ... 458,369 887,478
Coals, tons •.. ... 886,548 930,835
Cordage, cwt. ... 17,863 32,128
Cotton manufactures, yds. ... 330,006,028 417,346,084
Lace, yds.... ••• •• • ... 19,930,517 35,542,263
Cotton yarn, lb. ... . 36,180,024 40,933,700
Herrings, barrels ••• ••• 19,696 24,329
Bottles, cwt.
..„ 68,075 72,428
Leather, wrought, lb. . ~. 338,230 507,685
Linen, manufactured, yds ... 39,845,052 33,623,128
Linen, thread, lb. 563,533 706,545
Linen, yarn, lb. ... ..• 3,270,133 5,557,052
Iron, wrought, tons ... 23,302 _ 37,730
Copper, wrought, cwt. ... 4,420 5,689
Brass, cwt. 3,245 6,477
Lead, tons ••• ••• •• • 1.672 4,179
Oil, gallons ••• ••• ••• 888,965 1,055,941
Salt, bushels ••• ... 4,406,337 6,000,829
Silk, manufactures, lb. ... 65,061 90,399
Silk, stockings, doz. pairs ... 3,919 5,945
Silk, twist, lb. 61,678 82,551
W.... 01, 2b. 996767 3,259,218
Woollen, manufactures, pcs. ... 503,489 652,076
Woollen, manufactures, yds. ... 8,603,254 12,841,952
Woollen, stockings, doz. prs. 19,020 31,200
Haberdashery value in the first four months of 1848 was
275,8841., and in the first four months of 1849 was 324,4661.
There was, in fact, hardly a single branch of English manu-
facture of any sort or description, the exports of which,
during the past year, as compared with former years, had
not increased in a very extraordinary degree. The Hon.
Gentleman had described the manufacturers to be in a state
of distress, notwitstanding the increased amount of exports,
on account of the diminished value of the goods exported.
3ut even the declared value had not diminished. In the
first four months of 1848 it was 15,239,000/. ; in the same
period of 1849 it was 16,836,000/. And although he had not
the whole particulars of the first five months, he was en-
abled to state that the amount was in 1848 18,944,0001., and
in 1849, 21,191,5131.-(Cheers.) So that, whether they
compared the first four or the first five months of the
year, the returns showed exports increased in a most
extraordinary degree. The Honourable Gentleman had
somewhat sneered at the idea that investments in railways
had had much effect upon the condition of the capital of
the country. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer)
did not find it necessary to reiterato the opinions
which he had before expressed upon the effect of invest-
ments in railways. He should merely say, as he had said
in 1847, that it had had a great effect in withdrawing capital
from industrial occupations. He thought so then- he
thought so now. But the Honourable Gentleman thought
it very extraordinary that it should not have been felt in
1846 as it was in 1847. Why, the Hon. Gentleman showed
clearly that he did not take the necessary trouble to inform
himself of the facts. No doubt the contributions were
larger in that year than they ever had been before, but the
effects could not be felt until a little time had elapsed, and
then it was that the weight of the obligations incurred began
to tell with severity. In 1845 the sums invested in railroads
amounted to 16,129,809/. ; in 1816 they were 37,814,993/. ;
and in 1817, 41,025.487/., in shares paid up and loans made,
being 25,000,0001. more than had been raised two years
before. Why, all the money had to be withdrawn from some
other mode of investment, or some other description of in-
dustry. But the Honourable Gentleman was wholly incon-
sistent with regard to the capital of the country. He said
that nothing could be more certain than the decline of the
l
wealth of the country, whilst at another period of his speech
he spoke of the abundance of money, and said that mercan-
tileti bills could be more easily discounted at the present
than ever. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) did time
than
know how the Honourable. Gentleman could reconcile those
two statements.-(Hear, and laughter.) But if the lion.
Gentleman would look to the investment of capital last
year he would find that our wealth was not declining, and
that the resources of this great country would bear to a
greater degree than, he confessed, he himself was prepared
to find the withdrawal of capital. In the year ending with
the commencement of 1849 the suns invested in railroads,
partly in shares paid upon and partly advanced upon loan,
was, in this ruined country, no less than 35,000,000/.-

(Hear, bear.) He believed there were very few of the ma-
nufacturing towns in the kingdom that were not suffering
from the effects of railway speculation.— (Hear, hear.) He
believed there were very few of the merchants and traders
who had not dealt in railway shares. And of course when
those parties took railroad shares they did so with the belief
that they might as easily deal with them as with any ar-
ticle of ordinary commerce. They dealt in them without
considering the future liability which attached to the holders.
If lie wanted proof of this he might refer to the meeting of the
Great Northern Railway Company, held early in June, at
which he found the fact stated by an Hon. Friend of his
who presided, that the number of shares in arrear due on
the 30th of November, 1848, was 35,076, and that actions
were pending against the proprietors of 6,159 shares. They
actually proceeded to forfeit no less than 26,000 shares, on
whi ch an average of Si. per share had been paid up, thus
showing showing that th parties holdiug those shares were willing
to forfeit upwards of 100,0001., as they thought it better to
lose even that sum than ray the remainder, for which tehv
would become liable. Such a state as this could not exist.
to so large an extent, if, throughout a large portion of the
country towns, great numbers of the shopkeepers had not
involved themselves to a greater extent than their means
would hive justified, and there could be no dsubt but that
the stagnation of trade that had been wits essed in those
towns was owing in a great extent to this cause. He had
stated these matters in answer to that part of the Hon. Mem-
ber's speech in which he had alluded to the ruined state of
the manufacturing districts, in order to show that the manu-
facturers were not in that ruined state—that the operatives
were, on the contrary, generally speaking, in a state of
comfort owing to their having full employment, and owing
also to the diminution that had taken place in time price of
various articles, in the use of which their comfoi t principally
consisted. He would not refer, tor the present, to the prices
of corn and meat, which were notoriously at this moment
lower than they had been in former years, but he would
take some other articles of general consumption. Taking
the wholesale prices, he found diet tea in 1844, was 55.; in
1546, 4s. 6d. ; and in 1848, it was but 4s. Raw sugar had
decreased from 7d. to 6d. ; coffee from Is. Bd. to l& 4d.;
cocoa from 10d. to 7d. ; rice from 3d. to 21ed.; currants the
aline and raisins the same. Again, taking the price of sugar,
he found it to bens follows: In 1842, 785.; 1843, 76a; 1844,
745.; 1845, 625. •, 1845, 645.; 1847, 595. ; 1848, 545.; 1849,
545. ; being a falling off of 245., or the difference between 78s.
and 545. in eight years. Again, taking the article of salt
for the same period, the prices were, in 1842, ss. ; 1843, ss. ;
'
1844, 48. 6d. • 1845, 4s. ; 1846, 3s. 9d. • 1847, 3s. 9d. ; 1848,
38. 6d., and 1849, 3& 6d. Rice had fallen from 235., in 1842,
to 17s. in 1848 ;awnad
omnfoiwlak,eeweenlhltiirncaghetawht aa sv9idnl.gsa. a gallon in 1843,
nhelel
believed,B4s ,
gbeaellnonen,
tienrecdoninsteo-
qlBu e4n4C ea,
with a railway company to convey it from a considerable
distance.
Sir J. TIRELL inquired how many miles from London
the Right lion. Gentleman meant as a considerable distance?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
spoke of the distance as being considerable compared. with
the district from which milk had been formerly sup-
plied. The effect of the improved condition of the labour-
ing classes, and of the reduction that had taken place in the
duty charged upon articles of general consumption, was ,
that a considerable increase had taken place in the amount I
of these articles entered for home consumption, and when
the amount of articles entered for home consumption ge-
nerally increased in that way, it was in itself one of the
greatest proofs of the improved condition of the people.—
( Hear, hear.) `faking the same three years as before,
namely, 1841, 1846, 1848, the amount of butter entered for
home consumption was respectively 251,000 cwt., 255,000
cwt., and 288,000 cwt.; cocoa increased from 1,930 to 2,906.
In cheese and currants the increase was equally marked.
Pepper was 2,750,0001b5. in 1841, 3,147,00011 n. in 1846, and
3,189,0001b5. in 1848; molasses were 402,000 in 1841,
542,000 in 1846, and 637,000 in 1848; tea had increased
from 36,000,0001b5. in 1841, to 46,000,0001b5. in 1846, and
48,000,0001b5. in 1848. The increase in tobacco
and snuff was equally remarkable ; but this all
showed that though the duty on these articles
was as high as before, the greater demand for labour en-
abled the people to purchase more largely. He
did not know whether he need trouble the House by fol-
lowing up this comparison between the four first months of
this year and the corresponding period of 1848, but he
might say generally that precisely the same result was to be
seen, and that a very considerable increase had taken place
in favour of the present year.—(Hear, hear.) He came now
to the article of sugar, which was one of the best items for
testing the amount of comfort prevailing among the people,
because it was mixed with almost everything they used—
with their tea in the morning, with their puddings at dinner,
and again with their tea in the evening. Now taking the-
live years ending with 1848, he found the amount of sugar
entered for home consumption to be as follows:—" 1844,
206,000 tons; 1845, '242,000 tens; 1846, 261,000 tons; 1847,
288,000 toes; 1848, 3t0,131 tons; being an increase, coin-
pared with 1e44, of 49?-4 per cent. witain five years." No
doubt that was owing, in a considerable degree, to the effect
of that recent legislation of which the Honourable Gentle-
man complained. He would next take another article,
which, perhaps, did not enter so largely into the consumption
of the poor as those to which he had been alluding, but which
was, notwithstanding, a very important test of the condition
of the population. Ile alluded to the article of foreign
brandy. The importation of foreign brandy amounted, in
1843, to 1,052,030 gallons; in 1814 to 1,037,000 gallons; in
1845 to 1,076,000 gallons; the importation, during these
three years, immediately preceding the reduction of duty,
being nearly stationary. But the duty being reduced from 228.
there was an immediate increase of nearly 50 per cent.
—( Hear, hear.) In 1846 the quantity imported was 1,561,000
gallons, in 1847 it was 1,538,000 gallons, and in 1848,
1,632,000. And while this increase took place in the quan-
tity there had been no loss to the revenue, because whereas
the amount of duty on foreign brandy in 1841 was 1,201,0004 ;
the amount received for duty in IB4S, notwithstanding the
reduction of duty, was no less than 1,233,000/. The altera-
Uwe was, therefore, a clear gain to the revenue, and at the
same time a clear gain to the consumer.—(Hear, hear.) But,
perhaps, it might be supposed that this gain had been ob-
tained at a loss to the native and colonial spirit producer.
But was it so? Taking the three years before the reduc-
.ion in duty, and the three years that had since passed,
he found that the average consumption for the three years
ending with 1845, in this country of colonial spirits was
2,257,000 gallons; while for the average of the three yews
ending in 1848, the home consumption amounted to
2,999,000 gallons.—( Hear.) Again, taking British spirits,
the average home consumption for the former three years was
20,865,000, and far the latter three years 22,326,000. So
that the increase to which he had alluded in the importation
of foreign brandy'had been followed by no injury to either
the home or the colonial distiller any more than to the
revenue.—(Hear, hear.) He wished now to refer to another
return, which was conclusive as to the soundness of the
policy of this measure, which he had the satisfaction of pass-
ing through the Legislature, and which had been violently
opposed by the party of the Hon. Gentleman opposite, and
which was to have been attended, as they had been threatened,
by the total destruction of the native distiller, especially in
the northern part of the kingdom and in Ireland. Com-
paring the quantity of spirits brought to charge in the
years immediately before and after the passing of this mea-
sure, he found that there had been a diminution in this
country troea 5,298,000 to 5,266,432 gallons, giving a falling
oft of 32,481 gallons. But in Scotland, which was the first
place that was to be ruined, on the other hand, the quantity
brought to charge had increased front 8,400,000 gallons to
9,792,000 gallons, being an increase of 1,352,000 gallons;
and in Ireland the increase had been from 6,518,000
gallons in 1848 to 8,262,0e0 gallons in 1849 ;
being an increase of 1,743,000 gallons of spirits disilled
and brought to charge within the last year. There had been
an increase of 63,000 gallons in the spirits that had paid
duty on consumption in England inlB4B. In Scotland there
had been an increase for the same period of 198,000 gallons,
and in Ireland the increased consumption of spirits in 1848,
as compared with 1847, amounted to no less than 607,000
gallons.—(Hear.) During last session he had brought in a
measure empowering the holders of spirits in Scotland and
Ireland to s arehouse their spirits. This had, no doubt, the
effect of diminishing the duty, but it was of great use to the
distillers in those countries, and he found that 3 000 gallons
had been warehoused under it. During the last year, in
consequence of the facilities afforded by another Act which
he had introduced, 117,000 gallons of home spirits had been
expo! ted from this country. Thus, instead of the com-
plaints that used to be made of Dutch spirits being largely
imported into this country for exportation to the colonies,
he now hoped to see a new trade spring up and a large
exportation of native spirits in consequence of the
measure to which he had alluded.—(Cries of "Hear.")
He would now refer to one or two trades that it was said had
been utterly ruined by foreign competition, and one of which
he perceived had been put forward elsewhere in that light.
He would first refer to the articles of gloves. One of the
orators at the Protection meeting recently, said that the
glove trade had been absolutely ruined by competition with
France. But he found that, on comparing 1840 with 1846,
1817, and 1849, there had been an increase from 2,292,000
to 3,039,000 in the last year. He held in his hand a letter
frOm. one of the leading men in the trade—of haberdashery,
as he believed it was called—in London, written ihne
would
quence of this statement having been made, and
_
front the letter, stating
Honourable Baronet read an extract
beg to read an extract from it to the House.
r into the state of
(The Right
the glove trade,, and inquiry
smeyvery way favour-
that the writer had made particular
able to the liberal and enlightened policy latterly pursued,
and that the competition with French gloves had
tended to produce a marked improvement in the
manufacture in this country.]—(Hear.) That might,
he thought, he taken as a pretty conclusive
proof that the effect of foreign competition was to improve
the home manufacture instead of to destroy it, by forcing
the native manufacturers to make greater exertions than they
otherwise would have done, and thus ultimately to improve
their trade generally.—(Hear.) Precisely the same result
had taken place from the effect of the competition with
foreign silk. In 1845 the importation of silk manufactures
from Europe for home consumption was 416,2991 b.; in 1847,
407,3j718. ; and in 1848, 571,0341 b. The same gentleman to
whom he had already referred, said, •4 Speaking generally of
the silk trade of this country, no prejudicial effect whatever
has been produced by the last reduction of duty on foreign
silks (in 1846); but, on the contrary, a very beneficial one,
by bringing the manufacturers of this country more closely
into competition with the: French, and thereby calling their
skill into more active operation, by which the manufacture
itself cannot fail to benefit." He might read as many letters
of this character to the House as they pleased to hear.—
(A voice—"No doubt you can get as many letters as you
please.) It seemed to hint to be infinitely better to read
letters from persons who were well acquainted with
particular trades than to make a statement without the
slightest foundation whatever.—(Cries of "Hear," and
" Oh.") He did not mean to say that the Hon. Gentleman
opposite had no foundation for any of his statement& But he
would proceed with other trades that had been alluded toas
in a depressed state. First, with regard trade.
It to the iron
It was well known that that trade had been raised to? state_
E
of extraordinary prosperity by the enormous demandt
abroad. r that
article article for railways, not only in this country
only That demand had to a great extent ceased,
but more than
not
inlbis
country, but to a still greater degree abroad;
w,that,orks i n
the
wmhaatnuwfasactucarellresd had enormously
makeof
iron,and both of
es circumstances
increased their
united,, and 1,315,000 tons
at the present timien, rleBn4d3e, ret do
itth
ae
matter
ef
course
thatthe trade must be depressed.
He found that the make of iron had increased from
1,396,000 tons in s
1999,000 tons in 1847, and 2,093,000 tons in 1848, Now,
if that increased production went on without a correspond-
ing increase in the demand, but, on the contrary, the
demand has been checked both in this country and on the
continent, it was clear that prices must suffer.—(Hear,
hear.) Another of the trades that were said to have suffered
was glass. He found that owing to the great exertions that
the manufacturers had made, after the duty bad been taken
off, they had, as not unfrequently happened, overshot the
object, and the consequence was that they were now in the
same state as the iron manufacturers, with a supply greater
than the demand. But he held in his hand a letter from a
very considerable manufacturer, who thus expressed him-
self :—That gentleman stated that the glass trade had been
overdone, and that the admission of foreign glass was car-
tainly not the cause of the depreciation in prices. On call-
ing
for a return he found that the importation by no means_
accounted for the falling off in the trade. Of window glass
there was retained for home consumption, in the year end-
ing the sth of January, 1848, 4,694 cwt. ; and in 1849, 6,888
cwt. Of glass exceeding one-ninth of an inch in thickness,

all silvered or polished glaerkof whiterverthiciples, there was
retained, in 1848, 99,841 care,N eek Ankle littess49, 74,806
astnhh
ideprpef
owr
geal
square feet. Of white flint gills 'gbdets'celbept betties), not
cut or ground, or otherwise ornamented,, there watt retained
foreign
tradein
shipping
in 1848, 16,399 lb., and in 1849, 20,36 e lb. e Of. allefiint cut
glass, flint coloured glass, and . -Auer ornamental glass,
18i
n49e
d, 40,
a9u,4B,7l).Ueb.Tbe
tha Unitedn notwithstanding
n .within i
the
Ohanavdeindetl
accord-
ingly called for a return setting forth the quantity of:British
hthetahate
ehclaaskdtwetnivteiredsytehaerstha,eppapprieretteeitnedoedffoutnhred-e
peal of the navigation laws was said to have given' during
the last couple of years, that the amount of British shipping
had actually increased.—(Hear, 'hear.) The,-amount of
shipping belonging to this country, on the 3Oth -of,December
in each year, was as follows:—In 1845 it was 81,817; in
184 e, 32,499; in 1847, 32,988; arid in,1848 it was 33,672.
(Hear, hear.) Again, taking the entries for the first five
onths of each of these years, he found the total Abet had
been entered and cleared in British ports was as follows :
British
.vessels in 1845, 2,268,144 tons; in 1846, 2,240,643
p4aBps,i
nlg9 alsoi,esezi b
t.
tons; in 1847, 2,581,476 tons; in 1849, 2,627,055. tons;
and in 1849, 2,954,670 tons. With regard to foreign ship-
ping, in 1845 the amount of tonnage was 157,612,;, in 1848,
1.020,074; in 1847, 1,284,354; in 1849, 970,279; and in
1849, 1,127,667. The total entered and cleared in
1845 was 3,125,756 tons; in 1846, 3,260,717 ; in 1847,
3,865,830; is 1848, 3,597,334; in 1849, 4,230,337.—(Hear,
hear.) Ile therefore really did not know in what part. of the
questic e, so far as manufactures went, so far as the condition
of the manufacturing artisans went, so far as the trade and
commerce of the country went, so far as the employment of
their shipping went, so far, in fine, Eta the condition, of all
classes in the community, speaking generally, went, he did
not know what it was that he could have to add to what he
had already stated utterly to negative the argument of the
Honourable Gentleman, and the statement which he bad put
forward as to the distress which he bad contended pervaded
all classes.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.'") He, had shown
that wages were, generally speaking, higher, that the prices
of articles in general use were lower,that employment was
more general than for several years past, that trade and
commerce, both with regard to expatiation and to impor-
tetion had increased—and what other tests any manecould
see or call for in respect to the conuition of these branches
of trade he knew not.—(Hear, :hear.) Every test that
he could think of he had applied to them, and the result in
each case was, that, so far teom their being in thatastate of
ruin which the Honourable Gentleman wished to,miake ap-
parent, they were In a state of steady and progressive im-
provement:—stow to be sure, but more sure because it was
slow.—( +leer, hear.) He now approached that branch of
the case in which, no doubt, more difference of opinion would
exist, and with respect to which, he regretted to say, he
could not, speaking generally, give an equally good account.
He was speaking of the agricultural interest of the country,
becau e he must admit, as he had done on a former occa-
sion, that at any rate, in a portion of the agricultural districts
of the country, considerable distress unfortunately prevailed.
--(Hear, hear.) He found that there prevailed among the
farmers considerable complaints and considerable alserm—
more alarm, in fact, than in his opinion, was at all -justified
by the circumstances.—(Bear.) Great complaints were made
of the low prices of corn and meat. The price of wool,
which was a considerable article of agricultural produces was,
he believed, admitted to be higher than for some time past;
hut with regard to the other articles, how did the facts stand ?
First of all, with regard to the price of corn. He need not
state that wheat had risen 3s a quarter since May; -but he
would take the prices as they had stood at that period, as it
was the time when the Hoe. Gentleman had given notice of
his motion. Taking the five months before then, he found
the average price per quarter of wheat was 455. 3d. Now,
that was not at all a price unexampled in this country.—
(Hear.) Even in the most flourishing period of protection,
the price for a whole year and a half of the next year wall not
so high. But taking the price of wheat for the last three
years, he found that in 1846 the average priest was
545. 8d ; in 1847 it was 695. ed.; and in 1848,•505s 6d.,
being for the last three years an average of 58s. 34d.
Now, if these high prices had prevailed for three leers,
up to November last, the farmer, so far. Ron...being
ruined, ought to be in a state of prosperity.— (Hear;-hear.)
For it is not alone now in June, but so far back ae last Fe-
bruary, that the Hon. Gentleman had told them that the far-
mers were utterly ruined. Now, if they were utterly ruined
at the end of three years of extraordinarily high prices, what
were they to infer from the complaints that were put for-
ward? If the state of alarm were untrue, the farmers were
most reprehensible in raising it; but if it were true, let them
see what an unsound state of agriculture it disclosed, when,
after a period of three years of extraordinarily high prices
the whole agricultural community of the country was in a
state of ruin—( Hear, hear.) But taking the average price
for the five months of 1849, and comparing • it with the ave-
rage price fur the corresponding periods in 1834, 1835, and
1836, he found that for the present year, the average was
455. 3d., while in the former years it NUB 445. Bd. Again,
he fund that in 1845, the lowest price was 445. Id.,
and in the spring of 1846 it was still lower though
it had not reached near that amount in 1849. With
regard to the reduction in the price of meat, there was no
ground whatever for showing that it was owing to the im-
portation of foreign cattle; and if Gentlemen took the trouble
of inquiring into the matter, they would find that there had
been several periods at which the prices were quite as low
as at present. Taking the average prices 'for the last seven
years, from January to May, in the London market, he found
the results to be as follows :—Dividing the qualities into in-
ferior beasts, prime beasts, inferior sheep, and first-class sheep,
he Lune that since 1844 there'had bean at various periods a
considerably lower price under every head than atfpresent.
Now they had never heard daring these years of farmers
being ruined in consequence of -the low price of meat; and
yet, as the House would perceive, each of the articles were at
times lower than at present. Again, taking the prices of
prime pieces of beef and legs and loins of mutton on each
Lady-day for the same years, he found that there was a
considerably higher price in 1849, than in many of the
former years. Why, meat was actually higher now for prime
pieces than it bad been for several years past.—(Hear.)
He could not, therefore, think that this extraordinary
depreciation in agriculture, of which they were told, was
owing to any extraordinary low price of meat at the present
moment, still less could he think that it was owing to any
importation that had taken place of foreign cattle. The whole
quantity of foreign beasts imported in 1847 was 63,000, while
in 1848 the number had fallen off to 47,000, being a diminu-
tion of about 16,000 beasts in last year.—(Hear, hear.) Of
calves there had been an increased importation, the numbers
being 12,000 in 1847, and 15,000 in 1848. The importation
of sheep had fallen off from 139,000 in 1847, to 118,000 in
1848. If they took the present year, the importation would
be found to have fallen still more. During. the -first five
months of last year the importation had been 13,000, while
in the first five months of 1849, the number was may 9,900.
—(Hear, hear.) But the Hon. Gentleman had told them
that it was not the importation of foreign cattle, but the lin-
portation of salt pork and bacon that caused 'the reduction
in prices. No doubt a great increase had taken-place-in the
importation of salt pork and bacon, and it was verylortunate
that it had been so, and he would tell the House shortly why.
In 1846, the quantity of bacon imported wasill,96o cwt.,
while in 1818 the importation was 11,000. cwtel ell:gain, of
salt pork the quantity imported had been increased from
72,000 cwt. in 1846, to 252,000 cwt. ,in 1848.. That was a
great increase; but most glad was he that it had taken place,
and that the poor of the country hadehad :this-supply.—
(Hear. hear.) For what would they luife'done without it,
considering that they had been deprived of.thedasge supply
of pigs that annually came to this 'country from Rebind,
and on which the -operatives in the northern andmanttfac-
turing districts had been so long in the habit Of relying? He
would read to the House the falling off that tad taken place
in the importation of pigs. In the first half of the year 1846
the importation was 152,003 pigs, the sameperiod of 1847 it
was 45,000; 1848, 52,000 ; and- 1849, 27,000 'only. 'That
was a falling off of upwards of 120,000 pigs in -half a Aar.
The supply had, however, to a certain extent, been made up
by the importation of food from abroad. The result-wage:that
the price of bacon was higher now than it, had been', for
seine time, except last year. The price of bacon in the Smith-
wark market, which was a large market for the tonsump-
tion of working men, was, in 1845, 68s. to 62se the cert. ;
in 1846, 70s. to 635, ; and last year it rose to 88s. to 825.;
while this year it was 81s. to 755., which was higber
than it was in the years 1845 and 1846. Therefore, even in
the supply of bacon, the price was higher now than it
was two or three years ago. Now, Hon. Gentlemen-did not
like Leters, because they did not seem to like inforiaation
(A laugh)—nevertheless he would take the liberty of read-
ing a letter from a large farmer in Cheshire, who was one of
the principal salesmen in the Liverpool market.—(The Right
Hon. Gentleman here read the letter in question which attri-
buted the fall in the price of stock to excessive supply). Now
he ( the Chancellor of the Exchequer) thought that was
icom-
plete proof that the low prices of which thearettrvirausee
importation from foreign countries, but
and partly to a' de-
ficiencyaltributed partly to thee2CCOEI3 of supply
complaint could is no sense whatevertlet
they were
As trade was now
improving,
the manufacturing districts.
and employment becoming more extensive, he had little
in the demand,. at a time of great depression in
doubt that prices would improve. He had already stated
that the price of corn was rising. The experience of last
year had been no confirmation of the anticipations which
were previously indulged in as to the importation of corn. It
had been said that we ehould be overwhelmed with wheat from
the United etatetsand the Baltic; and yet it was remarkable
that the supply of last year had come from countries from
which nobody anticipated a large quantity at all. In the
last eleven months there had come from Prussian Poland
490,000 quarters; from France, generally speaking an im-
porting country, we received nearly 480,000 ; while from. the
United States, of wheat and flour together, there only came
513,009 quarters, and that after sufficient warning had-been
given to those countries that our ports. would be opene• so
that there was no reason why they shouldnot, if thercbuld
have done so at the prices, have sent cord to this-country.
No doubt the corn from France had been sent over 'under
extraordinauy circumstances, and there was no reason to be-
lieve that the importations from that country would be greater
than last year. Ile found on referring to the last accounts
of the quantity of corn in the 'United States, that no great
but he
amount had been brought down to the western countries and
t
in the principal markets of the seaboard; and the price at
12:I:that: the
While
ttohitshinisocmouTtrywasas actually
their isoiwnt
he mentioned that fact, he was not at ail anxious
for t
price of corn should rise to an extravagantto
home
seoanionsucumhfportieat
reaetreme alarm which
referred to it to show that the
ofstate
the
agricultural districts
no doubt prevailed in many Parts
extent to which f •
oreign court-
could not be attributed to the amount;
corn to this country. Another thing
tries were able to send ceo
how
far
the average •
they had to consider
depressedwa "by the state of the price in this
country had been
which everybody harvest in
the south a Englan , acquainted with that
the country knew was of a most extraordinary p aptf de-
In ordinary times
scrio n. the harvest in the south
is much earlier than in the north, and the farmers
in the north generally suffered from the wea-
ther. This was, however, reversed last year, as the bad
weather came at the time of the harvest in the south; and
he was not overstating the fact when he said that nobody in
that part of the country ever remembered so bad a harvest,
and so badly got tn. He had had last year several speci-
mens of sprouted corn sent to him, and he knew the crop
was badly got in, and was altogether of a most inferior
quality. That necessarily depressed the average price of
corn, and must be taken into account when they were con-
sidering the average price of corn. That also had to be
taken into account in considering the state of distress
which prevailed in the southern counties, to an extent
unknown elsewhere. He believed he was justified in stating
that the pressure did not exist elsewhere, and he thought
that was sufficiently accounted for by last year's harvest. A
friend of his, who had a large farm.inDoreetshire, and *he
also had mills on his land, had sent him an account of-the
yield of an acre of land on his farm in Dorsetshire in the years
1847 and 1848. The produce in 1847 WAS seven sacks, pro.
clueing 2501b5. of wheat each. The yield. in 1848 was five
sacks, producing 23015. each. The diminution was two
h
sacks an acre, and 201bs. of wheat in each sack. But when
the wheat waF, ground the difference was still more remark-
educed 2121b5. of flour, and S 8
able, because the first year prod :.S
lbs. of oils', whereas the second year produced 158Ibs. of
flour and 4llbs. of offal. The difference in price was 41s.
and 335. 6d. So that there was a diflerence of 51. 6s. 'per
acre between the twoyears. If the price had not fallen; still
the difference- would have been upwaids of 41. in the pro-
duce of the acre. That he thought sufficiently accounted
for the distress in the southern counties. But what was
the case in respect to the better description