The Sun.
London, England, 1813-10-29 00:00:00

On' the, PRESENT fU PRICE rf MIEAI

" Bone and Shin,
thin,
Would it,ti've'alown orticdr it;
• But be it known ••-;ti
To Skin and Bone,
.
and blood won't biar it."—Braom.

Mn. ILatron,---Your readiness to'admit comma-
iiications on this momentous subject, intitles you
to the thanks of the Public, and 1 trust will he
acknowledged by commensurate encouragement of
your excellent Paper.
It is desirable, when,n remedy for a mischief
complained of seems so 'difficult to be obtaiued,
that the cause of the evil be well.aseertaiued,, and,
to gSe. 4 vulgar expression, the saddle be placed.
On the right'horse.---Great thanks and praise are
due •to the Loan 'MAYOR for his unwearied en--
dearour to secure to the inhabitants of the metro-
polis the benefit of the blessing Providence has
bestowed on this land by a plentiful harvest. The
Public naturally 'expect a reduction in the prices
of bread, corresponding with the decline in the
corn prices.
The option to "Set the Assize either according
to the average prices of wheat or flour resting with
his Lordship, and flour being out of proportion
higher than wheat, it was must eligible-to choose
the wheat prices for the, Assize of Bread to be
settled at. The-Wardens of the Bakers' Company,
accompanied by 6. or 700 bakers, remonstrate,'
against this proposal, and requested his Lordship
would, as usual, let the AS3iZC be regulated by
the prices of flour ; stating, that they would be
otherwise ruined, because they only bought flonr,
and serer purchaSed Wheat; as the millers did not
grind 'wheat for hire, selling flour; and the mil-
lers'refused to sell, at present, at lower prices
than those at present returned : that if the Assize
Was fixed by .the cs'heat prices, they, the bakers,
must, give over following their business, as it
Would be ruinous to them.
Front, whence then- arise all -their
Answer, from the miliers having determined to
insist on their own prices, without reference to,
the lower wheat prices, well knowing the bakers
can only be snpplied through them : and-the mil-
lers being fewer in namber than the bakers, can
more readily contrive to tik and uphold prices of
flour, as the real and only' middle men and. thus
let the benefit of tile harvest centre in their own
pockets, at the expellee of the consumers. These
facts the disproportiOnate prices of flour clearly.
evince ; it' is an 0v..1.-clearged delieacv, that
such a matter should he la under' a
and not stated in its true colours, lest these men
should be talked of according to- their deserts,
when the object ,So 'eminently concerns the public ,
weal.
Another material consideration -IS,' who are.,
these 6 or 700 bakeis said to surround the Lorin-
MAYOR, raising d'elanionr, and alm'Ost threaten-.
'ink that if the wheat .prices are taken fiir the cri-
terion of the Asiza, they wilt give over baking?),
and thus distress the metropolis ? Why the eus-,
touters of one or two millers, set on purposely.
td intimidate his Lordship', as to the likely,con-
senuences, if he fixed the Assize contrary to iteir
wisbeS, though permitted by the itiws sv to do,
and it appearing. most condueiye to the, public;
benefit.
It has been lately pnblielvnotieed in the Papnrs,',
that one single miller hall' a thousand; 1: say tine
thousand " bak6.s as his customers, under
elutches A than so situated can readily com-'
nand 6 or 709 of his subjects to play ihe farces
they have done at the MausionhOuse, and at
'Lord have done at the Mnusion-luiuse, anti at
'Lord Sxnssov'i'u's. The greater number of these,
men may have done this very innocently, being
awfully impressed' by fear ' for their Lord, the.
miller.'

'Another instance,: as to what these Gentlemen.
can do :--It nay stated; a 'few clays agO,',,in the;
public letter from Mark-lane, '' that after the.
millers had Sold as much flash' as they. wiSbed!
" to sell, the prices of flour were afterwards re-,
" duced five shdlitigis per sack." '
It Certainly Avill not be denieti s change ought
to take place, and the proceeding put 'a stop to.,
It' this ‘systein has not formerly attracted so titmek
ienernt iruitiee n's just now, it is;to be remarked,
:that formerly the imports of foreign flour, 'chiefly.
American, restrained the w:erbearnigness of theSe
middle men; and gave the independent baker's in
additional ehtnitiel to slipply their wants,"to the
no 'small :displeasure of the Millers, who in”.tle a
great attempt to stop, the interloPers Car the itt-.
:tore, by getting a clause' CO be iukerted iii the
•Corn Bill,, fortarrarely fOr the consumers- of bread,
'lost in the. Cithimons last Session ; by which.
clauscit was theantto he enacted:---t hat no fOreigit,
flour of aOy • kind iihould be 'allowed to be int'.
ported- at any: ditty whareVer.- If this elanse
taken trect, ttwn indee;l the consuraer.,,i would
have been cisinel to the in:Hers' waggoto, and
.the excuses arising :frou want of wind at one;
time, and of water fte .another,' .givett room for
all the varlatiOU in ebnvenient to be in-
flicted.

lia
ati "Evening roper of the. I ltii:inst. isia cal-
culation the Laity ATAVOK.Pu.:oikr:e•Ll:the Bread
Committeewith; provnig, that the wheat avera,,e
price being per yorter, fine fliiar could rie
delivered'arOs..per sack, iiclnalitr al. pet quar-
ter for grinding,:rind tid-. per cs:irftr for
ehttrges or cartage and. profit of capital employed
by the.Aitiller 'it 'Middleman sleverthele:,i the
average price of the flour was 90s, per sack, and
Isis; Lordslifp Waft rte.e:es,,itated to fixf the assize by
this Average of 90s.
the minor or tneatman had A prnfit, inde
-
pendent of the charge of grindng, of' 265.5.1.. per
quarter, '6l. 31 1 -13tly per cent, on the co,t'or the
wheat at. B 5 per quarter.
My letter liac Mready as,inmed an tinrealonable
length, but I hope the subject will exeny.e it ; as, 'd
I probably tholl in my next give afew
plieableras remedies to the evil complutnt,:
1 am, Sir,
Voltr obedient sefoit,
A