The Sun.
London, England, 1812-03-19 00:00:00

SCARCITY OF CORN.

Mr. M. Fr.A.GENALD was unwilling to suffer.the
Slam which had b?en given of a scarcity of grain
in Ireland to continue to spread. It could not be
denied that in some counties a temporary deficency
had been felt, yet he believed such local deficiency
was correBed by the general produce of the country.
He, however, still thought it was incumbent upon
Government to dire& their attention to the subjea,
and if the alarm was groundless, to correct the im-
pression which had gone abroad. He was against
meddling with the Corn Laws, as the interference
of Parliament or of the Government with them, was
generally produdive of more mischief than benefit.
If the alarms which had been given were .well
founded, he thought it would be well to stop the
distillation from grain, as he understood a double
consumption was the consequence of a distillation
from grain being allowed. The effe& of this was
very bad, as the low price of liquors tended at once
to discourage industry, and to encourage immorality.
He concluded by moving for an " Account of the
number of gallons of Irish-made Spirits, on which
.fluty had been paid in Ireland,- from the sth of Ja-
nuary, 1811, up to the latest period to which the
same could be made out, distinguishing the districts
in which it was collected,_ and -the amount of the
duly paid thereon."
Mr. W. POLE said, that he had no objeaion to
grant the information required by the Honourable
Gentleman. In the general view which tae Hon.
Gentleman had taken of the subje&, he perfealy
agreed. He understood the Hon. Gentleman to state
that be did not think that there was any ground for
apprehending that there, was a scarcity of grain in
Ireland. He had taken every means in his power
to obtain (he most accurate information upon -this
subjeB, and he-was convinced there was no danger
of scarcity. It was true that the prices of grinl
were very different in d,fferent-parts of Iteland;sut
that variety of price did not arise from any deficiency
of grain. Very unpleasant circumstances had oc-
ourred in different parts of Ireland, where the people
had endeavoured to prevent grain from being sent to
the' Dublin market, under a mistaken notion that it
would cause a scarcity; but when a free intercourse
Was opened between the different parts of the king-
dom, the result was, that the markets were all sup-
plied, and the prices lowered. He was therefore
warranted in saying, that even in the distrids
aJ-
ltided to by the Honourable Gentleman, there was
no reason to apprehend a scarcity. He agreed with
the Honourable Gentleman that if there was any

ground to apprehend a scarcity, it would become
the duty of the Irish Government to stop the distil-
leries; but he knew, from information upon which
he could place the most perfeet reliance, thatall the
distillers in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick, were now
supplied with grain to carry on their business
to the fullest extent for ten weeks to come. The
Tegular time at which distillers ceased to work was
the Ist of June; last year they ceased on that day,
and he had no doubt that he could prevail upon them
to cease at the same period this year. As, they had

tht.rvfore already a sufficient supply of grain to carry
them ott till within a few days of the time at which ,
they would naturally cease 'working, there was no
reason to apprehend that they would come into the
Market, and by their purchases increase the price of
the article.. It should also be observed, that the grain
in the possession of the distillers was in such a state,
being either malted or kiln dried, or in some such
state of process, that it cupid not be made Ilse of
for the purpose of food, even if the distilleries were
sopped. He hoped; therefore, that the Honour-
able Gentleman would see, that the measure
which he had suggested could not tend in •any de-
gree to atiord any relief to the people of Ireland.—
The price• of grain had certainly risen in Ireland,
- but that was not owing to the distilleries, but to the
tree in ercoorse in grain which subsisted between
Great Britain and Ireland, and the price in the for-
mer country being so much greater than it*was in
the latter, a very great export naturally took place
front Ireland. He most highly approved of the free
intercourse in grain between the two countries. No
plan at all acquainted with the state of Ireland could
shut his ryes to the astonishing improvements uhich
ii3ci taken elacein the agriculture of that country in
consequence of the At proposed by the Right Hon.
Baronet opposite to him (Sir John Newport) for fa-
cilitating that intercourse: But when he stated that
tie price of wheat was t 6s. a barrel more in London
Shan it was in Dublin, it was impossible to suppose
.that a great export to this country should not take
place. Whether, if any serious scarcity were to take
t lace in Ireland, it might not be proper for Govern-
•tnent to take a review of the Att to which he bad
alluded, was another question ; but certainly, under
the present circumstances, he for one would not
consent to touch that Aet. G.mtlernen wefts not,
iperhaps, aware, that in the last year the import of
grain into this country from Ireland was in the pro-
' portion of one to three of what Great Britain im-
ported front the rest of the world, formerly the
average of the proportion was only as one to ten.—
.''he importation of graM into this country from Ire-
land was not only great, but it, was progressively
- increasing. The importation in ;he last four months
was greater than the whole importation of any one
preceding year, and the importation of the last
month was greater by one-tourth.than thepropor-

tion of the four months. tte did not think it tie.
cessity to take up more of the time of the Hoote,
as he did not mean to give any opposition to the
Hon. Gentleman's motion. .If any case of -scarcity
were to arise, the attention of the Irish Government
would of course be most closely diredted to the sub-
jeEt. At present he agreed with the Hon. Gentle-
man, that there was no ground for any such appre-
hension. The crop of potatoes,. it was true, Was
rather scanty, but they were of a good quality ;
and he was sure that, from the steps which had been
taken to enable the farmers to carry their produce
to, market without interruption, the prices of grain
in Ireland weiuld not increase, and therefore that
there would be no occasion for the interposition of
Parliament.

Sir J.-NEWPORT agreed with the last speaker,
that there was no Scarcity, and that the advance on
the price of grain was to be ascribed to the causes he
'bad mentioned; but expressed himself strongly
againit a maximum, which would have the effeCt of
producing the most injurious consequences. Agri-
culture would be much injured by such a measure,
as the farmer would not exert himself as he otherwise
would, where the law of maximm, like the sword
of Damocles, appeared suspended by a hair over his
bead. He hoped that no attempt would be made
to introduce a maximum upon the export from Ire-
land; but he was rather apprehensive, from some-
thing which dropped from the Right Honourable
Gentleman, that he had some intention- of that
kind.

Mr.W.-VoLa, in explanation, said, that the Right
Hon.. Baronet had misunderstood him ; what he
hnd said was, that in case of a serious scarcity in
Ireland, it might be proper for the Legtslavure to
review the Intercourse Aa ; but he certainly ne►er
had expressed the slightest intention of adopting a
►naximu►n.

Mr. MARRYATT hoped the same power would h&
vested in the Prince before the Session passed away,
to enable him to suspend the distillation of grain in
Ireland, which bad been given him of supending it
in England. -
The question was then put and carried.

Mr. M. FITZGERArD moved for accounts of the
quantities of Corn, Grain, Malt, Meal, and Flour,
exported from Ireland, from the sth linty Hy. 181 1,
up to the latest period lo which they could be made'
out, distinguishing the places from which they were
sent, and the ports to which they were carried.—
Agreed to.
The Irish Sugar Drawback Bill was read a third:
time, and passed.
The -Irish Militia Bill, the Irish Militia Families
Bill, the Bill for Granting Relief to the Wives of
St idlers embarking for Foreign Service in Ireland,
and the Bill for vesting certain Powers in the Coad-
jutors of Archbishops and Bishops in Ireland, were
read a second time, and ordered to be committed
to-morrow.

The other Orders of the Day were then dispos,:d
of, and the House adjourned.

From the LONDON GAZETTE, Mirth 17, 1512.