The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-22 00:00:00

E i a althgh"
There was not a general apprehension that there would ftverige crop of corn in the west of ng an t -eyed .
be insufficienty of food. With respect to this country, it might lie deficient in quality, but he el,
and indeed
t,e prices in October and in the course of November did that there was more than an average quantitY,
suifieient to supply the cluticier.ey of the potato cro!•
not show any very considerable apprehension with
With respect to the ri-e in price, whether 14
regard to the increase of the price of food, 1
as the prices of corn in the first tOrtnation were obtained through the contiguity of
week southern countries to the coast of France, it was we
of October
last year was 545., in the second week known by the farmers in those countries tat; the:
555. 10d., in the third 595. 10d., and in the fourth harvest in France was likely to prove very deficie that .. ,
a dearth in that country was likely to occur, and jaS 9
61s. 9d. ; in the first week in November the price It wa
was 61s. 3d., in the third 595. Bd., and in the there would consequently be a rise in pr!ce•
fourth 593. This - shows rather a decline than notwithstanding that, however, the farmers hat ' #
therefore, anticipated that this rise would take lila,,coen: ,
did tie.'
an increase of prices from the middle of October to the tinned to send their corn to market, and they -
eand of November; but, Sir, from that time there has been hesitate to do this, although they had reason to eX.
(Leughtifr.!
very considerable rise in prices-a rise of prices very peet a greater return for their grain.-
considerable indeed, and of alarming character, the,.
when
the nature of
as it did, • immediately at the time of the bar- takenle bi,anthteoffrcioernnds
this country, the prices of corn in other natTiii.
would be guided by the prices in the Eng; it
rest.-(Hear.) The Frice of wheat in the month
markets. Such appeared to be the case novf, °that'
X August, I think, was 475.; on the Ist of September
was: to other and more distant countries
ovi,
it was 495.; but the price has risen in the course of the
present month-in the first week in January to 645. 4d.; they looked to for the supply which wagon of.
wouldP
rt quired. lie had the sincere satisfactio ....d
in the second week to 665. 10d., and the week's average, a free,' able
to the 16th of the present month, was 70s. 3d. expressing on the present occasion a full,
entire concurrence in the proposition of the .0°.„0,
The returns show that for some years past there has
been a great increase in the price of barley. In Janu- Lord. He shared with him in the oPPrehellslovil
that no great benefit would result from the sasPensiefit
ary, 1342, the price of barley was 295. 7d., in rboetecfelttto::
of the duty, but if there was the smallest ben'no.
1843, 265. 5d., in the first week of 1844, 325. 7d., 1845,
to be derived, he agreed with the Noble Lord in sor id .
345. 2d., 1846, 31s. 11d.• in the first week of 1847, 445.
3d., second week, 465. 5d.,' third week, 50s. This 50s. did that they would be to blame if they
Ile thought
not represent the true price at the present time. sir, I have the supply of corn for one moment.
the time which the Noble Lord had deternoilled °l,ecl,
said that this rise in the price has been in a great degree
the remission of the duty was rather lengtbt.,4,
unexpected by those who are engaged in the trade. I
hut they must, of course, believe that her
.',ll.
will draw attention also to the state of the grain market
jesty's Ministers had exercised a sound discreryued
in France. I hold in my hand the report of the Minister of
All he had to say was that for his part-and be
side of
Agricultural Commerce in France. In last year there he spoke the sentiments of others on that 1 "Roy
was a restriction on the supply in the grain of that
the House-that they did not anticipate been
country ; nor was it in these countries alone
great good from this concession. It ember for
that the deficiency in the supply of grain was gemee
orth
said by the Honourable and Learned
experienced, to which he would immediately refer.
Bath, that the Right Hon. Member for Tara:" to
I have mentioned that in various parts of Scotland and
was entitled to the greatest praise with relere- ee -
Miser
withoe..
Ireland there had been, as was well known, a great fail-
the famine in Ireland. All he had to i thf.o
ore of the potato crop, which has given rise to that great
with reference to that , observation °` esieht
distress of which we have heard so much, and which we
Hon. and Learned Gentleman was, that when the
any'
all so deeply deplore. lam speaking now of the effect
lion. Member for Taneworth had profosed they?,
which this great failure has produced upon the general
thing for the relief of the famine in lieland,ea it.
supply of food, and the want which it has caused of an
on that side of the flouse had not OPP°Sh to
additional supply of corn and other grain in the country.
One of the measures in regard to wh`e woe
Various statements have been made as to the actual
Right Hon. Member for Tamworth had mete did
amount of the loss occasioned by the failure of
the potato crop. In money value, however, I Sidon from them was the Coercion Bill- ;Weed.,
not indeed know whether his Hon. and Learanere weal
think that the general average estimate is not less than
twelve millions sterling. I do not hesitate to say that considered that the passing of the Coercion P",etee to
relieve the famine in Ireland, but he would beg
~-ea all
a less sum than from lour to five millions
would be required for the purchase of food, remind the Hon. and Learned Member, and ilsue ne it
of one description or another, to supply the de- Members in the House, that as regarded the hadftubioriveletileS.
Ireland, the Right Hon. Member of Tatnworth , eve
ficiency. I have already stated, that during the
with no opposition whatever to any
past year we have had a supply of 4,800,000 quarters of
mired relief to that unfortunate country, for the sci jr
corn from foreign countries ;hut, with reference to the
tural Members had over and over again expressero,bal
supply that we may have to obtain during the desire to consent to all suspension of the duty o° Ve-ober;
remainder of the year, and before the next harvest, it
their overtures were rejected by the Right 1100. , ors'
is to be considered that there are but very few parts
Ireland had, therefore, nothing to blame any agr'e.,,oo is
of the world from whence that supply can come,
Members for, and the committee might Tel)* "4:1)e say •
There has been a great deficiency in the harvest in
those Members would never stand in the WI tee to
France, Germany, and a great part of the west of Eu- measure that was calculated in ,the slightest eg , • ,
rope. Measures have been taken in most of those coure
benefit Ireland. et Ow
tries to supply that deficiency by the admission of corn
Sir H. W. BARRON regretted that the preset- oil
free of duty. A law has lately been passed in France
sure had not been brought forward before. 1,4 per,
by which the importation of wheat is allowed free of
parts of Ireland the price of wheat was S'elestes,
duty, and also allowing all ships of foreign
quarter, Bs. or 9s. higher than even those,,4 fit' •
nations to enter the ports of France. Similar measures
by the Noble Lord himself, and bearing I.`" ides .
have been passed in other countries, and in others the
in mind the committee would have !°l33Trelant
exportation of corn has been prohibited. The stock
on hand in this country was very low, and it of the destitution of the people of -falai]
was naturally expected that prices would be when he told them, that with perhaps is„ a is,'
of five, six, or seven children the highest vrogi`tiio pis
high. There are two. quarters from which a
bourer could earn was 10d. per day. Why, were at°
quantity of corn may be expected to this country ; one
own knowledge, in his own vicinity, not only 1'1" witig
of those is Odessa. A large supply has already
hundreds but thousands of unfortunate Pe°l3,l of I
been sent to France from that port, in copse-
upon one scanty meal, and yet labouring uPwa',.: eitbe'
quence of the importation having been so
hours per day. They could not afford any 101 Thil, 0'
greatly encouraged. I cannot speak accurately
for themselves or any one of their
of the quantity which has been imported, but at least
was a fact which he stated upon his own 4hseenst•;..
700,000 quarters have been imported, and there is no
without the slightest hesitation. He was c,,tl he: '•
doubt that a further supply will be sent in the spring, and
of two relief committees in that district,::"Lito' ~,
made available to meet the deficiency of this and other
the means of knowing the dreadful ati. rot: ~-.,
countries. There has been a pretty fair average crop in
which existed in every part of that neighboarl'°? 0 tb,r's:
America of all sorts of corn. The harvests of wheat have
liament bad no idea of the terrible destitnT pabeieto
been abundant, and the quantity of Indian corn grown
pervaded Ireland, while, from what he reed in t7,60/11
is, perhaps, the largest ever known ; but, at the same
prints, the people of England appeared yet aue"milllim,
time, we required a very great part of that
of the dreadful condition in which the unfortunasehe eity,°' ....
supply to be sent to this country. however,
of Ireland were living. On Thursday last, ill the
rein;,,PPoi:
ships have been sent from Liverpool and other
Waterford no less than 107 applicants were ot
places over there with the intention of bring-
mission into the union workhouse solely on The pliVi,
ing to this country that supply of Indian and other sorts
of corn. Now, it appeared to me that such being the the want of sufficient room to locate thew' dstgenr
sician reported to the board that it would be, e-, bale-.2
state of the supply to this country, and such being the
to the lives not only of the applicants them
state
01 ;si
deficiency, it tad been found that we ought to remove
the inmates of the house from the crowded statastlinci
every impediment which was in the way of a supply to this farailietaioriov,
wards if they were admitted. Under these circa
.400t2:,
country from foreign ones. It appeared at first that the
they were forced to refuse admission to the 107 alNir OZ,
duty of 4.5. per quarter was not considered very large but he was glad to say that the board, af3ll, their
eillii '''
and the importation of last year shows that it did
responsibility, had since taken another builainb,...(trio:,
not prevent considerable importations of corn ; but
of accommodating a considerable number innte't,he ,6 ,
there are circumstances and cases in :which that
of " Hear, hear.") There was not alnengtiegit ~fof
'
duty might, to a certain extent, limit the supply
tlemen who attended the sessions one dissenejoseo• g
brought to this country. For instance, it was for some
when the proposition was made for taxing ' soerl'ipt
time a very nice balance between the prices of corn in
the relief of those poor persons who iveleiequell,tA
this country and France. For a short time, English
under the distresses that had been justly an," :a Snip a
wheat was sent from the eastern counties of this country
set forth. He was one of those who v a 09 1.--
to France, but that exportation lasted a very short time
upon himself a taxation of 28s. in the Potl the et
as the prices rose, and the balance was the other way., property of the baronies for the pport.o'd a regiv
When prices rose in France corn in bond here rose to for only three months of the year. support-
asellh° playedi'
within Is. of the price, so that the 4s. duty would mate-
rially alter the destination of many cargoes. For instance, laity at the sessions where he resided, and
supposinga the price at London to be 625., and the price where the country entlemen were aectis ea
it better
Havree to be 605., the price at Havre would make to assemble, and whsgre these matters Vieresonee,
gulated and he had not seen one single 4tiol
thabntteriTcrth the importer's while to carry it there
where a landlord had set himself up in oPPstsi
bring it to London with a duty of 4s. Supposing
that tthoe same circumstances occurred to France, and a to the principle that property was bound to
eall.o
similar duty existed, it wculd hardly preventthe poor • and yet they were told gravely by th yi:o4,
any
great quantity from being brought to this
but at present the restriction imposed by country, hand in that House, by some second-hand brigheir
the
(Laughter)-that they had not performed
totrif
4s. duty causes a considerable difference of this co'untry,and that statement was retailed sec;,./.
in the quantities brought over into this countrym. duties in reference to the poorer classes of their:e°ooel
and that they were miserably deficient in all tile,tied to
It is hardly in my power to say what quantity which they owed towards those who were elteilitf•
possibly come into this country through the suspensionay relief from the more affluent portions of the cow. iimt thers
of the present duty, but, whatever the quantity He asserted it without fear of contradiction, toler ogore
may be, if it adds to the stock of food fur the
consumption, it is worth our while to legislate was not in the whole world a class who hade 00°Ce
ep;
for it. Sir, in order to afford every facility for the in- liberally forward towards the support 0- „di tli ti,
or had acted more magnanimously towit'ocossis,,
troduction of foreign grain, we propose that in regard than the landlords of Ireland on the present , seed
to corn the duty at present levied shall be suspended till
They had done this in the mode that vvas ines"roce 1,
the Ist of September in the present year. That is the able, and which clothed the act with proper 500.69;„
proposition of her Majesty's Government. We shall dignity, for they had done it liberally, and w oat we
leave to Parliament afterwards to consider whether it is So !
co be
distinction of party or sect.-(Hear.)
expedient to continue the suspension, or to revert to the calamity that impended over his unfortunab7yet be 0.,
the law which is at present in operation. Ido not think yet he could not help thinking that it Wig d resell/be;
thatto any party in this House should oppose the proposi- considerable advantage to that country', senrent ine its
C n we have made.-(Hear, hear.) In regard from many of the horrors that were state Ste
eleht
to the advocates of the corn-laws, it has never organization of the country, and the vitiate(' ig see.ig .
been contended by them it was not admissible to suspend political condition, and he trusted that speetlil'loo ofeb'io
the principle when great emergencies arose. In 1756, be delivered from the horrors that now cast a gaonears,,ge
in 1766, in 1790, in 1791, and in 1800, these laws were Mr. GOIILBUR,N would not follow the •'',,, beest-est
suspended, and yet the Governments of those times Baronet throughout the details of his addre:h; grese,ell
were advocates of protective principles. With regard to where 1. os ;hp
he had recently arrived from a place
those who are opposed to restriction, and who have
argued that in February, 1849, the duty shall be distress prevailed, and consequently he , the r Stt
able to depict the nature of the sufferings °' cot eLoti
reduced to ls., they can have no difficulty to the House. It was perfectly natural tor ifg0,,,211
in relation to this proposed suspension, because the so situated, to press, in warm laugh'', eaPeoles
cannot hold that that which they consider a bad law,y the House the dreadful nature of the it elated
even in times of good harvests and abundance, should b which had visited his country, an iris ill': the
a good law now, when there is a great pressure, and a
lamentable deficiency of food.-(llear, hear.) Sir, equally natural that he should feel tiP°" ite
reflecte
oto too
at statements a hich, in his opinion,
I now pass to another subject intimately connected character of his countrymen, and that be s,„/1 13°$,fitee
with the present question-I mean the navigation the earliest opportunity of contradicting the#l,";t be, of
laws. With respect to those laws considerable difficulty
; Honourable Baronet would not suppose '„iferin6o;seci
importing grain into this country, arising from the high in the least degree indifferent to the s" eeer he
that country if he (Mr. Goulbourn)a iyhiebtieh
rate of freights in the United States of America. This
difficulty has been enhanced by the demands of the Anse his opinion that that was not the occasion ° iota sibs
should have taken an opportunity of enterilelt fort 0
rican Government for vessels to transport troops and muni- a discussion.-(Hear) They all knew ar,florerl the oil
tions of war to the coast of America, considering the num- distress existing in Ireland, and consul; eara lills
ber of vessels that is necessary to supply carges of corn was the duty of England to come -I.
Pl°' Ile
sufficient to meet the demands of this country for provi- to relieve the distresses of the Irish Coe. tile
sion. The rate of freights has been greatly raised.
What is the ordinary rate of freight compared with what had but a single observation to offer to the "--bich AI
it, is now ? The ordinary rate of freights at entirely concurred in the Pleasure w thoscio.
Dant is is 10s. per quarter; at present the charge is from Noble Lord had proposed, and b,seat liecarouse
16s. 6d. to 17s. The ordinary rate at Odessa is Bs. ;it is al-o that it was most essential that t"'" peg,oo
at present 13s. In the United States of Amtrica the ordi
Fromnary rate is 55.; auto present time it is from 12s. 6d. to 13; rence should be universal, and that that c;9•00 otire
should carry with it to the people -a COfigaierJe Of the
the Baltic the freight is 3s. 9d. to 4s interest e hich England felt in the Weil34f of elol
• 6d. land. He would not, however, avail 2)eelise-bss (40140,,
There are some instances of freight still snore
able and still more affecting the supply of coernretomalrrhe-- opportunity to advert to the past pro' „est Neat&
from foreign countries. I shall quote one House with respect to this subject, ex;riie...,r Mies
land
instance ; the freight of a quarter of wheat from Lon- that the adoptionof such a step at a° , &Inc The
eon to Cork varies generally from ls. to ls. 2d., would have gone far to have alleviated ',".,100e) Nisei'
which :it was not prepared to met t.-re lire ?
per quarter, at the present moment it averaged from 3 question they had to consider was-werLe 000`: ia
to 3s. 6d., and there is considerable difficulty in finding. or not to derive advantage from tPe,,id nc:lios
vessels for the purpose of exportation. By a lower rate To it he gave his entire assent, and be c°.l,-0 edel'hovo
of freightage we shall be able to employ some more of doing so, help expressing his regret, that ;
our vessels, frsni whence we anticipate much good to of such a course, at an antecedent perioe 1 geee kea
result.-(Hear, hear.) When we reflect upon these been most advantageous ;as at the Prehsen 0 1°,,°11e,1;
facts, and consider the whole of the circumstances,
lam sure that the House will join with me in thinkin grain of the" foreign countries to whlic- °by -,tiet 11'
for supplies; was already engageu „jeo; ;or'
that these restrictions should not exist. I shall, there-g purchasers who were cometing for its Poss`h-teicr: 0
fore, propose a suspension of these laws. With
aWnyit,h reosopehctt
the
es
continuancem ost desirable
of tot obtainhe
duty
ot possession of wi," dOielir
to the present state of the law, it is not my inten- plus remained through the suspension of t"e hose 5-.
tion to say what alterations,
pmightapplied
occasionto other
ecill 'flee
hadgthairsdastofr the naviritsi fre:ef
lions ought not to exist.-(Hear, hear.) Ido not mrelacn-
or tos for
ef:t hrteu;l2:l3Pol tbile_2l
to enter into any unnecessary argument, pro-
yoke any hostility by any observations of mine,
I will therefore conclude by moving that the Chairman getting corn into France;
.and, t
.r 101,:ns tlx_Aopi
wthoeuldsamhaeveadhvandtage with their suweot ....°;taace'
propose the necessary resolution, which will enable me
to propose a suspension of the corn and naviigeatriosnielgaan•ts:.
ships
such s a
be course.
carrieda
had stated, that
Mr. BANI(ES said he felt no difficulty
totradt . o n, butcould
upon this suspension of the corn-laws he anticipated would
p were in formed arf FrancerttrowilominnttchnelAegha ''rr
Ile, hadile eirr-:tthfe° 1.
porte° 3P
e t
thatiendedc i l i 10
discussion. He was not wrong in his antici •
it was his opinion that the Noble LP
be derived from thebeen 0 on
the
the navigation laws of France had,,,seiv. vor
pnaostsienxgpoefetthmisumeheabsuenreefiotthsehrowuiside
Parliament would have He thought that in order to keep la' onslon, vise
eual footin with fo •
been called together at an earlier period.- (Hear, hear.) navigation duringh
laws tee urgent period i, ee 00e it
ren countries, the s,roPf'd-istres could
oula
L. t to
The Prime Minister could not but be awl that if he, mostasehtc e 0 he
measure quite necessary, antip from
50 i
ow,
tbhiosught it expedient to pass
in the course of his duty,
power to have called the dissent, and for his own' art he did assent that t,,t
freely. At the same time he was e Isnel eif
such a measure, it was yin'
might, indeed, be • tiue th
toat he took the
Legislature together-it
such a course would have been inconvenient Noble Lord and the House would not suPP:es-pursse.ruoi
to throw obstacles in the course about to .0,- at' of
the. Irish Members-but the English representatives• f ceSerYl I'ooll ~
present opportunity o P sop,' ene.
consented on the behalf of
Irelandn prtoovtehde
would have
proposition, or any other, which would have
at once cheerfullyf cOrn
into himself the quesOon of any further inferrer or
wthiethntahveimgathioenrealaftwers: or'eitboefrpirtot htilistietianagaatt% elle /31
to them was for the benefit of Ireland.
for
not respect
thought
the Noble Lord had less excuse _disci.- 1,00
notbee But
callingh he
sideefredantoy
. strictness of these navigation laws, by the , from ergo
boethperereleetieimdmfroodritY:yote ;bey:mile
Parliament together at an earlier period give that night; nor should he be, elude" ware
pre ~, ee :ent
for an
alteration
in the n • '
navigation laws. Th •
been told They had dering any point that might arise wit" the isees.e...
_. that there was plenty of grain set them, by what might take °'l ;veto"
different parts of the world, and • this rto e%.
difficulty
that was to be met with w
consequently the only occasion.; He thought it right to put ill further et
Ibo-
as a want of the With respect to there laws, he had on'Y then Ile of
were ersr -
means of conveyance, and that ' difficulty could only be press his ho tl f.'; the measures they the i, if.
obviated by the -
suspension of the navigation laws. The to take ns flit be the f allaying _,.„
means o ere eow '`"s,,
Ministry might have obviated that
that . on a° di.-
calling Parliament together shortly after the proroga- fering under the greatest depths of pri shish the
with these
tion last yea •r, and, as he had before observed, if •
it had tress would see, in the readiness wl .ve, uP nost
been inconvenient for the Irish Members to attend, the f '
erent interests in this country had gt Lied os " a
English Members were ready, on the part of points for which onten-- e-
they had heretofore e .oonl e . h
Ireland, to attend for the sanction of tile sus .' -hesitatto wins
important, witout a moment s _, of A'- em-
pension of the navigation laws. His information evidence of theist rong and liberal feeting_i of
differed from that of the Noble Lord with respect to the Parliament to those of its subjects in noY 13''
last harvest. H 9 - - b
elieved that there was more than a