Star.
London, England, 1825-12-06 00:00:00

CORN AND CORN LAWS.

. .
TO THE EDITOR OF THE lITAIL
• Wt. 1, 1 egg.
Stit•l On quite aware of the pert taken by the Eon-
dos daily Press oti the vital siuettion Of the Corn Liws,
and although 1 did not see the observations in your PA•
per, which call forth the praise of your Correspondent
H. A. W. it is to be presumed that they are in perfect
accordance with the.ealightened and liberal sentiments
which his letter contain..

He begins by the following assertion and query ; "Our.
population is increasing at the rate of 200,000 every
year, and allowing a quarter of wheat as the annual con-
sumption of, each person, where are the 200,000 qrs. this
year, the 400,100 qrs. next year, &c. &c. to come from,
if we are not to import from foreign countries ?" The
existing 14w expressly provides for our importing from
them, whenever the puce rises beyond what is sufficient
(and barely so) to keep our immense agricultural popu-
lation in employment. With the increased demand,
will c •me the increased supply.
That " many of our pastures have already been con-
verted into arable land," is so far true—that during
the unnatural high price of corn (which I hope neve, to
see return), much upland pasture, or sheep down, was
ploughed up ; but during the time of ruinously low
prices, a great deal of land went out of cultivation,
and we know the dres3ful distress which this °mt•
sinned amongst our agricultural lablurers and their
fantilie,. It is net, however, true that this has enhanced
the price of meat. The higher and lighter lands
are chiefly cultivated by all good farmers under the
turnip and green-crop system, which enables them to
keep larger flocks of sheep than they could otherwit#
do. The real cause of the present enhanced price of
meat is the late severe agricultutal distress, which
compelled the farmers to force their stock into the
market in greater num%ers, and at a far ember age,
than they ought to have done. From the obvious con-
sequences of this we have not yet recovered. There
was also last year a general and extraordinary morta-
lity among the sheep from the rot, many farmers losing
their whole flocks. " Improved machinery" has been
introduced to a limited extent, but by no means gene-
rally. The advantages have been great as far as it has
gone, and unless a death-blow is given to our compa-1
rative returning prosperity, these improvements will,
doubts spread over the kingdom by degrees.
In his next paragraph, your Correspondent observes,
" The agriculturists tell us, so far honestly, that they
are unable to supply us with food under a certain
price, varying generally from 68s. to 755. per quarter,
even in years of plenty." In answer to this I have
only to say, that the present average of the twelve
maritime counties is only 645. for Wheat, and conse-
quently the average of the whole kingdom is very much
under that sum—and yet the farmers do not com-
plain ; but being just enabled to live and afford em-
ployment to their poor neighbours (at about a third or
four th part of the wages received by manufacturers and
mechanics), have again and again declared, that wish
the protection afforded them by the present law, they
'could continue to supply the country with food, at
prices, under which all interests (their own, certainly,
far least of all) are flourishing. The next sentence has
already been answered. The' human means'of sup-
plying our increasipg population with bread, under a
rapidly improving agriculture, and the resort of foreign
import when arrived at a certain price, •sto
ciently obvious.
It is unnecessary to enter into the argulnent
b ittaiisZ
to the " prohibitory laws," made for trade and otamo'
factures, the beneficial consequences orwhieh !I. A.
points out, and so far proves himself no, friend to ihy
new-fangled doctrines, where they interfere with what
we must presume to be his own immediate interests.
We British Agriculturists are not so ambitious as to
chink of supplying Europe with corn. We only main 7
taro that we are able to furnish our own working classes
with bread at a price so Moderate, that though it
may just allow our agricultural poor to exist
by their labour independently of parochial support,
yet enables the self-styled operatives, not only to be
drunk and idle two or three days in every week, but
to combine and strike for higher wages, when receiving
from 4s. to 7s. and Bs. per day.
Your Correspondent's last argument, I think, Mr.
Editor, that even you will allow, is hardly worth an-
swering. " The annual enlargement of cities and towns,
the erection of villas, the making of plantations, gar-
dens, new roads, canals, Stc." and " the high price paid
for land taken for such purpeltes," is, at least, pretty
strong evidence of the flourishing state of the country
under our present " oppressive corn Laws." When the
anticipated period arrives, that very large portions of
hour arable lacd will be taken fur these purposes, the
remedy will, no doubt, be found for it.

1 am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A MAN OF KENT.

The Bank is said to have discounted to the amount
of one million sterling on Thursday.
Some thieves stormed the Rev. RowLmass HILL'S
pantry on Sunday, during Divine Service, and stole the
whole of the eatables intended for the Sabbath. dinner.

The account which we paragraphed from .1 Morning
Paper, touching the pecuniary difficulties of Mr. EL-
Limit:, is asserted, by Mr. Roatas, to be erroneous In
most of its particulars. It is not true that his theatrioal
property was offered to mortgage ;—hhis debts are con-
siderably under the amount stated—and Mr. ELLISTON
has not assigned his interest in Di ury-lane Theatre to
his sans. The meeting did take place, and the creditors
(to the amount of 12,000/4 present, expressed themselves
favourably towards Mr. ELUSTON.
The master of the Buxton Hunt, in Lincolnshire, Sir
MOHAIR]) SUTTON, Bart. is now confined with a broken
thigh, occasioned by a fall from his horse; and CHRIS-
TOPHER TOWERS, EA. of Weald, in Essex, by the
fracture of four ribs ; and his elder son, Mr. Coats-
TOPHER Towzas, jun. by a broken collar-bone, which
two latter Gentlemen aie now confined at Lincoln. •
TAUNTON.—ne .number ref xi* looms in this town
'amounts to about 1,000, and 200 in the vicinity. Each
loom is computed to give employment to two persons,
is that the warpers, winders, quillers, and weavers,
eluding those persons employed in the throwing mills,'
tin the manufacture of organzine silk, amount to not
fewer than 2,500 persons. Toe,annual returns of the
silk trade in faunton may be estimated at n less than
150,0001. The wages alone are about 10001. per week.
The trade is at present in se prosperous a state, that
nothing but the 'want of suitable houses for the artisans
employed prevents it from being doubled.
Winchester and its mighbourhood were visited by a
more violent storm on Monday night San has been
' experienced for many months. The thunder and light-
ning were incessant and truly awful, while hail-stones
,of an enormous sire poured down with the utmost force.