Star.
London, England, 1801-07-04 00:00:00

SEVENTH REPORT.

The Committee appointed to confider of die
prefect- High Price of Provifions, and to Report
the fame, with their Opinion thereupon, from
time to time, to the Houfe :
Have proceeded to confider of the prcfent Rate
of the Corn Trade, with a view to inquire into the
abufes fuppofed to exift therein, and to examine
any regulations which it might be thought expe-
dient to propofe, in order to the more regular and
fatisfaelory management of the bufinefs in future :
they now offer the general refult of this inveftiga-
tion to the Houfe, together with the evidence
which has been laid before them (to which they
beg leave to refer for more detailed information),
with a view to prepare for the fubjeit's being re-
fumed in a future Seffion, under circumilances, it
is to be hoped, more favourable for legiflative
interference, on a point of fo much delicacy and
difficulty, as the permanent regulation of the Corn
Trade.
Your Committee have found thernfelves obliged
to confine their inquiries, principally to the Corn
Trade in this Metropolis; the Rate of which. how
ever, in feafons of dearth and fcarcity like the,
prefent, cannot but have a very material effea on
moll of the markets throughout England.
It appears from a variety of evidence which is
annexed to this Report, that, aridly fpeaking,
there is no regulated public corn market at this
day exiling in the city of London; the Corn Trade
therein being wholly carried on at the Corn Ex-
change in Mark-lane, which was ereofted in a con-
fined (pace, and on a limited kale, about forty or
fifty years ago, for the accommodation of the
Teflon and Dealers (who, before that time, car-,
ried on their bufinefs at 3ear Qiiay,-expored to
the weather and other inconveniencies), at the pri-
- rate expence of individuals, and is confequently
private property : that this property is divided in-
to into about eighty (hares, molt of which are
held by Faders or stealers in corn; the eftate be-
ing managed by a committee of three traces,
chofen by the proprietors, to whom Mr. Smiton
is Secretary, and is likewife Infpeiftor of Corn Re-
tarns in London, defied to that office by the fame
body of Proprietors in virtue of the Ratute 31 Geo.
111. c. 30. This committee have the uncontrouled
difpofal of all the Rands on which the famples of
torn are expofed to tale, and which are limited to
the number of feventy-two ; fixty-four of them be-
ing leafed to Fallon; or Dealers, and the remain-
ing eight appropriated to the site of the Lena&
hoymen. Although it is Rated to your C.ommit.i.
tee, that the pofteffion of thefe Rands is new!
transferred for a valuable confederation, as obsi
leafe would thereby be vacated • yet there Wass
reafon to believe, that in Come inftances large fume
have been given for fuels an accommodatioh ;
without which it appears wholly impradieable for
any one to carry on the trade of a Faaor or Deal-
er in corn to any material extent; though the Ex.i
change is indeed confidered as open to all who
come to buy and fell; and there are inftances of
perfons attending the *market at times, who brio;
with them their famples in their pockets.
It alto appears to your Committee, that the Fac-
tors and Dealers are at liberty either to expofe all
their fan:pies at the fame time on their Rands, or
as few of them as they think fit ; fo that in fait a
Bayer has no means whateverofudging from the
appearance of the famples expofed on the Rands,
during any period of the market, what the fupply
Ist added to which, it does not appear to your
Committee that any public authentic mode is at
yretent provided for communicating to the fee.'
Tauter: of the Corn Exchange, wh}t the aftual
quantities of Corn imported coaliwife, or from
abroad, at any given period, really are ; nor what
part of it is in a merchantable Rate, and fit for
immediate tale ' • though, it is true that perfOns
Parrying on the bufinefs on a great IC a/e, and hav-
ing large conneftions, may, with more or lefs trou-
ble and difficulty, acquire the neceffary informa-
tion on theft points, by a reference to the entries
at the Cuflom-houfe and Cocket-office, and by a
comparifon of different returns ordered to be made,
by law, for various purpofes.
It further appears to your Committee, that in
tome inftances Fa&ors import largely, and even
deal in Briti(h Corn to a great extent on their own
account; but that feveral of them think it more
proper to abftain from Itch a praßice, confider-
mg, as it has been Rated by tome of them. it that
the bufinift of a Corn-fatlor is posfsaly
from that of a Corn-merchant, becaufe a perfon
who receives confignments, and deals at the fame
time on his own account, may not always be is.
dined to terve his employers with that impartiality
he otherwife would do." There is reafon alto
' apprehend, that in fume inflances Fadors, baring
large quantities of Corn of their own to difpofe
may be tempted to employ the fuperior knowledge
and influence they poffers in the market, for the
undue advancing or maintaining the rites of the
article, in times of earneft demand and inadequate
(apply, to the difadvantage of the Public. This
practice, however, does not Teem altogether of a
modern date; though your Committee think it
not improbable, from the increafed importations
which have taken place within a few years pall,
that it may have been parried to a greater extent
within a late period. It further appears to your
Committee. that a praillice has prevailed, for a
eonfiderable time, of purcharing Corn, with a view
to fell it again in the fame or Tome future market,
at an increafed price, by perfons who are called
Jobbers; hut it Ihould Teem that there tranfaaions
principally apply to the trade in Oats; and there
is even a confiderable difference of opinion among
ante who have been examined on this point, both
as to the extent offuch a proceeding, and the 12111X-
her of individuals concerned.

Such being the leading fads, as they appear np.
on the Evidence, your Committee beg leave to
obferve upon them :
1. That the prefent Corn Exchange is much too
confined for the haulers carried on in it, which
has of late years increafed confiderably. That the
timber of hands is too (mall for the fair and rea-
fonable acconueodation of all thofe who may have
bufinefs to tranfaa, and that confequently the pre-
fent Corn-market can hardly be conlidered as aft
open one ; competition is to a certain degree pre-
vented, and the trade throwninto too few hands.
That from the Exchange being private property,
and principally in the -hands of Corn.faaors and
Dealers, there is fome reafon to fufpeft partiality
in the manner of transferring and leafing the Rands.
That confiderable inconvenience refults to the pub-
lic from the want of a (worn Clerk or Superinten.
dant of the Market, appointed by fome competent
and impartial authority, and placed, by meant of
an adequate compenfation for his time and troop-
ble, beyond the furpicion of undue influence; by the
want of an open and correct regifter of tranfaftiona
in the Market ; and from there being no regular
hours prefcribed for opening and doling the Ex.
change on every market dap
With a view to remedy thofe material inconve.
niencies, your Committee recommend, that effeau-
al meafures fhould be adopted, early in the next
Seffion of Parliament, for. enlarging and opening
the Corn-market in London, either by removing it
to, the Well Side of Tower-hill, near the River, or
by extending the Exchange in Mark-lane, by the
purchafe and pulling down Come of the Ware-
houfes and Premifes farrounding it, according tort
plan mentioned in the Appendix, the expences of
which alteration might probably be provided for
without much difficulty in to opulent a metropo-
lis; for appointing, by election of the Lord Mayor
and Aldermen, or other competent and tinfurpea-
ed authority, a proper Clerk or Superintendant of
the Market, to be refponfible to the Corpofation;
and for eflabfilhing a eorreft and public Regifter
of all tranfitaions therein, and, regular hours fat
opening and doling the fame.
11. That it would likewife be advantageous to
the public, if Faaors and Dealers in Corn wets
compelled by law to expoib all the Samples intend.
ed to be by them offered for tale on a given day,
at the fame time, publicly on their Stands, at the
opening of the Market, marking on each bag the
quantities to which it related ; abftrafts of which
marks fhould be delivered to the Clerkof the Market,
for public infpeetion, before iti opening; and fur-
ther, that it would be advifable that Come regular
and authentic publication•thould take place in the
Market, of the quantities of all Corn arrived coat-
wife, from abroad, os in the River, within a given
period, either by Returns tranfmitted from the
proper officer at the Cuhom-houfe, or Coact-
office, to the Clerk of the Market, or. otherwife,
as might be thought expedient. And with a view
to the'fame objea, it might be proper to provide
for the conflant and impartial infpeftion of the
quality of all Corn on board (hips, or in (luna-
tics, in order to afcertain whether it was, or was
not, in a hate fit to be brought into the Market
for Cale and contimpt;on.
111. That it would be expedient to preeenteorn,
faltors from becoming Dealers on their own ac-
count; and, with that view to place them on the
footing of Brokers in other Trades carried on with.
in the City of London, by obliging them to give
Bonds to the fame effeet. Your Committee can.
not but think, that fuch a regulation would be
found advantageous upon the principle alluded to
in a preceding page of this Report, and they have
the fatisfaftion of perceiving, from the evidence of
fome very intelligent Faftors, in a confiderable line
of bufinefs, that no material detriment or incon.
venienie could arife from it to the perfons con.
cerned; if adopted, as it ought to be, with full no-
tice, end applied to the regular and uniform coerce
of trade, and not to any particular and critical
emergency like the premix.
IV: Your Committee cannot hefitate to declare
an opinion, that the praftice of purchafing Corn
to fell it again, in the fame or fome fubfequent
Market before delivery, and confequently before
the payment becomes due on the fir(( Pale, with a
view to a polfible advantage on the difference be-
tween the firh and fecond price of the article, ought
to be difeouraged. If any effeaual meafuressould
be propofed for preventing fuch fpeculations in
Corn, without materially affeaing the ufual courfe
of Trade, or interfering with the fair and necef-
fary means which muff exit in concluding tom.
!Tierce on a great (gale, and in an advanced Rate
of fociety, they might very properly and reafon-
ably be adopted. For it is obvious, the price of
any commodity mull be enhanced by every inter-
mediate profit which is taken in its palfage to con-
fornption, beyond fuch peceffarily mires from
the.more convenient and fpcedy modes of convey.
ing it from the firft hand to the confumer.—Whe-
Sher thofe are, in particular cafes, ufeful or fuper-
huous, is a matter of very difficult difcrimination
fa a Legiflative point of view, and the decifion
.me in general depend on an examination and
ledge of an infinite variety of circurnflances.
'one hand the Statute Law exprefsly allows
1 the buying of Corn to fell it again for profit, by
the precise words of the AR of 31 Geo. 111. C. 30*
fee.
.2. ; and, on the other, the ancient Commaii
Law of the Land prohibits any one from buying
of Corn, or other dead vitalist], in any market, and
felling it again in the fame market, or within four
miles of the fame, which conditutes the offence of
Rcgrating. It has, however, been fuggefted to
beu,. Committee, that confiderable benefit would
derived, and no inconvenience (Whined, from
prohibiting the re-fale of Corn in Mark-lane till at
leaft four weeks had elapfed from the time of the
firft purchafe (to be afcertained by the Regifter, or
by the Meter's Book); it being prefuaned in this
cafe, that by the comic of trade, the Corn would
have been aflually delivered to the original pnr-
chafer, and the price paid for it, before it could be
a fecond time offered for Pale, and confoqoently
that lath fpeculiuion of the kind alluded to would
be much embarraffed, if not wholly prevented.—
This propofition is certainly deferring of atten-
tion, and proceeds from revere] refpodable quer
tett ; your Committee therefore think they canon

ap.
to

ye.
lU-
ext
Ing
it

forbear, to refer k to the future deliberation and
fuperior wifdom of the Houfe.
Upon the whole, though your Committee are
of opinion, that the Rate of the Corn Trade iq this
Metropolis, admits of and requires regulation and
improvement, with a view to the more convenient,
open, (air, and fat4aCtory mode of carrying it
on I and although they are inclined to think that
prat:tires have at times prevailed, inconfiftent
with the perfed jußice due to the public, yet that
thefe have not been proved to exilt to any very
confiderable extent, or to have contributed mate-
rially to enhance the price of Bread Corn to the
enormous amount which it has molt unfortunately
maintained for a long time paR. The original
caufe mu(} be fought for, principally, in the dearth
and fcarcity produced by fuch a fucceifion of un-
favourable feafons, as is not to be paralleled in the
modern hiftory of Great,,Baitain ; which has ren-
dered the fupply inadeqintte to the ufual demand.
Other circumaances have undoubtedly contributed
in a degree to aggravate the diftrefs the country
has been obliged to endure : the return of plenty
will, it is hoped, remove this evil; but your Com-
mittee cannot conclude without obferving to the
Houfe, that.it is during plenty that it is molt fit
and fafe toprovide agamil the probable recurrence
of fcarcity, by wife regulations, by wholefome
and well confidered Laws, and, above all, by
every praCtipable and rational Mode of encouraging
and improving, Agriculture within the realm ;
upon which, under Providence, every great nation.
matt depend for its exillence; and without which
commerce and manufaCtures are of littlecomparit-
ti* advantage.;