Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-10-29
From La PreSse.
The European Harvest.


We are abou, to enter on one of those ca
lamitous years in which the ordinary resources
are no. sufficient for the food of The people,
The crop of lS45 is entirely exhausted, and
that of lS46 has produced less than fair av-
erage. The rye harvest has SO completely
failed throughout France, that il will scarcely
produce sufficient for seed for the ensuing year.
Some farmers have not ihreshed their crop, as
they found j, would not pay the EXPENSE
Wheat is in general Of good quality, but con-
,rary to the sanguine expectations of The far.
mers the produce is less than tina, of The year
lS45 The oats have been scorched by the
sun in several departments They are infer-
or in quality and quann'y everywhere, but par
ticularly in the department, where they serve
for The food of The inhabitants. Dry vegetables,
such as peas, beans and lenIis, will not pro-
duce sufficient supply for the ensuing winter.
Cabbages and carrots are exceedingly scarce.
ing disease in twelve departs, and cause ser-
Gus apprehensions for the future. So much
for France Let us now examine the pros
pect in foreign countries. in Belgium there
are no complaints Of the harvest, but it will nol
produce any overplus for expectation. In Hol-
land no decline in the price of provisions is ex-
pecred 1t is further said that on the opening
of The states general the government will de-
mand all extension of the bill passed last year
to encourage the importation Of foreign grain.
Portugal is menaced with an approaching fam.
inc, and Spain is too poor 10 assist her neigh
bors. Switzerland will be compelled to seek
provisions from abroad. Among the countries
which commonly export corn, Pomerania has
no wheat TO spare, Mayence cannot suffice for
the demand Of Switzerland and Asace. Alex
andria and Odessa have no whea, in their stores
and the prices were generally rising even be-
fore The failure Of the potato crop in Ireland
was known II may therefore be asserted as
a general proposition, that Europe is placed in
difficult position with respec, to the supply of
her population.
France, particularly, has reason to be serl-
ously uneasy. Let US suppose in fact that the
present harvest is merely bad, and that even if
we do no. take into account the loss of potatoes
and other vegetables, we should require accor-
ding to The calculations of NJ de Mon,veran, a
supply of corn for fifteen days. Blu, 10 this
/ IaE IF Jo,, l..
fifteen days more taken by anticipation from
the crop of lS45. France must therefore find
a months supply from abroad. We must con-
consequently import during The course of the
year about 100000 hecIoIilres of grain. But
all Europe has never collected in her stores
more than 100000 hecloIres for sale
merely irlfe more than douhle The quantity of
which France has need to complete her stock
of corn. But let US admit that foreign coun-
tries can supply us with the grain necessary
until the next harvest, and le, US see whether
our merchants are capable of fulfilling the du-
Ties of a national purveyor. We can refer TO
one year in which the imports approached 10
the amount required at present. In 1882 we
imported food for tw eniyone days, amounting
to 4,767,793 hectolres of corn, weighing 32-
500, 900 melrical quanlals. There were 3575
ships, of a, least 100 tons each employed TO
convey this grain. This year we must employ
one-third more, and we may add that this i'm
mense enterprise will require capital of l20,-
900, ,000f, and that the consumers mus, support
a surplus of expense 10 the amount of 30,000,-
000f. Had we wished to penetrate into the
details of the corn ,rade-had we taken into
calculation The influence of the deficient mode
communication, of the poverty of the small GUS
toners. and of the rapaciy of speculalors----
The picture would appear overcharged, and we
should defeat our object; bat il is sufficient for
us TO have demonstrated that the situation of
the country is grave, and merits the anxious
attention of the government A firm and PROV
ldent activity will be sufficient TO overcome all
difficulties, and TO carry us 10 the next harvest.
Aiabama---AnOther Victory.