The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-05-22

tmuted TINT the amount of wheat consumed
in Great Britain 'smnds in relation 10 these
articles as six 10 five. The great falling off
ofbarley, 'oats, penns would materially en-
,luhuce the price, not only ofthose articles, hut
'0fprovisions generally. The effect of the
crop ofrlS46 upon the prices in Englnnd,will
he seen by the prices at which these articles
were sold Nov. 1915, and in Now fS46, rs re-
ported in the London Farmers Magazine, II
periodical of high authority.
Prices of the various kinds of Grain per quar-
ter in England, in November lSl5, and
November, 1916, and the increase per cent;
Nov. 1915. Nov 1876. Increase.
Wheat, So. Cd. 6ls. Cd. 5 per cent
Barley, 35s. Oh. las. I'D. % per cent.
Rye, 3as. I'd. 42s. 4d. l0p per cent,
Benns, 44s 3d. 46s. l0d. 6 per cent.
Peas, ass. 3d. Sos. lid. IL per cent
Here is M increase averaging about IL per
cent. in single year. from November lS45.
TO Nov. 1916. Now this increase of price
must he attributed solely to the deficiency in
the crops; for no one will pretend that the re-
duction Of duties'in England has increased
the price ofgrein there. But this will appear
still palmer when we iearn that wheat. which
in November, 1916, sold for 6ls. Cd. per
quarter, commanded in Dec. ot'the same year
70s. per quarter, being rise ola per cent
IN n single month. II is well known that the
potato crop in Europe has fallen off more
than the grain CROP and Vlis hasnot only in
creased the price of potatoes, but has created
greater demand for wheat, barley, Indian
corn, and provisions generally. The def
cheney in the potato crop will be seen in the
enhanced price of that important article
Potatoes in England, which in November,
1915, commanded 54s. per ton. in November,
1886, sold READILY at II Is, and in December,
1876, at l55s. per ton-being an advance, in
thirteen months, of 1877 per cent. These
facts, taken from the hest English authority,
prove most couclusvey thar we must look
ito other causes than the modification of the
English corn laws, for the enhanced price of
grain in that country. In fact, the argument
"Ofthc free trade school has been that the re-
peal of thefcorn laws would cheaper the
price ofhread in England, and SO greatly in
crease'the consumption, and thus augment
the demand for grain from this country. But
we see, by the English prices current, that
all breadStuffs have risen in price in that
country since the modification other tariff
We do not ascribe this advance in price TO
'%he change in her commercial policy, hut to
other causes more controlling than any hu-
man enactment. The price of wheat in Eng
@1and WAS
In 1912 GAG 81! 57s' ID, per quarter,
In 1914 Sis. Sd.
In IS45 sis. I'd.
Being an average, for four years. of SD. sd.
ser quarter.
These were the years Immediately preced-
inc the modification ofthecorn laws. But
we have already seen that in November 1916
the price was els. 3D., and in DeceAbor of
tire same year 70s. per quarter. 1t is per-
fectly tfenonstrable, therefore, that we must
look for other causes than the modification
'ofthe English or American Tariff for Chs adj
Nvance,in price and increased demand for our
grain. And those in this country who hail
this foreign demand for our breaastuffS as the
result of our late tariff, or the change in the
tariff of Great Britain, manifest q total igno-
rance of the causes 0fthis demand aud of the
Naws of trade, or disposition TO imposeup-
on the people. They might as well ascribe
the potato rot to Mr. Walkers tariff system.
as to ascribe the foreign demand for our pro-
ions to it.
We have already seen that there has been
n falling off of the crops in England, which
would of itself increase her demand from a
broad. But this is not all. in all parts of
Europe and Asia, whence England usually
derives her supply there has been stisl great
or failure. Ireland has Justly been dncOmin-
atcd the'granary of England There we're I'M
ported into Great Britain from Ireland, of
wheat, oats and barley in 1S42, 16,039,0l2
bushels; in 1913, 81 ,423 SOB bushels; in 1874
21,25S, 04S bushels; and in lS45, 2,lS7 ,24S
bushels. Here we have an average for four
wears of20, Asa 900 bushels of tine different
kinds of grain brought from Ireland into Great
Britain. This immense supply, Ivy The fail
'ure oftheir crops and particularly by the po-
tAto rot, has been greatly reduced; and Ire
land at this moment is receiving supplies
from England to sustain her furnishing pop
rulation There was sent to Ireland by the
British Government, in the month of Deem
beralone, SO, 166 bushels of Indian corn, and
larger supplies have since been forwarded
Tie numerous contributions which havebeen
taken in oil our principal towns and villages
to relieve the starving population of Ireland
prove, beyond controversy, the existence of
famine in the very country where England
usually drawsa large supply. The fact that
Congress has-ortiered Government ships to
carry out supplies to the Irish free of charge,
and thatthe Senate passed bill appropriat-
ing $500, 600 forth relief of that population,
leaves no doubt dfthe almost utter failure of
their crops.
But Ireland as not'the only country which
has formerly supplied the English market,
which is now importing grain for the support
"oftheir own population. France, in the
years 1871, AZ and 43, sent to England an
average of 100000 bushels ofwheat annu-
ally; but now provisions are so scarce in
France, that it is difficult in many places in
that kingdom to prevent popular outbreaks,
and the Government has found it necessary
to suspend their navigation laws and permit
grain to come in foreign bottoms from any
country. BY the last accounts we learn that
large shipments of grain have been made to
France from Great Britain. Morris this dearth
confined to the West of Europe. The great
,narts of grain on the Bn]tic share tho fa;Iuro