Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-11-11

IN the european population uuIiue 'he
twelve years Of peace amounted to twenty /,
six millions. Twenty-six years more OF
peace have passed since then; and as this
increase goes on upon the principle Of COM
pound interest, we may justly assume that
the present population Of Europe is what
we have stated, in advance Of that Of 1919.
The second cause, is the absorption OF
the land in the cultivation Of the SilesIan
beet root, for the purpose Of manufacturing
sugar. The object Of the Austrian,
French, Russian, Prussian, aud Belgian
governments, not to mention the smaller
States, is to render their dominions inde-
pendent Of foreign supply Of sugar, and
at the same to extend manufacture high
" profitable and beneficial. The extent
Of land thus absorbed can not be exactly
ascertained, but it may be proximately es-
timated a: half million Of acres-so
that, with a rapidly increasing consump-
ton, there is a large diminution IN the
breadth of land devoted to cereal produce
The third cause is the operation Of the
landwehr, or conscription law, now gener-
ally adopted by tue continental nations;
by virtue of which every male subject
whatever be his rank, station, or calling
Except ccclesiastics)-when he arrives at
the age of twenty years is bound to serve
for three years in a regiment Of the line
as private soldier. Wemay readily con-
ceiye that this infusion Of the military
spirit is inimical to the sober pursuits OF
industry, and must necessarily abridse
them and the abstraction from tie rural
population of the entire body Of the youth
at that age When labor is pastime, and
the habit of it begins to be formed, must
have its effect upon the after life. The
desultory habits incident to soldiers llfe
half spent in idleness, and the other bait
in acquiring military habit - are
too palpable to admit Of dispute, and too
opposed to industrial pursuits not to en-
danger their progress when conducted upon
so extended scale as is practised on eon-
| tinental Europe.
! A fourth cause is the subdivision Of the
land into small proprietaries, which has
been adopted by Prussia, and is now the
practise in almost all the continental States
and kingdoms. Whatever may be the ul-
innate effect of this system upon the bulk
of the people, it is certain that at present
| it has not caused an increase of cereal pro-
duction, but rather the contrary. The
class of people in Germany, as we'll as IN
France, to whom this applies, were too
poor and too igncrant-when this power
to become landed proprietors was granted
to them-to cultivate their holdings to the
best advantage; and their chief aim has
been to raise enough of inferior produce
for the support Of themselves and their
families.
Such are the principal causes operating
to diminish the growth of cereal produce
in Northern Europe. 1t may be alleged
that the masses there are not consumers OF
wheaton bread, but use chiefly rye and
other inferior corn bread. But it is quite
evident, that whatever land is abstracted
from cereal cultivation Of any kind must
diminish the quantity produced; SO that,
whilst the increase of population renders
larger amount of cereals necessary, there
is no. only less breadth of land whereon
to raise it, but also diminution of indus
trial power to be applied to its cultivation,
The second section comprises the king
doms of France, Spain, and Portugal, on
the Atlantic; and the same countries, with
Italy aud the opposite shore Of the Adri-
attic, Greece, the southern part Of Asia
Minor, Egypt, and the range OF the Atrl-
can coast bordering on the Mediterranean,
with the various islands of that sea. Of
these. the two countries of France and
Egypt furnish by far the largest quantity
for expectation. Spain is not often IN
condition to export wheat ; an abundance
is grown in the interior, but the expense
of transit is SO heavy, owing to the bad
ness Of the roads, that i; would not pay
the grower to send it. In CASTLE, for In
stance, the price of wheat is seldom mere
than Is. 3D. per bush. but so heavy is tie
expense Of conveying it to the coast, that
the Andalusians fluid it cheaper to import
it from New York, paying Is, I'd. per
bushel, besides freight and expenses.
Portugal furnishes no wheat for exporta-
ton. Greece is just beginning to know
the value of an exporting corn trade vi
Asia Minor the same may be said and
the productive power Of the Delta OF the
Nile has never been fully tested, although
the quantity exported from thence lnerea-
ses largely every year With regard to
the African coast from Barca to Morocco
but little wheat is at present exported
Its cultivation is chiefly confined to the