Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-09-09

Paris correspondent of the Washington Repub-
lie writing under date of August 8, presents
some interesting views and facts in reference
to the scarcity Of breadstufs in Europe, por-
ton of which we extract. He SAYS:
The principal subject of interest after the Tur-
ko-R1ssian complication, and one which threat
ems to absorb even that investerate imbroglio, is
the impending short crop throughout the South
of Europe. You have heard of the great rise
in the price of bread in Paris, and of the gov
ernments recommendation to the journals to
seek rather to inspire confidence on the subject
than to create uneasiness by telling the truth
The papers are wrong, therefore, in spreading
abroad intelligence which they are not sure they
can suhstantiate, but they publish able and
ssts&sSd editorials on the resources upon which
the country can rely in case of famine. When
say famine, / mean to use a word more ex-
pressive than scarcity or short crop. England
is threatened as well as France. The King of
Naples has prohibited the expectation of bread
stuffs, and day or two ago we received an E.
dict from Cardinal AntonelH, the Pope's Secre-
tary of State, suspending expectation from the
two districts of the States of the Church, known
as the sections of the Adriatic and the Mediter-
anean. OF course England and France look
to the United States for supplies; and the De-
bats thinks that your grain dealers will realize
enormous profits during the comm season, but
believes that the prices will not attain the same
infamtion as in lS47. Bread is now as dear,
however, as at any period for thirty years, ex-
cept during that one winter of l847-48.
In May of this year Count Abel Hugo, broth
er of Victo Hugo, published for private dis
tribution, and not for sale, "Notice upon the
Period of Famine which menaces France
AT the time this did not appear to me to merit
mention; but word or two now will not be out of
place. The figures given are extraordinary,
and evince a research and knowledge of statis-
tics quite beyond the usual application made Of
data and science of numbers. The author says
that breadstuffS will be largely deficient, and
that the government, commerce, industry, and
the people at large, are equally threatened by
the impending danger. In Egypt the periods
of abundance lasted seven years; period of
scarcity then succeeded, which also lasted seven
years. In France these periods alternate, as in
Egypt, but their duration is not over five years,
or six at the outside. This is shown by refer
ence to certain figures which the author places
before the eye of the reader in manner as in
telligible as succinct. He begins with the year
1916, after the peace of 1916, and the fall of
Napoleon. Thus:
lst period, scarcity-six years, 1816-21.-
Excess OF importations over the expectations,
l6,5e0, 900 bushels; which cost France l64, ,000,-
000 francs.
I'd period, abundsnce-six years, 1822-77.-
Excess of expectations over importations, 3,400,-
900 bushels; which yielded to France $780,.
600 francs.
Sd period scarcity-fve years, 1882. Ex.
cess of impOrtations over expectations, 26,000,-
600 bushels; which cost France 2ll, $4,000
francs.
4th period, abundance-fve years, 1S33-37.
Excess Of expectations over the importations,
100000, bushels; which yielded France l5,-
900 francs.
5th period, scarcity-fve years, 1839-2.-
Excess Of importatiOns over exportations 81
900, 900 bushels, which yielded France 29,OOO,-
900 francs
9th period, scarcity--fve years, 1S43-47.-
Excess Of importations over expectations, 52,-
100000 bushels; which cost France 515,000,-
900 francs.
7th period, abundance-fve years, 1849-52
(The statistics for this period only refer to the
first four years; the rest are not published. =
Excess of expectations over importations. 49,
100000 bushels; which yielded France 180,-
O00,Go0 francs.
Thus there have been eighteen years of scare
lty ana eighteen years aDunuancei ana the DaL-
ance; against France is 706,000,000 francs
From which it would appear that there will be
q scarcity in France from 1853 to 1858.
had written thus far when the decree on the
subject in the Moniteur appeared. The Govern
ment is taking its measures of precaution.-
Louis Napoleon repeals that article of the corn
law of 1852 which establishes higher import
duty on breadsufs imported in foreign bottoms
than in French bottoms-this repeal to have ef-
feet till the 3lst of December. A paragraph in
the non-oficial columns gives as the motive of
this decree the scarcity of ships-the Govern
ment is afraid to say the scarcity of crop, but
it recognises it indirectly. The Iext step will
be to repeal the duties altogether, for time; and
if the state of things does not improve, this
will yet have to be done.