The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-10-31
Deficiency in the Crops of Europe.


briefly alluded to the growing apprehen-
sions on the other side of the Atlantic in
regard to large anticipated deficiency in
the grain crops of western Europe, and
incidentally stated that orders had already
been sent to this country for the purchase
of flour aud wheat on French account.
The advices by the last steamer, (the Pa
cifc,) instead of lessening or dispellng
those apprehensions, have deepened them
into matter of certainty, for the fact is
uow reluctantly admitted that all the sur
plus flour; wheat and corn of the United
States will be required by the wants of
England and France particularly the lat
ter country. Already in France, bread
stuffs have reached panic prices, and the
government, with the view of quieting
alarm, have made the following explana-
ton through the Monitcur of the goth of
September:
France produces annually eighty-two
millions of hectoIitres of wheat. Suppose
that the harvest Of this year has produced
but seventy-fiye millions there will then
be deficiency of seven millions of hec-
tolitres. Until this deficiency of hectol-
tires is made good in France by foreign
production, there is no way in the power
of man to lower the price. The great
interest is, therefore, to cause this quantity
to be brought from abroad in the quickest
and most economical way. Once arrived,
it must be distributed by the readiest pos
sible manner to all parts of the empire,
and must not be permitted to go out of it.
That being done, the price will fall by the
natural course of things"
Here is an admission that the deficiency
in France alone is equal to one-twefth
part OF the whole crop. The probabili-
ties are that that estimate is much too low
1t will be seen from the following, which
we copy from the London Times of the
; 22d ult., that the partial failure of the
: crops in western Europe is much more
, general than was first supposed:
"The American harvest has been splen-
did; an unusually great breadth of land
, has been under wheat this year, and the
crops have been successfully got in. The
: available surplus of wheat is estimated at
: about 100000 quarters from the United
. States and Canada quantity which is
more than sufficient to cover twice the al
r legged deficiency in France. Of this guam
tity it is stated that about half will be
shipped for Europe between the first ol
September and the first of May; and we
have reason to believe that very large or
ders have already been transmitted to the
= other side of the A tlantic for the French
market.
e There is no doubt that in France, an6
e in most Of the countries in central anc
e southern Europe, the late harvest has beer
1 below the average, and that in this coun
y try 1t falls short of the extraordinary ane
n bountltul harvest of 1854. The price
: of corn and of almost all the first neces
r saries of life are, therefore, very high, ant
y higher in proportion in most parts of tn
It continent than in this country
: Although the blockade of the southern
:. ports Of Russia, and especially of the Sc
/ OF Azof. cuts off the supplies from a
d extensive and fertile district, we see n
S, reason to doubt that measures may sti
t. be taken to open the navigation of tn
J. Danube and the corn trade of the Princi
N palities. No part of the world produce
d a greater abundance of the finest grair
l. and the harvest of the past summer wa
v so abundant as to compensate the inhat
1t itants for the sunerings and losses attend
% ing the invasion Of the previous year."
l. The Marx Lane Erpress high Euglis
authority in all matters relating to tn
1t grain market, says:
le 1.-The continuance of fine harvest wealth
or up to Wednesday evening last, has bee
N the means of securing, perhaps, nearl
,e two-thirds Of the crop in the Unite
l. Kingdom-the north of Ireland and Scot
ly land presenting the largest area of unhal
e, vested grain. We do hope our agricu
IN tural friends in these quarters will neithe
as lose opportunities nor spare expense t
ID insure the ingathering; for the conclusio
I'd we are obliged to come to, from the source
20 of information we possess, is, that thel
~ will certainly be nothing to spare; br
m that rather large vacuum will be require
u to be made up by foreign Importation
especially of wheat. The fall of Seba
s. topol, we fear, will not be likely to for
IN a prelude to pacific negotiations wit
of Russia; but the pride of that power ms
e, make a trustworthy and honorable treat
IS. difficult and distant, and the large supple
in needed by the occupation of the allies wi
Ii prevent ready and free shipment of tt
stores at hand. However much to be d
II sired, peace and plenty seem as yet in
nd practicable, and careful and economic
On use of the present harvest becomes impe
Ms ative to keep us from the straits of futu
nd scarcity"
no A MISTAKE CoRRECTED.--The Pens
cola Gazette says: We find statemel
o. going the rounds of the papers that Prime
re Lucian Murat, heir slightly apparent
he the throne of Naples was formerly re
es ident planter of this State-but this is 4
w. a mistake. 1t was Prince Achille Mura