The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-22
THE FOoD SUPPLY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

LONDON, Feb o.-Thc gross imports OF the
United Kingdom FOR 1877 exceeded those Of the
previous year by the sum of over s9i 900, 900. OF
this increase s4s 400 900 was for articles of food
for human consumption. The total import OF
such articles for the year amounted TO moro
than SiGG 900. 900. This amount includes live
animals intended for food. meats Of all kinds.
wheat and flour. Indian corn. rice. butter. lard.
cheese, eggs. fish, and potatoes; and does not
include tea. coffee. or sugar In custom house
parancc these latter are not articles of food.
Thirty years ago the import of food was not
seriously large. In 1916 foreign brcadstuiIs
were imported to the amount Of only seventeen
pounds per head OF the whole population Of the
country; in 1855 it had increased to seventy
pounds in 1865 TO nincty-thrcc pounds and in
the past five years the average annual import
has been over $50 pounds for each person in
the kingdom. 1t is estimated that every person
consumes little more than five bushels. or 800
pounds. of wheat or other grain yearly. and it
will be- seen that the Britons are now obtaining
nearly two-thirds Of their hrcadstulrs from
abroad. It should be noted however. that
throe seasons Of the last five have been rather
Indifferent ones. and the average may he abnor-
mally high in some measure. Nevertheless tho
increase is uniform and rapid. and Great
Britain Is fast nearing the time when fully two
thirds Of her broad supply will regularly come
from foreign countries.
II IS an important question connected WIN
the future prosperity of this country, how this
comparatively now condition OF things is To DO
borne. 1t Is nothing less than n revolution.
Loss tnan iitiy years ago England may be snlu
70 have produced the entire food supply OF her
whole people. AT all events the import was
then insignificant III comparison with inc nome
la. g. rrluiiUu4 "a fu4t
being reversed. some economists insist th"t
the ability to supply us Who'e pcopie WIN l""u
il ono OF the essential features oil n"tiohal
strength. and that no country can safely BRING
any large part OF It's food from other countries
No civilized country except Great brit"lh Is
obliged 10 import any lnrge amount OIL inc s''-
pie articles OF lood' LNeh crVWu'u boi.iu'.
ana hphahu schu '"H7l"eI"'i' p"'''''''' VI
1.-Two animals. meat butter ehocs'' una eN~s 10
England. There Is plenty ol ""s,' ANU III
England, AMI II IL were uiilneu no uo"pl mar
ly the whole food supply might pe OIL nonn' pro-
duction; but there Is no disposition 10 mus 'urn
II TO account ana inc Ehslsii are nioio ""u
more crowdihg the cites anu 'o"i,s' anu w,
coming sun more lhah ever before nu.'V" u
shopkecpers." Mr. Brassy says that inc lhhap-
itan'- oil cites an" towns III rns'"h. ,o"7''".'
four-iliths OF the entire population. IL exports
, l., 4. -, 80, ,,, nos,
'ooN "'ui' ny ~. ..tDiin'. a,,l ,h,
""' ", 80 - ,as, i,,,roo. nc,
Iii u.t. ,,,.a,,,,, Is s,r,.
j" '",,.Y ,,,, -, -, rri,i.i, and
y , - ~ III, ,la, IL, ts-n
49,, 49, i,.,.,S.,, f., ,,n ir,cr,ol
,'.,'o on' no, t ,t,, -. f,r bo,nn CON.
'""' a.. ~ t,. ,io o,n,u,, ~ nv.,
.',',.,.'..a M. n..,,,.,. ,,t., L.i,y. ar,
49,. -. t. 1870 .nl 1871
,. j'l,,.,,, ,,'1 - ,la, i,,oryal ~ liv,nnr
80 ,,, a., r-,,i,.i t,in,,,,n, in.
..'i a, -,
-. ;,,,,or,,1 - ,l,o or,ou,,
.,o,,n.,,.. a., tst, ,bo amount v,,.
XIX ,,,, 49,, M. -, TO- $50 ,,.,,,,,.,,
III, t',.,, ,,,', i,,.,, -, i, fol
we III, th, o,.'ro,,, ~
r"'nH 80 ,,sce, IL ,ra. ~, on,
nv RI 80 80 ,,, ,,o,,,i
.,." 800 ,r'i',,. y, a., i,,,.r, In 80.
- ,o,,. ,, on W, ,,t., stse s7n nno 1,
Woo wa w. ,,,o ,.no =, 30 r,,o oi,, -
- "'.r - . stcn ,on nno T., ,t.
Mne"' "'on0 =" i,.. vs., ,, ,,n ,nn
ins' yea, ',io p",'','", y. oo, ,I,. =
Wv ousa,'s o ~, n,, ~ 90 oo