The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-20
EyGL1NDys PERIL.
a state OF Ferment strangely Like the Re-
ginning OF Insurrection.

state Of Ferment strangely Like the ne
ginning Of Insurrection.
LONDON, May 3.-Thcre are many signs
that England is close upon tremendous crisis.
Every department is in n state OF extreme pros
trnton tho foreign trade has year by year been
dropping away since 1872: other countries are
changing their nscn policy in tho direction Of
higher tariffs. which will naturally still further
deprcss the trade Of this country. and Mt every
ccntre Of mining and manufacturing industry
the once cordial rotations between employers
and employees are entirely gone. and the two
parties now stand everywhere at swords points.
II mny be snd that there have been grave
commercial crises in tho country before and
that thoy have been safely passed but tho pres
ent situation has elements " danger that never
existed before. In all former crises. England's
foreign trade-the handspring Of her present
wealth and commercial greatness-nevcr once
stood in real jeopardy; 1t docs stand ia very
great jeopardy now; indeed 1t stands upon tho
verge OF utter collapse.
Here. briefly stated, IL tho situation: Between
four-flfths and nne-tcnths Of the entire popula-
ton ia dependent directly or Indirectly. upon
trade and commerce; and these latter are swift
ly going to ruin. When the great crisis finally
comes. what is 10 he done with the millions Of
hnlf-pauper workmen who will be thrown into
enforced idlcness7 Many thousands are al
ready entirely out OF work in tho manufacture
ing districts. and many thousands moro nro
working only onc-third or one-haf time.
In the beginning ol the present century Eng
land was essentially an agricultural nation
agricultural at all events to the extent OF grow
ing the entire food supply Of her people. Then
She gradually changed to nm almost exclusively
trading nation and now she imports nearly
one-half tho entire food supply Of her people.
I Al. e
wheat. instead of an importer. In 1871. only
% per cent Of tho whole people wcrc
engaged in agriculture. and tho country
then imported nearly one bushcl Of wheat
pcr head Of tho entire population.
Tho total export TRADE was then about $3.50
600 900 yenr and had increased only about 25
per cont. in forty years. while the population
had increased 10y fully 70 pcr cent. The export
trade OF the country remained nearly stationary
until 1870. and that year showed an increase ~
fully s5D0o0.00O over tho previous year. Tho
year 1850 showed further increase of nearly
100000 600 over 1910. and trade then from year
to year bounded swiftly upward. until I'm 1856 the
exports were much moro than double what they
were in 1910. In 1872 British trade reached its
highest mark The total value 81 exports Of
British and Irish produce in that year WINS
81 2si .2s6. 1875 trcduccd to dollars at IS to tho
pound sterlingl being an increase Of about $40
per cent. ms compared with 1910 while the pop
ulation had increased only 20 per cent. in the
same time During all those years there was
never once an important break in tho wonder
ful progress Of British trade. Several COM
mcrcial crises were passed though hut Eng
lands supremacy in trade was never qucs-
toned. As steam navigation and railways
opened MP new countries. England alone was
able and ready to supply tho new demand for
manufactured goods. and hence England
capped nearly the entire harvest.
Since 1872 Englands export trade hns fallen
on though until tho past two or three years the
falling of has been in value chiehy-not in
quantities The past two years have shown
very large reductions in quantity. rs well as in
value. In 1873 the value Of the export trade
was nearly 25 per cent. less than in 1872. the
amount OF the falling of being over $500. 600 600
or 20 per cent more than tho entire volume Of
the trade in 1910. For six successive years
there has been falling OF in the exports. At
present loss than IL per cent. ~ the people OF
| England and Wales are engaged in agriculture.
and in tho whole kingdom tho percentage is not
above . or ~ Mt most Tho increase in popu-
! lntion has served only to swell tho already re-
dundant population Of the towns and cities and
n considerable part Of tho rural population has
! also been drawn to the towns. At this time not
more than ono-half the working people about
| the great manufacturing centres Of England
! and Scotland ara needed. Large numbers Of
| Thorn are altogether out OF work. still larger
| numbers have work only one half the time and
large numbers are employed on public works
undertaken only to give work to some OF tho
unemployed.
The great question Is this: What ia England
| 20 DO with these surplus workmen? Work they
| must have or starvation will soon come: but
| MS | have already said. there is no work for
them. They cannot emigrnte, for thcir work is
not greatly needed in any other country
America has land for thcm. and SO hive Aus
tralin. New Zealand. and South Africa; but
these surplus workmen have boon reared In the
factories. They cannot do field work. and they
have no money 10 buy land. There is no land
for them in England. for il all belongs 10
wealthy nohlcmcn and the gentry. and mono Is
| for sne. Even II il were for sale tho price Is
prohibitiye. Land is to be had at rent Of
nhout $3.50 nm acre ~ an average rate. good
and bad together; but British farmers are com
pnining that they are losing money since the
deluge Of American wheat. cattle. fresh bcof.
bacon and hams cheese. butter and canned
goods has come upon them.
Il is absolutely impossible 10 turn these sur
plus lahorers into agricultural pursuits.
There has already been some riotng and
burning az mills and other houses. and the
whole north Of England is in n state Of farmcnt.
strangely like tho beginning Of instruction.
Should work become much scarcer or the price
of bread 10 up. by reason Of short harvesls in
| either England or the United States ut this
| critical moment, tho danger ~ bread RIOTS Will
b" very imminent. From 5OOOl To- 80 900 men
mostly mn"rs-arr on strike in Durham. and
| the movement Is extending. All things look
| full Of danger. Whnt to do with the unrm-
pIoyod Will hn n question of much more dire
| import next year and tho year after than oven
now D. w.
ART NOTES.