The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-03-31
MUCH OF HER FOOD SUPPLY
COMES FROM U. s.
WAR WOULD MEAN FAMINE
Public Meetings in England to Uis.
cover Some Way Out Of
the Dilena.

Washington, March 29.-The Amer
ican government has teen advised NY
it's representatives III Great Britain
that the liveliest interest is being
taken in that country in the question
OF food supply in time of war. So
dependant is England upon the Unit
ed States and other agricultural coun-
tries for it's bread stuffs and meat
Great Britain and another great pow
er there would be danger of famine,
not in London only, but throughout
the whole of the United Kingdom.
Statisticians point out the danger in
very striking manner. During the
five years from 1852 to 1857, which
included the period of the Crimean
war, England imported wheat and
-four to the amount of 26 per cent
Of her total consumption. In the five
years from 1896 to 1901, she imported
% per cent. In other words, the
acreage annually devoted to wheat
raising in England has been gradually
| decreasing since the middle of the
last century, and is today only about
one-half what it was then. Or, to
state the proposition in another way,
| England, during the former period,
| nh of hn~
breadstuffs, while today she raises
only one-fourth.
The Boer war increased the sense
of insecurity growing out of the sit
uation just described. Had Great Bri-
tain been involved in war with Ger
many during that trouble, as at times
there was great danger, the result
to her home population would have
been disastrous.
During the late winter it is report
ed to- the government in Washington
that number of meetings have been
held in England for the purpose of
devising ways and means for the bet
ter protection of the food supply in
time of war, and the fact that these
meetings have been attended by the
most prominent men OF the country,
from cabinet ministers and members
O.: the houses of lords and commons,
down to representatives of the lead
ing men in the several trades, indi-
Gates that the feeling of insecurity
is widespread.
The public agitation was COM
menced by prominent men in the
grain trade. who were naturally the
! first to see the danger. Following
their public expression of alarm, a
public meeting was held at Stafford
House, London, in February, on in
vitation of the Duke of Sutherland,
to promote an official inquiry into
/ the question AS the result of this
meeting conference was held be-
tween the prime minister and COM
mittee representing all the leading
interests of the country.
! At the Stafford House meeting
there were present many of the high
officers of the British navy, who mani
tested the liveliest interest in the
question under discussion, and let
it be generally known that the situa-
ton was one requiring immediate at
tention.
later meeting was called in Lon
don by the lord mayor, and was at
tended again by the representative
men of the kingdom.
The result of these several confer
ences has been thorough awaken
ing of the English people to the dan
gers that will threaten them in case
OF war with rival naval power. Sew
/ eral suggestions have been made
| looking to a relieving of the situa-
ton. All of them, obviously, point
to an increase of the home acreage in
wheat and to larger production of
beef cattle. The suggestion that the
country adopt a protective tariff.
making these staples dearer at home.
and thus stimulate the home grower
and producer to renewed activity, will
hardly be adopted, because the Bri-
tlsh workingman will not consent to
anything which will increase the
price of bread Thus far the sugges-
ton Of bounties to wheat growers
and cattle raisers seems to meet with
greatest favor. 1t is predicted that
before the matter is finally disposed