The Sun. — 1841-07-26 (London, England)

GLOOMY PROSPECTS OF THE  HARVESTS IN FRANCE.  Pan's, Joni 22.—With unfeigned concern I turn to-day from politics to a subject of an infinitely mere important natui e than the success of Radical or Conservative—the weather. Yesterday was stormy and showery as usual. With the exception of a few drops of rain which fell at eleven o'clock this foremon, this was, until three o'clock, a fine, windy, warm day. At that hour, however, came on a storm with rain from the S.W., which, although it lasted but for a brief space, will possibly have replaced the crops in the situation in which the previous rains had left them. I shall drop narrative, however, in order to communicate to you the observations, reflections, calculations, and assurances I have received from the very best authority in Europe on the subject. "Since Saturday last the price of flour in the Paris market has risen 7f. the sack, of 159 kilogrammes, or 3181b5., nearly 3 cwt. Within three weeks the price of wheat has risen 23 per cent. It is not, however, in France alone that this calamity begins to be experiencEd ; the north of Europe suffers, and fears even more. Already the price of wheat had risen at Dantzic to 19f. the hectolitre. What the situation of Great Britain and her dependencies is, in this respect, you require not that I tell you. Everything depends upon the weather during the next ten days. lithe weather continue bad, not only will the quality of the harvest, already seriously compromised, be still more deteriorated, but the quantity, which appeared sufficient, will be no longer so. Thus, from the present date to the 2d or 7th of next month (that is, in ten or fifteen days), we may incur that irreparable calamity, a very deficient harvest of bad quality; and hence it is on the barometer, on the thermometer, and on the eudometer, that the statesman must keep his eye during that period, and not upon the political balance. " Should the weather prove unfavourable in that interval, whither are we (France and England) to turn for supplies? You (English) have already tried the northern markets of Europe, but you were too late. Those of the United States of America alone hold out hope to you. " Are you aware that one day's consumption of corn in France is equal to the freight of 175 vessels of 100 tons each ? and that a day's consumption of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland would freight 145 vessels of the same burden? Thus it would require 320 vessels to convey to England and France a single day's supply of corn or flour. Taking the value of the article at 400 f. (161. sterling) the ton, a day's consumption would cost 12,800,000 f., or rather more than half a million sterling. " In 1816 there were at this season 23 days of rain, which produced 96 centimetres, or very nearly three feet of water. The temperature was 2h degrees (of Reaumur) lower than at present, and it caused France to expend extraordinarly 1,700,000,000 f., or 68,000,000/. sterling. " The consequences of that dreadful season were, that Great Britain imported in 1817 supplies for thirty-six days; in 1818, for seventy-three days; in 1819 (when the dearth had ceased), for twenty-six days. " The comparison between 1816 and the present year is rather in our favour, but I cannot too often repeat, all depends upon the weather during the next ten or fifteen days." It were presumptuous in me to attempt to add a single word to this communication.  The Duke and Duchess of Richmond and family have left Goodwood, Lord William Lennox will do the honours there during the race week, and the Hon. G. Byng will act as steward for the Earl of March. _  --In 1674 the summer in Scotland was remarkably hot. It is related that one of the minions of tyranny, who at that calamitous period harassed the poor Presbyterians with captious questions, having asked a shepherd of Fife " Whether the killing of Sharp, Archbishop of St. Andrew's (which had happened in May) was murder?" he replied "that he could not tell, but that there had been fine weather ever since."  The stormy weather during the week has considerably delayed the arrival of the steamers from France, Holland, and- Belgium. On Thursday several vessels were six and eight hours longer than usual on their, respective voyage and three steamers expected on Thursday . afternoon from' Scotland, Dublin, and Rotterdam, did not arrive till Friday morning.