also Mr. O'Connell's opinion. Are we not were substantiated, the quantity imported is justified, then, in saying that low prices so small, it could produce little or no effect have produced larger Irish importations, on price. rather than that Irish importations have produced low prices? These returns, giving us the power to form such judgments and arrive at such conclusions, must necessarily be very important; and we again thank the hon. member for Glamorganshire, for obtaining them for us. They will enable us the better to sweep away all those delusions with which The 6th and 7th returns will be instrumental in showing in what degree the importations from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, have affected our markets. The Committee which lately sat on that subject, makes out a sufficient case, in our self-interested men have worked upon the opinion, against the complaints which were made of extensive smuggling from that quarter. And the reasoning is equally conclusive. If men did not think it worth while to smuggle when corn was high, when they might have made a large profit, they will not do it, to any extent, at least, when corn is low, and there is less room for a profit to be afforded. Besides, when we know the quantity of foreign corn coming in to the Channel Islands, and that exported from thence to England, we know, at least, that more cannot be exported, than comes in to the Island's from foreign countries: and suppose we allow that the whole came to England free of duty, it would not affect the market in any sensible degree. But it was clearly made out before the Committee, that if any were smuggled, it could only be somewhere about 3,000 or 4,000 quarters. We should wish our readers, however, to be in possession of the facts of the case, and so the return will be useful. The other returns refer mainly to the foreign importations, and will shew,-1st, how much or how little we have been dependent on a foreign supply; and 2dly, how much or how little the fall in price has been caused by foreign importations; it will also shew what amount of duty operates against letting foreign corn out of bond. minds of the farmers (aye, and the landlords too, for both have been equally ignorant, and equally the dupes of the stockjobbers), and blinded them as to the real and efficient cause of their distress. But these returns have not been procured without difficulty. It is true that Mr. Dillwyn obtained, as is usual in moving for returns of this nature, the consent of the Treasury, although, it is understood, with some difficulty: and the returns were ordered by the House of Commons. It appears, however, that Mr. Poulett Thompson was not present in his place at the time; for immediately on hearing that these returns had been ordered, he gave notice of his intention to move that they be rescinded. No doubt, it was disagreeable that the truth on these subjects should be unfolded to the public; because it would be an insuperable answer to all the delusions about good harvests having been the main cause of the fall in price. However, it appears, that an understanding was come to between Mr. Dillwyn and Mr. Poulett Thompson, and that the latter ultimately consented to abandon his opposition to the returns. The grounds stated by Mr. Poulett Thompson for his wish to rescind the leave for the returns, are understood to have been a Report made by the Statistical Board (in the Board of Trade) that the returns were already before the House, or in the London Gazette! Supposing this to be fact, what was the Statistical Board instituted for, but to extract from the innumerable and disorderly returns As there have been charges made of smuggling corn of the United States through Canada, for export to England, at the Canadian rate of duty, viz. 5s. a quarter; that return will shew that, even if this charge made to the House of Commons some clear view of the information already before it, the most of which, till lately, was a confused chaos of heterogeneous matter? An accumulation of matter that was useless to the public until it became separated and digested for the scrutiny of ordinary enquirers. But when has the 2nd, the most important of all the returns, been laid before the House? viz. that for the quantity sold at each of the 149 markets, taking the averages? Never, as far as we know. The returns, as at present ordered, would be of great service, and afford essential information to the agriculturists; and it shewed no friendly disposition to the British farmer to interpose any obstacles in their way; and the perseverance of Mr. Dillwyn, in obtaining them, is worthy of the highest praise. P.S.-We subjoin the foregoing letter, which has just come before us, from one of the regular Correspondents of the Mark Lane Express, from Liverpool, corroborating our views respecting the importations from Ireland. We have stated before, that in 1834 the importations of wheat from Ireland into Liverpool were much diminished from those of the previous year: the present account shews that in 1835, the importations are less by nearly 200,000 quarters than in 1833; the whole quantity in 1833 being only 459,000 quarters, which exhibits a diminution in the export of wheat from Ireland into Liverpool in two years of about 40 per cent. We shall hear next, no doubt, that the diminished supply from Ireland has lowered the price! At all events it will be accounted for by the increased growth of wheat and excellent harvests in England; the writer of the letter below is of this opinion apparently. The return (No. 2.) of the quantity sold in all the markets, taking the averages, will prove whether the quantity has increased; so that whichever way we look, the above returns will be of paramount service to the cause of British agri Liverpool, August 31, 1835. "Waiting upon you, as usual, with our monthly report of the corn trade, we have esteemed the present month a proper period for extending the scale of imports to a series of years, and have, accordingly, given in the following table, the annual importation of each article of the trade, taking the twelve months ending 31st August, 1829, as the first of the series. FLOUR. Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. British Foreign British Foreign British Qrs. For. British For. British Col. For. Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Sacks. Bris. Brls. 332432 87737 49330 32316 22293 7000 5859 98190 119311 41. 541. per 70 lbs. per 60 lbs. per Qr. per 280 lb. culture, as tending to sweep away delusions.## that have so long interfered with its relief. The following is the letter to which we referred :- PEAS. In it is also shewn the value of each description of free grain, &c. at the several periods, assuming for the standard the price of Irish produce, which constitutes the great bulk of our supplies. lutely increased or not. We will add the last commentary of the Mark Lane Express with respect to the present harvest, in order that the truths on that subject may also be exposed. The most striking features exhibited by 'September 14.-The rain during the past the above statement, are, the continued and week has been generally experienced throughnot inconsiderable reduction, which, during out the country, and in the northern disthe last three years, has been going on in tricts has much impeded the progress of the the supplies, and, the decline which has at harvest; barley has, in consequence, in the same time taken place in prices of the many places, become stained, and wheat, leading articles of consumption. Of the in some parts sprouted; and unless the former it will be noticed that for the season weather assumes a different character to ending August, 1833, the deliveries of wheat that which the barometer at present indiwere 460,000 quarters, last year they were cates, much loss and injury will be sustained 394,000, and this only 297,000 quarters; of in those divisions of the kingdom where oats there were imported in 1833, 368,000, from natural causes the harvest is always in 1834, 312,000, and this year 228,000 later and more protracted. We had hoped quarters; nor on reference to the manufac- to have been enabled to have offered some tured articles, flour and oatmeal, do we find detailed accounts of the crops in Scotland; any increase to account for the falling off in but the weather in the northern, as well as the supplies of the raw material. It is, per- partly in the more southern portions of the haps, out of our province to endeavour to country, has checked agricultural proceedassign the cause of this great reduction, but ings; we are, however, induced to believe, it may be proper to remark that the super- from the cursory accounts received, that abundant growth of wheat in this country wheat in the northern and western divihas, by keeping the interior markets con- sions is deficient, and in parts considerably stantly supplied, so curtailed the sale of Irish blighted, having sustained much injury from produce that we have never, throughout the the thunder storms in the commencement of season, been able to force a trade beyond August, which have throughout the kingthe immediate neighbourhood, and our gra- dom left strong marks of their injurious innary stocks of free wheat are still upwards fluence, having in places completely laid the of 130,000 quarters. Those of oats amount crops, as if they had received the pressure to a mere trifle, which is also the case as re- of a roller, and from which in instances they gards almost every other article of the trade. have never been enabled to rally, and thus At the close of August, 1833, Irish wheat was the ear has been prevented receiving the neconsidered unusually low at 7s. 10d. per cessary juices to ensure its plumpness of 70lbs. at the same period of 1834 it was re- grain, and the samples will, therefore, be duced to 58. 9d. and at this moment the irregular, and the quantity deficient in probest samples of last year's growth would not portion to the straw. Barley has suffered exceed 5s. 6d. per 70lbs." from similar causes, and will prove below an average. Oats, especially on gravelly soils, will be inferior in quality, and short in yield. From the southern portion of the kingdom, excepting the effects of the storms, the reports are altogether more favourable. In the northern as well as the southern parts of Ireland, wheat is represented inferior in sample, and below an average in produce; Since, then, the decline in the price of wheat can no longer be attributed to importations from Ireland; and since in the return No. 2, which we expect shortly to have in print from the order of the House of Commons, we shall then be able to judge, from the quantity sold in each market, whe. ther the growth in each district has abso in the western, complaints are also being made as to the yield, though the crop generally promises a better return, without, however, being abundant. Barley and oats are, for the most part, favourably reported, and the new samples of the latter which have appeared at market, have turned out heavy in quality, and contracts for delivery are generally offering at from 40 to 42lbs. per bushel. A few weeks, however, must elapse before authentic information can be derived as to the general result of the harvest either in Scotland or the Sister island. selves out of the difficulty in no other way, to attribute every fall of price to a greater supply from a plentiful harvest. One way of sustaining our own position, that the currency is at the bottom of the evil, is to shew that the other causes assumed are fallacious; we think what we have now said, together with the returns which we are expecting, will clear up the doubts of many on this allimportant subject. Barley and oats, but especially the former, are much better crops than last year; and we shall see the price decline accordingly: The supplies of wheat since Monday have indeed it has already commenced: and the been principally of new Suffolk quality fall in wool and sheep stock this autumn is some parcels fine and extremely heavy, as arousing many out of their confident dream well also the case from Essex, but from Kent that the high prices of these articles (caused the character of the wheat is generally not by the rot) were to be permanent. We so good. The samples continue to afford have long given the upland farmers this much disparity in their quality, many being warning; and pronounced their interest and thin, with smut prevailing to some extent. that of the lowland farmer, with respect to At the close of Friday, most of the samples prices, to be the same. were cleared off, the millers having taken the better descriptions at Monday's decline in price, and inferior sorts having been purchased by distillers at low figures. The average prices are again fast receding, upwards of 4,000 quarters are returned in the last week's general average list at rates varying from 34s. 6d. to 36s. Od. per qr. viz.: from Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Sussex, Huntingdon, Aylesbury, and Warminster. In Suffolk and Norfolk the average price is only 378. 7d. to 37s. 8d. on a quantity sold of 6,900 qrs. In bonded wheat nothing transpiring, and prices perfectly nominal." We trust now to see the energies of every class of farmers, upland and lowland, dairy and corn, wool and stock farmers, combined for the common object of relief: a relief which, considering the prejudices of some, and the open animosity of others, they will never obtain, but by the strictest unanimity among themselves, and resolute perseverance in electing such members only as they know will vote for unflinching inquiry into the causes of their distress. B. ON THE NECESSITY FOR A Central Agri- Premiums, Libraries, that have been established that have been distributed, have had (we shall not say none, but) extremely little influence." Edinburgh Review, July, 1834. These opinions are confirmed altogether by our own experience. The wheat is shrivelled in the ear, and the sample not by any means of average boldness; and this we attribute (in the north at least) to the too sudden ripening of the corn, after a period of rather cold and gloomy weather which prevailed in the north, at the time when nothing but blue sky and sunshine was to be seen in the south. We are the more particular in our inquiries concerning the harvests because it is the common habit of the philosophers, when they can extricate them- THE Agricultural Article in several of your "The only means by which there is any hope of accomplishing an improved System, is by the formation of A Comprehensive Agricultural Society: and it is not a little surprising, that amongst the innumerable Societies now existing in Lon don, there is none specially dedicated to the improvement of Agriculture.”—Edinburgh Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, June, 1834. late numbers has conveyed to your readers live,-then never was there a period in the intelligence of the cheering fact, that the annals of our race in which to remedy an great body which stands at the head of the incredible amount of national distress such industrial classes of the nation, are deter- incredible means could be made available; mined no longer to talk about distress, and never a moment in which, through their continue in patience and forbearance to agency, the beneficent intention of the perish under it, but that they are about, Great Common Parent of Good may be more both on their own account and that of their extensively realized, viz: “that the mouths fellow producers, to adopt measures for its of all his children shall be filled with food, redress. In this good and honest work the and their hearts with gladness." Farmers of Cambridgeshire led the way, Suffolk followed, and Kent, Bucks, Lincoln, and other counties are preparing to adopt similar proceedings. It only requires the affiliation of the Agricultural Societies, and meetings in the different districts, to pass resolutions similar in spirit to those carried at Ipswich, to shake to the core any future Administration, and House of Commons, that shall not foster native industry, and provide that the EMPLOYING CLASSES, by remunerative prices, shall be enabled to supply labour in abundance to their dependants, that great body of our people, by whose industry and skill the nation is nourished and clothed, the EMPLOYED CLASSES. The past supineness of the LAND-OCCUPIERS to their self-interest, has arisen partly from the very nature of their occupation, which does not admit of much attention to politics, but principally to the natural and respectful confidence reposed in their legitimate protectors, the LAND-OWNERS, and the LAND-RULERS. But to what has this combined supineness and confidence brought them, and with them the other producing classes? that is the question. If it be a state becoming the wealth, the intelligence, the industry of this great nation, then let it go on and prosper. But if it be a state unparalleled in the history of any other people, Christian or barbarian, bond or free, then let that man be held accursed who shall seek to defend, to maintain, or to perpetuate it! However much the farming classes have been sinned against-and they have been deeply sinned against-it is nevertheless true that their present condition is in a great measure owing to their own sinning. The rock on which their common prosperity has split has been the one circumstance that, through years of accumulating misery and distress, they have played the part of the waggoner in the fable, crying to the legislature "Help, help!," but never putting their OWN shoulders resolutely to the wheel. Now, it is an old saw, and, when practically attended to, of great price, that "God helps them who help themselves :”—and if the farmers of the United Kingdom are really determined not utterly to perish,—if there be yet enough of the ancient yeoman leaven left to make them assert their birth-right, -viz. to demand relief and protection from the Government they support;-to cause them to resolve that they shall again themselves AGRICULTURE has a long debt of justice live, and that all their fellow-producers shall due to her, and the time has arrived in If we are to continue to live much longer in the bonds of social fellowship and peace, the EMPLOYING CLASSES, whether agricultural or industrial, must have their hands strengthened-must have their grievances redressed, and their condition ameliorated. To effect this, their dependants, whether the non-producing classes on the one hand, or the producing classes on the other, are bound to come to the rescue. A combination of all the three parties for this endand it is an end which justice, patriotism, and humanity alike requires-is now imperative. Its result will be an Administration, and a House of Commons, in future that would act not without and against our HOME INTERESTS, but with them and for them. |