to a free system. We are satisfied, however, that the establishment of the perfect freedom of the corn-trade would be productive of no such results; and we think it will not be difficult to establish, beyond all question, that the fears and apprehensions of the agriculturists, whether real or pretended, are alike futile and visionary.

The erroneous opinions so industriously circulated respecting the price at which foreign corn might be obtained in our markets, are the cause of the false estimates that have been formed of the effect that would be produced by an entire freedom of trade. Some of the more zealous advocates of agricultural monopoly really seem to think that the serfs of Poland and Russia, and the untaxed democrats of North America, raise corn for nothing; and contend that, if there were no restrictions on the importation of their produce, it would be quite impossible to raise another bushel in England! And even those who are least apprehensive, state, that if the free importation of foreign corn were permitted, it would be sold at a lower price than would suffice to pay the cost of raising it on any but our very best soils; and that the unavoidable consequence of such importation would be, to throw two-thirds, or at least a half, of the land of England out of cultivation ! In proof of this, we may mention, that, in March 1821, Mr Curwen stated, in his place in the House of Commons, on what he no doubt considered as unquestionable authority, that wheat might be grown in Poland at 8s. a quarter, and that 12s. or 13s. was considered a high remunerating price! To the same effect, Mr Ellman of Sussex, one of the leading agriculturists, stated to the Agricultural Committee of 1821, that he knew, from good authority, that the best Dantzic wheat might be delivered at Newhaven harbour, near Lewes, free of all charges, at 32s. or 33s. a quarter. And the other agricultural witnesses examined by the Committee concurred generally in opinion, that, in the event of the ports being opened, foreign wheat might, in ordinary years, be sold in London for 30s. or 35s.!

Such are the assertions of the agriculturists; and the only thing we have to regret is, that they should be utterly with out foundation. We say regret, for whatever the agricultural doctors may say to the contrary, there can be no doubt that it would be of prodigious advantage to the public to be. able to obtain sufficient supplies of wheat for 30s. or 35s. a quarter. Even such a fall of price would not be effectual to throw one-fifth of the land now in cultivation into pasture; at the same time that the reduction it would occasion in the rate of wages, would, by proportionally raising the rate

of profit, give an immense stimulus to industry in general, and would accelerate the progress of the country in a degree that could hardly be conceived possible. But, unfortunately, the perfect freedom of the corn-trade would procure us no such boon. It would indeed be a great and signal benefit, because it would secure us perpetual plenty, and present an insuperable obstacle to any very oppressive rise of prices in future; but it would not at all depress them. They have, for upwards of a twelvemonth, been nearly coincident with what would be their lowest average limit were the ports thrown open; and, however extraordinary it may appear to those who have been accustomed implicitly to subscribe to the dogmas of the late Mr Webb Hall and his Committee, we are prepared to show, that every acre of land which it is possible to cultivate with profit at this moment, might be so cultivated, were every restriction and prohibition abolished, and our artisans allowed full liberty to purchase their corn in the cheapest markets.

*

To establish the perfect accuracy of this position, we shall subjoin a short review of the prices of corn at the principal foreign markets, beginning with that of Dantzic. Now, instead of 12s. or 13s. being, as Mr Curwen stated, considered by the Polish cultivators as a high remunerating price, Mr Oddy, who visited Dantzic, states, in his work on European Commerce, published in 1805, that 32s. 6d. a quarter is the lowest price for which any considerable supply of wheat could be purchased at Dantzic. (p. 250.) In like manner, Mr Solly, an extensive corn-merchant, who was formerly in business at Dantzic, stated to the Committee of the House of Commons, that when there was no direct foreign demand, a quarter of wheat might be put on board ship at Dantzic for about 35s.; that the freight to London would be about 4s. 6d. or 5s. more; and that the expense attending its unloading and warehousing there, would be an additional 3s.; making its price to the importer about 43s. a quarter. (Report, p. 316.) Solly farther stated, that when the foreign demand was considerable, the price was much higher; and according to the data given in his evidence, it is plain that fine Dantzic wheat could not be imported into London, in ordinary years, in the event of our ports being opened, at less than from 55s. to 60s. a quarter. To the same effect, Mr Grade of Dantzic states, in a letter printed in the Appendix to the Report (p. 364), that From a calculation made out by an eminent practical land 'proprietor in the adjoining province, it appears, that if land

Mr

*Average prices are now, the 25th of September, wheat 55s. 2d., rye 31s. 8d., barley 33s. 1d., oats 21s. 5d.

could be had for nothing, and reckoning upon no casualties, such as a failure of the crop, extraordinary taxes, requisitions, quartering of troops, &c. the mere producing prices of grain would be '300 f. Prussian currency per last of Wheat, or 31s. 9d. per quarter. do. of Rye, or 15s. 10d. per do. per do. of Barley, or 12s. 8d. per do. per do. of Oats, or 9s. 6d.

'150 f.

'120 f. 90 f.

per

per do.

To these must be added, according to the distance and description of grain, from 4s. to 6s. a quarter for bringing the produce to market, and incidental expenses on the same. Mr Grade's statement corresponds to a fraction with that given. by Mr Jacob in his evidence. (Report, p. 374.)

In farther corroboration of what we have just stated, we shall now lay before our readers a Table furnished to the Committee by Mr Grade, of the average prices of corn at Dantzic, free on board, in decennial periods from 1770 to 1820.

Average Price, from ten to ten years, of the different species of Corn, free on board, per quarter, in Sterling money, at Dant

45 4

27 2

20 10

13 10

Aggregate average price' of the 49 years This authentic account agrees in every part with the statements in Mr Solly's evidence; and shows, that the average price of wheat at Dantzic is at least three or four times the amount mentioned by Mr Curwen. 7s. or 8s. a quarter is to be added for the expenses of freighting, warehousing, &c. in England.

It appears, indeed, from the Report of the English Consul (Parliamentary Papers, No. 289, Session 1823-4), * that the average price of wheat at Dantzic in 1823 was as low as 23s. a quarter; to which, if we add 3s. for putting it on board, and 8s. as freight, insurance, and port charges in London, its price to the importer would be 34s. a quarter, exclusive of all compensation on account of damage during the voyage, and

The returns by the Consuls, given in this paper, only include the years 1822 and 1823.

other contingencies. But then it is to be observed, that although the average quality of the Dantzic wheat exported for Englandand it is the price of such only that is given in the previous Table -is equal to the average quality of English wheat, there is a considerable supply of very inferior red wheat disposed of in the Dantzic market, partly for home consumption, and partly for exportation to Holland; and as the price of this inferior sort enters into the average given in the Consul's return, it must have the effect to depress it a good deal below what it would otherwise be. It should also be recollected that the Continental crops were unusually abundant last year, and that there was, in consequence, a comparatively limited exportation of wheat from Dantzic; and at all events it would be worse than absurd to draw any general conclusions from the price of a single year, more especially when there is unquestionable evidence to show that it is very considerably below what the Polish cultivators estimate as their lowest growing price, and when, therefore, it is certain the depression can only be of very temporary duration. *

The total quantity of wheat exported from Dantzic to foreign countries in 1801 and 1802, the years of greatest exportation, and when the price free on board was as high as 64s. 6d., amounted, according to Mr Oddy (European Commerce, p. 252), to 90,019 lasts, or 945,199 quarters; of which 638,148 quarters were exported to England, being at the rate of 319,074 quarters a year. Mr Solly is of opinion, that if the price of wheat in England was 80s., the ports on the Baltic and the north of Europe might furnish us with about a million of quarters; but that, if the price were only 60s., not more than 700,000 quarters could be drawn from thence. There can be little doubt, however, that in the event of the freedom of the corn trade being established, foreigners would regularly calculate on the demand of Britain, and that an increased quantity of corn would, in consequence, be raised for the supply of our markets. But, on the supposition that we imported 1,400,000 quarters from Northern Europe, or double the quantity which Mr Solly thinks we should be able to procure when our prices were at 60s., it would certainly fall short of a twentieth part of the total consumption of Great Britain. And as our greatest supplies must always be derived from these very countries, it is immediately seen how ridiculous it is to suppose that the perfect freedom of the corn trade could ever have the effect of rendering us in any considerable degree dependent on foreign supplies.

In proof of what is stated in the text, we may mention, that fine Dantzic wheat, in bond, was selling in London in the first week of October at 48s. a quarter. 2

Amsterdam is, next to Dantzic, the greatest corn market of the Continent. Now, according to the statements in the Amsterdam Table of Prices, in the Report of the Committee of 1821, it appears, that the average price of mixed and white wheat was 62s. a quarter in 1819, and 42s. in 1820, when the price was considered unusually low. The Consul's return indeed gives only about 27s. as the general average price of wheat in Amsterdam in 1823. It must, however, be observed, that this average necessarily embraces a large supply of wheat from the Russian ports, including Archangel and Petersburgh, the produce of which is full 13s. a quarter inferior to that of England, and that it also embraces inferior samples raised at home: For these reasons, we are inclined to think that the prices of mixed and white wheats, the superior sorts, were not a great deal lower in Amsterdam last year than in 1820; though, had that been the case, yet as no corn of the growth of Holland is exported from Amsterdam, we could not have obtained any considerable supply without occasioning an instant and considerable rise of price. *

The Committee of the House of Commons did not collect any very full or particular accounts of the price of wheat in France. Luckily, however, it is not difficult to supply this deficiency. The last edition of the Marquis Garnier's excellent translation of the Wealth of Nations' (tom. 5. p. 178), contains the following Table of the price of wheat at Paris, from 1801 to 1819, both inclusive.

Price of the Hectolitre of Wheat at the Market of Paris.

At the same time that the Consul's return makes the average price of wheat in Amsterdam, in 1823, about 27s. a quarter, it makes its average price in Rotterdam exceed 35s.—a difference which can only be accounted for by the greater quantity of inferior wheat in the former market. The Consuls ought to be instructed to specify the average prices of the different sorts of wheat. When the qualities in the market differ so widely as at Amsterdam, no sound conclusion can be deduced from general averages.