THE CROPS AND THE CORN-LAWS.
THE accounts of the growing grain crops last week were all but universally dolorous. The succession of a few days of fine weather since, appears to have revived the spirits of the husbandmen, and damped the ardour of the speculators for a rise in the price of corn. The Globe of Thursday said- " The gloom which. pervaded the minds of manys produced by fears of a greatly deficient crop, is passing away, and the expectation is now entertained of a harvest but little, if any, below an average. All is activity in the agri- cultural counties; and in the course of another week, the joy of harvest' will be general in the Southern and Western districts, while the Eastern and North- ern parts will derive yet more advantage from the genial influence of the now p opitious weather."
On turning, however, to the extracts from country journals given in another part of the same paper, we find but scanty con- firmation of this announcement. The Brighton Gazette has " very different reports from different districts," but hopes that the damage to the wheat crops has been overrated ; adding, that on the Downs and in bleak situations " the appearance is bad." The Taunton Courier says, that in Somersetshire, the " crops are sadly prostrated in many instances,'' but anticipates " very little short of an average burden." The Dorset Chronicle's account is more unfavourable. These reports are subsequent to the change occasioned by the sunny weather in two of the warmest counties of England. An examination of numerous ac- counts from the country at large, but especially the Northern counties, conveys the impression, that even if all the crops now growing are well gathered, the harvest will be deficient as com- pared with the average of former years. There would, however, be comparative scarcity were the produce equal to that of an average crop; for are there not more mouths to feed ? The apo- logists for the. Corn-laws always shrink from the view of the question suggested by the fact, that while there is no increase of land, there is and will continue to be a steady augmentation of population. But may not the land be made to yield mote ? Pos- sibly. At present, however, it is a question whether there will be even an average crop. And is it not a fact, that within these five years very great improvements have been made in the cultivation of land which will give any thine, like an adequate return for the labour and money expended on it? It is undeniable that in spite of improved cultivation we are threatened with scarcity. Indeed, there is scarcity now. The price of the quartern loaf is tenm rem- halfpenny, and gold is daily sent to the Continent to porch is food. The foreign exchanges, says the M';rning Chronicle, fell
on Tuesday, iu consequence of the " great demand for bills to remit on account of corn-speculations." Those bills must be paid, not with British manufactures, but with gold taken from the vaults of London bankers. The official return of the quantities of foreign grain and meal of all sorts in the country, on the 5th
of July, was, in round numbers, 920,000 quarters; which, ac- cording to M'Cuteocx, is equal only to six days' consumption. It is not probable that it has since increased. Wheat jumped up 8s. a quarter last Friday at Wakefield, and the corn averages are constantly rising.
At present it is doubtful whether the Continental harvests will and there will be no excess to send to England on that suppeo tion. Now mark the operation of these blessed Corn-laws,
The " remunerating price" of the agricultural interest is ce, a quarter for wheat ; and it is pretended that the Corn-laws rues; cunningly contrived that the price shall not long be ale:pant mark, as foreign corn will be introduced and bring it down. But the price has fur many weeks been above Gfis. : the average of last six weeks is 69s. 2d., and in Mark Lane the best wheat sells foe 80s. and upwards a quarter. And is this price reduced by ise portation of foreign corn ? Wheat in bond is, adding the duty as valuable as the home-grown. It is rising on the Contineai: and nobody expects to import it so as to sell at GOS. A few year; ago, there was a tolerable certainty that a plentiful and ciesp supply of corn could be had from the Baltic ; but now the Gurnee do not grow wheat for the English market. When, therefore, from any cause there is a scarcity of wheat in England, the Cos. tinent must not be. looked to for a supply on reasonable terra; we shall nay dearly fir it with gold.
And what is the consequence of purchasing fool with gold? A fall in the exchanges, such as occurred on Tuesday ; then contraction of issues by the Bank; and a serious disarrangement of commerce, if the operation is carried to any considerable extent.
The present difficulties will no doubt be met; and though thee is much grumbling and suffering, the monopolists need not be alarmed for the immediate consequences of the Corn-laws. But who can guarantee the country against a succession of unfavour. able seasons, with an increasing population ? And then, be it remembered, there must be a state of unprecedented embar. rasstnent ; because, in former times of scarcity, there was the cheap and well-stocked granary of the Continent to go to, but now there is not, nor will there be, any great excess over the needed supply for the foreign consumers themselves. It is indeed a dangerous game which our rulers are playing, In other countries Governments prohibit foreign manufactured articles—not necessaries. There may be, consequently, a foolish curtailment of conveniences and luxuries; but we are not aware that any modern nation except the English raises an insufficient quantity of the chief necessary of life, and at the same time reit. iters it disadvantageous to other countries to furnish a supply of it in the hour of need. A fearful explosion, consequent on severe suffering of the bulk of the people, appears to be inevitable.
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