6. It has been supposed by some, that this law cannot, and will not
be executed: but I own I see no grounds for such an opinion. It is
difficult to execute prohibitions against the exportation of corn,
when it is in great plenty, but not when it is scarce. For ten years
before 1757, we had in this country, regularly exported on an
average, above 400,000 quarters of wheat, and in that year there was
at once an excess of importation. With regard to the alleged
impotence of governments in this respect, it appears to me that
facts shew their power rather than their weakness. To be convinced
of this, it is only necessary to look at the diminished importations
from America during the war, and particularly from the Baltic after
Bonaparte's decrees. The imports from France and the Baltic in 1810,
were by special licences, granted for purposes of revenue. Such
licences shewed strength rather than weakness; and might have been
refused, if a greater object than revenue had at that time presented
itself.
7. The average is 16 francs, 21 centimes, the Hectolitre. The
Hectolitre is about 1-20th less than 3 Winchester bushels, which
makes the English quarter come to about 38 shillings.
8. It appears from the evidence, that the corn from the Baltic is
often very heavily taxed, and that this tax is generally raised in
proportion to our necessities. In a scarce year in this country we
could never get any considerable quantity of corn from the Baltic,
without paying an enormous price for it.
9. By the real growing price of corn I mean the real quantity of
labour and capital which has been employed to procure the last
additions which have been made to the national produce. In every
rich and improving country there is a natural and strong tendency to
a constantly increasing price of raw produce, owing to the necessity
of employing, progressively, land of an inferior quality. But this
tendency may be partially counteracted by great improvements in
cultivation, and economy of labour. See this subject treated in An
inquiry into the nature and progress of rent, just published.
10. Sir John Sinclair's Account of the Husbandry of Scotland: and
the General Report of Scotland.
11. "Inquiry into the Nature and Progress of Rent, and the
Principles by which it is regulated."
12. I was not prepared to expect (as I intimated in the
Observations) so sudden a fall in the price of labour as has already
taken place. This fall has been occasioned, not so much by the low
price of corn, as by the sudden stagnation of agricultural work,
occasioned by a more sudden check to cultivation than I foresaw.
13. I am strongly disposed to believe, that it is owning to the
unwillingness of governments to allow the free egress of their corn,
when it is scarce, that nations are practically so little dependent
upon each other for corn, as they are found to be. According to all
general principles they ought to be more dependent. But the great
fluctuations in the price of corn, occasioned by this unwillingness,
tend to throw each country back again upon its internal resources.
This was remarkably the case with us in 1800 and 1801, when the very
high price, which we paid for foreign corn, gave a prodigious
stimulus to our domestic agriculture. A large territorial country,
that imports foreign corn, is exposed not infrequently to the
fluctuations which belong to this kind of variable dependence,
without obtaining the cheapness that ought to accompany a trade in
corn really free.
14. See this subject treated in An Inquiry into the Nature and
Progress of Rents.