Grain Prices (England) Jan-Jun 1847

CORN IMPORTATION BILL.

HC Deb 22 January 1847 vol 89 cc273-5273

LORD J. RUSSELL

moved the Second Reading of this Bill.

§MR. MITCHELL

inquired whether it were intended that the suspension of the navigation laws should only last till the 1st of September; and that is country? If that were the case, he had no hesitation in saying that the Government would shut out a very large quantity of corn indeed. The noble Lord had alluded the other night to considerable quantities of grain which might be expected from the Black Sea; but it should be recollected that some of the ports there were not opened until March or May, and no 274 person would venture to ship grain with a chance of its not getting to this country in time to be admitted. His own impression of the state of the corn trade was such as to satisfy him that the noble Lord, before the conclusion of the Session, would have to propose the suspension, not only of the navigation laws, but of every description of restrictive laws. He was convinced that they were likely to see a high price of corn, not only for the next six or twelve months, but for the next two years. He would suggest, therefore, that the period of the suspension of the navigation laws should be extended or left indefinite; or, if the Government were not prepared to do that, some clause might be inserted in the Bill, leaving it discretionary with the Lords of the Privy Council or the Board of Customs to admit any ship with grain arriving here after the 1st of September, provided it was proved that she sailed from the port of loading on or before a certain day, which might be certified by the Consul there.

MR. STAFFORD O'BRIEN

wished to know whether, if it was the intention of the Government to suspend the payment of all the duty on corn till the 1st of September, any steps would be taken to ascertain for statistical purposes the quantity of corn imported?

§The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

replied, that it was intended to suspend the payment of all duty whatever, because, in a case like the present, if anything were done, everything should be done. But, as the corn imported must be entered, there would be means of knowing the quantity brought in for consumption. With reference to the observations which had fallen from the hon. Member (Mr. Mitchell), he had to say that it was intended that foreign ships with grain must enter before the 1st of September; and the object of taking that period was to allow time for the transport here of all the corn which would probably be brought to this country of the late harvest, and not to make provision for the corn of the next harvest. He believed that the period chosen would be found to answer that purpose; but of course, if the state of circumstances towards the end of the Session should turn out as the hon. Gentleman anticipated, the Government would have the opportunity of coming to Parliament for such measures as might be deemed necessary to meet the then exigency. But at the present time, and with the present prospect, be believed that the Bill, as it stood, would effect all 275 that was necessary for allowing the importation of all the corn that was likely to be brought here. The provision had not been drawn up without inquiry. From Odessa the voyage occupied two months, or eight weeks, so that a vessel sailing from there on any day before the 1st of July would be able to enter her cargo of grain in this country before the 1st of September. The navigation of the Black Sea opened at a much earlier period than July—by the end of March, for instance—and from a circular of a merchant at Galatz he learned that, in consequence of the extraordinary prices which prevailed for grain, the probability was, that every effort would be made this year to get the cargoes out of port at an earlier period than usual; and it was anticipated that considerable quantities of grain would be brought down ready for export by the months of May and June. This would allow sufficient time for its import into this country before September.

 

CORN DETAINED AT ANCONA.

HC Deb 05 February 1847 vol 89 cc883-4883

§DR. BOWRING

rose to put a question on the subject of the detention of corn and maize by order of the Pope. The House was aware that the port of Ancona was one of the great receptacles of the corn of all nations; and, it being a free port, a considerable quantity had been collected in the granaries there. Very considerable purchases had been made at that port for English account, and they were intended to be shipped to this country. It was stated, that an order had emanated from the Pope by which the export of grain was prohibited, that many cargoes had been detained in that place, and that in other cases ships had not been allowed to load. He was desirous to ask, whether the subject had come under the consideration of the noble Lord the Foreign Secretary, and whether he had taken, or was likely to take, any measure in regard to it?

§VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

had received several representations upon the subject some little time ago, and had on that very day had an interview with a deputation from the city of London, who came to him upon the same matter. In consequence of the former representations he had issued an instruction on the 22nd of January to the British Minister at Florence, to remonstrate with the Roman Government upon the subject. The interdict proceeded, as he believed, not from the Government at Rome, but from the local authorities at Ancona; and, as he was informed, it applied not to corn coming from other parts of the world and deposited at Ancona, but to corn the produce of the Roman States, purchased on English account, some of it already deposited in the free port of Ancona, and some of it on its way. The matter was of very considerable interest and importance, and he could assure the hon. Member that the Government would use their utmost endeavours to persuade 884 the Roman Government to exempt from that order all corn purchased or intended for this country.

 

THE PRICE OF FOOD.

HL Deb 04 February 1847 vol 89 cc771-2771

§The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNE

presented a petition from the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of Cork, praying of their Lordships to take some measures for the purpose of diminishing the price of food in Ireland. The noble Marquess took that opportunity of stating that he concurred in the opinion expressed by his noble and learned Friend opposite (Lord Brougham) the other evening, that the Government ought not to take any measures which would interfere with the market price of food. The system had been tried, and it had been found to operate most injuriously. The result was a grievous scarcity of provisions in every place the very week following that during which it had been tried; and in some instances, the provision dealers were obliged to shut up their shops, in consequence of the losses they had sustained. He was also perfectly ready to concur in opinion with the noble and learned Lord, that it was the duty of the Government, as far as possible, to remit obstructions to supplies of food being obtained by the people.

§The DUKE of RICHMOND

I think it is desirable that it should not go forth to the country that there is likely to be a great dearth of provisions in this country. So much has been stated about famine in Ireland, it is now said in many parts of England that there will be a scarcity of corn, and that all the evils of a famine may be apprehended. Now, I believe that that is not the case, as I believe that there is a great deal of corn in the hands of persons in this country. Besides, when, coupled with this, we see such large imports of grain from the United States, there is little reason for people to consider that the country will encounter a famine. I, for one, have no apprehension of a famine here.

§EARL FITZWILLIAM

had not the slightest doubt that the supply of wheat, both in England and Ireland, was sufficient for those who were consumers of wheat. This would necessarily be absorbed, 772 and certainly the finer qualities of wheat would be scarce, and perhaps there might be a scarcity in the secondary qualities also; but he was anxious to correct one mistake which might be injurious out of doors. An impression had been created by the words of his noble and learned Friend, and he was anxious to correct the notion, that the people of England were suffering anything like the same destitution as that which was experienced in Ireland. The people of Ireland were not consumers of wheat, but of other produce; and as the potato crop had totally failed, want was not only felt in Ireland, but there was absolute destitution. This was a notion which he earnestly desired to correct; for if it were not corrected, it might lead to a relaxation of those efforts which were indispensable to relieve the Irish people from starvation.

 

EXPORTATION OF CORN FROM RUSSIA.

HC Deb 22 March 1847 vol 91 cc264-5264

LORD J. RUSSELL

said, that he was asked by an hon. Member, some time ago, whether there was any truth in the report that the Emperor of Russia had prohibited the exportation of corn from that country. He now begged to inform that hon. Gentleman and the House, that a letter had been received from Lord Bloomfield, stating, that as soon as the report had come to his knowledge, he had a communication with the Minister of Finance at St. Peters-burgh on the subject, and that he had 265 been informed by the Russian Government that the report was without any foundation whatsoever; but that, on the contrary, the exportation of grain from the Russian ports would be facilitated by all possible means by the Government of that country.

 

FREE TRADE IN CORN.

HC Deb 12 March 1847 vol 90 c12411241

MR. BAILLIE

wished to put a question to the noble Lord relative to the state of the corn markets. The noble Lord was probably aware that the Ministry of Belgium had prohibited for some time past the exportation of corn from that country; that both French and Belgian agents had been in England making very large purchases of corn; and, that it was anticipated, if these purchases continued to be made, prices would be very much enhanced, and scarcity would ensue. What he wished to know from the noble Lord was, would Her Majesty's Government feel themselves called upon in self-defence to prohibit the exportation of corn from our ports?

LORD J. RUSSELL

The hon. Gentleman has asked me a question on a very important subject without giving me any notice that he had such an intention. I will, however, at once tell him what is the general intention of the Government on this subject. We are perfectly aware that there is a great demand for corn in France and Belgium, and that prices are rising and are likely to continue to rise in those countries; but we are of opinion, generally speaking, that to prohibit the exportation of corn is a direct mode of preventing corn being brought into this country. We think that, in the case of an importing merchant, if he have a security that he can import his corn here, either for consumption here, or, if he should think proper, to take it afterwards to another market, he will have every inducement to bring it here. We consider, on the other hand, that if he is told if it once comes here it cannot be taken away again, we shall drive him to avoid a market where his corn would be thus locked up, and import it to some other market

EXPORTATION OF CORN.

HC Deb 07 May 1847 vol 92 cc527-8527

§CAPTAIN HARRIS

wished to ask the noble Lord at the head of the Government whether it were his intention to propose any measure to put a stop to the exportation of wheat now going on, 134,000 quarters having been exported during the last month, and large exportations were still going on. The price of wheat was rising very rapidly, and he understood a further rise of several shillings had taken place on that day.

LORD J. RUSSELL

I beg to inform the hon. Member that it is not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to pro- 528 pose any restrictions upon the exportation of wheat.

SUSPENSION OF THE CORN LAWS.

HC Deb 10 May 1847 vol 92 cc598-9598

MR. BAILLIE

said, that the noble Lord at the head of the Government had the other night stated, that it was not his intention to take any steps for prohibiting the exportation of corn from this country; but since the noble Lord made that statement corn had risen in price nearly 30s. per quarter, and there was all probability of a further rise taking place. He now wished to ask, whether the Government had any intention of prohibiting the use of grain in distilleries for a limited period?

 

SUPPLY OF FOOD IN THE COUNTRY.

HL Deb 11 May 1847 vol 92 cc670-7670

§The EARL of HARDWICKE

, in rising to put the questions of which he had given notice, respecting the quantity of corn at present in the country, stated, that it was strongly impressed on his mind that the supply of wheat which we possessed was 671 not sufficient to sustain our population until the next harvest came in. He was led to this conclusion by the rapid decrease of wheat in his own county, and by all the inquiries which he had made as to the general supply throughout the country.

 

 The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNE

 

In the month of January, in the present year, 661,000 quarters had been imported; in the month of February 557,000 quarters had been imported; in the month of March 929,000 quarters had been imported; and in the month of April 1,043,000 quarters had been imported: thereby indicating an increase proportioned to the amount of the demand, and that on the appearance of the deficiency, of which at an early period of the year the public were not aware, there were corresponding efforts made to supply the demand; and the result would be, if the supply were continued during the entire year at the same ratio as during the last four months, the amount of supply for the year would be 9,000,000 quarters.

 

LORD ASHBURTON

 

 The only question now was, whether they ought or ought not to place restrictions upon the exportation of corn; and he admitted that it would be with great reluctance that he could 676 agree to such a proposal. At the same time we stood in the singular position of being the only distressed country that did not restrict exportation: and there might come a case of necessity for such a step to be taken even here.         

LORD BROUGHAM

thought this to be a very important subject. Nothing could be worse than concealing the fact of a scarcity. Nothing, on the contrary, could tend more to prevent a dearth from becoming a famine, than to give timely notice of its approach; he therefore thanked his noble Friend for having brought the subject before the House. He wished he could say that he experienced no uneasiness in his mind with respect to the prospects of the country for the next two or three months. He was, however, quite clear upon one subject—that the advice of his noble Friend (the Marquess of Lansdowne) was sound advice, and that it was the imperative duty of all in their Lordships' station and in the middle classses of society to practise and to inculcate in others the most strict and rigorous system of economy, especially in husbanding the great and fundamental resource that constituted the prime staff of life. With respect to the labouring classes, they unhappily required no stimulus to exercise economy, because the rise of prices imposed it upon them as a necessity, and in this respect a rise of price operated usefully to correct the effects of improvidence in a season of scarcity. He felt the great importance of what had fallen from his noble Friend (Lord Ashburton) as to the very great impolicy of interfering with the export trade of this country in corn. It would tend at a time of pressure such as the country was suffering under to frustrate and defeat their own object, by preventing a sufficient supply coming to England from America; for he entertained not the least doubt that the immense supplies of corn which his noble Friend (the Marquess of Lansdowne) had stated had arrived in this country within the last four months—amounting to between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000, of quarters—had been brought hither with the view to re-exportation. And all this corn had come from America, for it was impossible that any portion of it could have arrived from the Baltic, the cold season having shut up that sea. So great was the amount of importation, that within the last four or five weeks there had been sufficient to supply this country with one fifth of a whole 677 year's consumption.

 

FOOD RIOTS (ENGLAND).

HC Deb 17 May 1847 vol 92 c952952

§MR. ESCOTT

, referring to the accounts in the newspapers that large bodies of people in Exeter and Taunton and some other towns in the west of England had proceeded to the markets, and compelled the dealers in provisions, both corn and meat, to sell them at such prices as those bodies of people chose to fix, begged to ask the Home Secretary whether those accounts were authentic, whether there was occasion for that alarm which certainly prevailed throughout the western parts of England, and whether there was any information upon the subject which he was prepared, consistently with his duty, to lay before the House?

§SIR G. GREY

had received communications from the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, and from the civil authorities of Exeter, giving an account of some disturbances which had occurred in the latter part of the week at Exeter and in its neighbourhood, and in several parts of the east of Cornwall, alleged to be in consequence of the high prices of provisions; from Taunton, however, he (Sir G. Grey) had received no official representation of any such disturbances, although he had seen statements respecting them in the newspapers and in private letters. But he was happy to state, that in consequence of the prompt and judicious measures adopted by the local authorities, order had been restored; and he hoped that there was no cause for alarm with respect to the future.

DISTILLATION FROM GRAIN AND SUGAR.

HC Deb 17 May 1847 vol 92 cc952-3952

MR. H. J. BAILLIE

asked whether the Government had now any intention of prohibiting distillation from grain in consequence of the high price of provisions?

§The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

entertained very great doubt whe- 953 ther any considerable advantage would arise from adopting such a measure; and the hon. Member must see that, unless very great advantages would arise, much inconvenience could not but result from putting a violent stop at once to a large branch of commerce. Nothing gave so great a stimulus to illicit distillation as putting an end to the legal traffic. In Ireland, at this moment, illicit distillation prevailed, where it certainly might have been supposed that the wants of the people would have prevented it. The measure alluded to by the hon. Member could produce very little good effect just now. About 1,300,000 quarters were used in distillation in the year, but 1,000,000 of them had been already used; only about 300,000 more would be used before the harvest, and 100,000 of these had been already prepared; and, therefore, the utmost advantage that would be derived from stopping distillation from grain would only involve about 200,000 quarters, which had probably been already bought by distillers, and which they would be compelled by such a course to sell. Distillation from sugar was already carried on in Glasgow and other parts of the country; and notice had been given by some large distillers in the metropolis, that they were about to commence it on a large scale. Any obstacles that stood in the way of distillation from sugar would be removed, and he believed it would be carried on to a very great extent, and would have a very considerable advantage in price. Some further reports had been laid before the Board of Excise upon the subject, fully corroborating the report laid on the Table early in the Session, and showing the very great advantage which would arise from the use of sugar

 

PUBLIC GRANARIES.

HL Deb 17 May 1847 vol 92 cc890-1890

The EARL of WINCHILSEA,

pursuant to notice, rose to bring under the consideration of the House the expediency of establishing public granaries. He had every reason to suppose, from the information he had received, that if the coming harvest were late, the quantity of corn now in the country would be inadequate to the wants of the people in the meantime. In the year 1835, he remembered that the price of wheat was as low as 35s. a quarter; and if public granaries had been established at that time, 2,000,000 of quarters might have been bought for 3,500,000l., and a sufficient stock might always have been kept on hand. What he wished, then, to advocate was this—that there should be national granaries in the hands and under the control of the Government, and that as long as the agricultural interests or the corn trade should supply the best quality of wheat at a reasonable price, those granaries should be kept closed; but that if the time should arrive when, from any danger of the crops at home, or unfair speculation, the corn traders should withhold a supply at a price at which the great body of the labouring classes could afford to buy, then the doors should be opened, and the price of corn kept as level and low as possible. We could not rely upon the harvest: it depended upon the will and bounty of a superior Power, and no foresight could assure us of an adequate supply. If, then, with our existing scarcity of corn, we allowed the stock we now possessed to be poured out to the assistance of our foreign neighbours (and he understood that within the last few days the French Government had bought in this country flour and wheat to a great extent), considering the dense mass of our population in the manufacturing districts and in the metropolis, a frightful state of things must be the consequence. He did not intend, however, to conclude with any Motion on the subject, but would 891 be satisfied with having called the attention of the Government to it

THE USE OF FLOUR IN CALICOES.

HC Deb 18 May 1847 vol 92 cc1055-61055

§MR. FERRAND

rose to put a question of which he had given notice. As it was calculated that 183,120,000 lbs. weight of the best flour was annually used merely for the purpose of dressing the warps for weaving, besides an immense quantity for the purpose of daubing cottons with flour paste to defraud the public, he wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he would bring in a Bill to prohibit the use of flour for such purposes? Very strong opinions had been expressed on the subject by the working population; and 1056 having received the calculations on which he proceeded from a person practically acquainted with the subject, he had every reason to consider them as perfectly correct.

LORD J. RUSSELL

replied, that he would not bring in a Bill for any such purpose

 

DISTILLING FROM SUGAR.

HC Deb 21 May 1847 vol 92 cc1167-8

 

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

observed, that the hon. Gentleman was correct in stating that he had said, on a former evening, that it was not the intention of the Government to bring in any measure for prohibiting the use of grain in distilleries. He could only give the same answer to the inquiry of the hon. Gentleman which he had before given to a question on the same subject from the hon. Member for Montrose (Mr. Hume). What he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) undertook to do was to give every facility consistent with the existing law for the use of sugar in distillation. The Chairman of the Board of Excise had stated to a deputation from the distillers, who had waited upon him on this subject, that he would be happy to afford them any facilities consistent with the law which they 1168 could point out to him. Beyond this he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) could not go, because, in the present state of the expenditure of the country, he felt it his paramount duty to keep up the revenue. He might state, in reply to the questions which the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Barkly) had placed upon the Notice Paper, that it was not his intention to propose to repeal any portion of the Act of Parliament which forbade distillation from sugar in combination with grain. The hon. Gentleman was entirely mistaken in the statement he had made with regard to the period which was required to elapse between the use of grain and sugar in distilleries. All that was necessary was that such an interval should elapse between distillation from sugar and grain as should allow the work made from the one to be cleared off the premises before distillation from the other was commenced. The hon. Gentleman seemed to suppose that under the existing law the permission to distil from sugar was perfectly nugatory. He could assure the hon. Gentleman this was not the case, for there were three large distilleries in Dublin, Glasgow, and London, where distillation from sugar was now extensively carried on.