520 British Poiions: [[Nov- 



Now the quantity of foreign barley imported during the last ten years 

 amounts to about a hundred and fifty-five thousand quarters — but as the 

 demand for malting barley is greatly increased since the reduction of the 

 duty on beer, we may in future reckon upon being obliged to buy from 

 foreigners probably ten times that quantity. In fact, from the evidence of 

 Mr. John, and several others, it clearly appears that the British agriculturists 

 have more to fear from encouragement to the growth of foreign barley, 

 than from the importation of this small quantity of molasses, because the 

 repeal of the beer duty, and the consequent increased demand for malt- 

 ing barley, has already attracted the attention of the foreign grower, and 

 he is now not only throwing many thousand acres of land, not before 

 dedicated to agriculture, into barley cultivation, but is actually using 

 every endeavour to raise the quality of that grain so as to rival or super- 

 sede English malting barley in the British market : — for instance Bohe- 

 mian barley from its greater weight, is found equal to, and may, by 

 attention, be made superior to English barley for malting purposes; 

 and so soon as the average price in this country shall attain such a 

 height as to remunerate the foreign grower, barley will be imported into 

 England in such quantities, as may overwhelm, or permanently dis- 

 courage the English farmer ! — It has on the other hand been urged, 

 that by giving the British brewer and distiller the power of using mo- 

 lasses and sugar as a substitute for foreign barley whenever a scarcity of 

 British grain shall render that measure necessary — such an option would 

 effectually discourage foreign competition, because the foreigner, if this 

 power of having recourse to sugar or molasses existed, could no longer 

 safely calculate upon a failing crop of this delicate grain in England ; 

 and would, consequently, find it unsafe to risk his capital upon a specu- . 

 lation so hazardous. ' 



^, Although we have mentioned sugar in conjunction with molasses, yet 

 it seems to be molasses only that the West Indians were desirous might 

 be introduced at the present moment ; and even the great porter brewers 

 admit that this measure would have given great facilities to the small 

 brewers, and produced a cheap and wholesome beverage to the public. 



* Mr. Calvert, M.P. very fairly says, " I think no manufacturer ought 

 to complain of being permitted to use molasses, especially when it is 

 left to his own discretion whether to use it or not. My belief is, that if 

 molasses were allowed in the brewery, it would be used in instances 

 where the grain was very much damaged in harvesting." " I know 

 there is much fear in the trade that molasses would be used as a me- 

 dium for the conveyance of other ingredients, and thereliy enable the 

 fraudulent brewer to undersell the fair trader ; I know, also, there 

 are persons who have such fears, that they cannot listen to the recom- 

 mendation of molasses being used at all. I possess none of these fears; 

 I think, in a very short time, the brewers would use molasses in colour- 

 ing, instead of burnt malt, which makes no return whatever ; molasses, 

 if used, would make a return ; and inasmuch as it would lessen the ex- 

 pense of colouring, I think the brewers would find it their interest to 

 use it instead of burnt malt. I should use molasses in the cases I have 

 mentioned, where barley was very much injured, by being badly har- 

 vested, and consequently imfit for malting ; but, in that case, not in 

 large proportions, on account of its not possessing any flavour of malt, 

 and no mucelage whatever." And again — " there cannot be a doubt 

 but sugar or molasses would make a very much better colouring for 



