*104) ANNUAL REGISTER, 1793. 
a supply of food; and, to attain 
which, no sacrifice of property was 
an obstacle ; therefore that nation, 
whose exigencies were urgent, was 
_ compelled to embark at the national 
cost, or render no relief. Thus, 
while we beg to pay our tribute of 
acknowledgement for thatseasonable 
precaution, allow us to express our 
opinion that, when tke causes of 
justification cease, the scheme should 
also ; for, except in cases so extra- 
ordinary, the supplies of grain will 
find their way to market through the 
merchant (under regular and perma- 
nent laws, adapted to relieve the 
manufacturer, as well as prudently 
encourage the farmer), with greater 
facility, more steadiness, and less ex- 
pence, than through the medium of 
any government, 
In ‘the counties of - Hereford, 
Monmouth, Worcester, Gloucester, 
Wilts, Somerset, and Devon, the 
harvest in point of weather for saving 
it has been universal, and the crop 
of springssown grain never known to 
be more atundant: but one general 
opinion prevails of the defectiveness 
of the crop of wheat, which may be 
ascribed to two causes ; the destruc- 
tion of the plant by severe frosts last 
winter, when the ground was not co- 
vered with snow, and the eflect of a 
few frosty nights, when the wheat 
was in blossom, injuring the top of 
the ear from filling, and which now 
affects the yielding very materially. 
To exemplify it more clearly, the 
estimation prevails that the stock of 
old and new British wheat on Sept. 
29, 1795, was one-third short of the 
stock of old and new, Sept. 29, 
1794; and it is a most lamentable 
circumstance to look forward to, 
when we review the evils likely to 
result from the late dearth. <A fru- 
gal use of wheat recommended, and 
introduced substitutes for it in the 
make of bread, will alleviate in a 
small degree. The free circulation 
of corn inland should have every at- 
tention and support; for, the late 
distress was greater than the stock _ 
in the growers’ hands justified, had 
not interruption been given by mobs 
under the sanction of men who 
ought to have known their duty bet- 
ter. In many districts of only 20 
miles, the difference in price was 
full 10s. to 20s. per quarter more 
than it ought to have been, compa- 
ratively speaking. To these two ob- 
jects we most humbly suggest to 
your lordships, should be united 
that of a timely foreign supply, ei- 
ther by bounty, to encourage the 
merchants, should the markets be 
free and open; or, in case they 
were resorted to as last year, we 
conceive the national purse cannot 
be opened fora more laudable pur- 
pose than such national necessities, 
as the property of individuals is ina~ 
dequate to. ‘The average consump- 
tion of Bristol, and the places im- 
mediately dependent on it, is about 
2000 sacks, or 250 tons of flour; 
and the effect of inland situations 
resorting for relief cannot be more 
fully elucidated than by reference to 
the failure of 1774, when 60,000 
quarters of wheat, and upwards of 
50,000 barrels of flour, were im- 
ported in twelve months, and circu- 
lated in all the adjacent counties.” 
English wheat soldat the London 
market, Oct. 18, at 96s. to 98s. per 
quarter, 1500 quarters, an advance 
of Os. per quarter on the last market- 
day’s price; government wheat from 
60s. to 82s. per quarter, 5000 quar- 
ters, and more could have been sold 
had it been fresh and sweet. ° 
The different corn-factors stated 
that the wheat of this year was, in 
Dorset, 
