136] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



a time when the price of flour should 

 be more moderate. A bill for en- 

 couraging the cultivation of pota- 

 toes on waste lands, after much 

 consideration of the embarrassments 

 it must occasion, and even hardships 

 to many of the lower classes of the 

 people, was thrown out of the house 

 of commons, after it had been 

 brought into a committee, on the 

 twenty-fourth of March. 



In the end of February, procla- 

 mations were issued in Great Bri- 

 tain and Ireland for the importa- 

 tion of grain, free from any duty or 

 impost, till the end of September 

 next. Though the agreement, pro- 

 posed by the archbishop of Canter- 

 bury, had not been signed by all the 

 lords or commons, the spirit of it 

 was followed by many who did not 

 sign it, and the effect with which 

 it was followed, in reducing the 

 consumption of bread, was not in- 

 considerable: but a greater effect, 

 we may presume, was produced by 

 that compulsory economy which, 

 by the enormous price of bread, 

 was universally and impressively 

 inculcated. The other economicsil 

 measure for making our stock of 

 flour hold out tiU relief should be 

 obtained by importation, or next 

 harvest, viz. the law against selling 

 bread not baked twenty-four hours 

 was quickly found to produce the 

 most beneficial effects. By a de- 

 claration of the master, wardens, 

 and court of assistants of the com- 

 pany of bakers, before the com 

 and bread committee of the house 

 of commons, it appeared, that the 

 consumption of bread, in the me- 

 tropolis, was reduced in conse- 

 quence of that prohibition, at least 

 one sixth. 



On a review of the whole of this 

 calamitous case of the country, and 



the conduct of the legislature re- 

 specting it, it appears that the peo- 

 ple were patient and submissive to 

 fate, and that the lords and com- 

 mons were humane, generous, and 

 paternal. So also were all the no- 

 ble and ancient families or gentry, 

 and also, a great proportion of those 

 who are wont to hug the riches 

 which they themselves have created, 

 as their only title to consequence 

 and notice in the country. Even 

 professed misers opened their hands 

 liberally on this distressful occasion, 

 and the tenderness of their nature 

 prevailing over the inveteracy of 

 sordid habits, indicated and proved, 

 in a very striking manner, the pro- 

 verbial humanity and compassion 

 of Englishmen. 



But there were not a few, and 

 these men of enlightened under- 

 standings, as well as feeling dispo- 

 sitions, who, while they acknow- 

 ledged the philanthropy, and the 

 wisdom of parliament, could not 

 help expressing a degree of wonder, 

 that in an island, abounding with 

 wealth, flourishing in agriculture, 

 commerce, and naval and colonial 

 war, open to the reception of timely 

 aid from all the world, and which 

 could have commanded that aid 

 even by force, if it could not have 

 been invited by gold — there were 

 many who wondered that, in such 

 a country, so great a proportion of 

 the people should be seen, infirm, 

 pallid, and sickly for want of due 

 sustenance, and forced to abandon 

 their usual occupations, wandering 

 to soup establishments, in quest of 

 subsistence from alms, instead of 

 industry. A late, wet, and unpro- 

 mising harvest threatened want and 

 famine. The parliament had been 

 convened, and was sitting so late 

 as near the middle of October. Ad- 



