STATEPAPERS. 



373 



went on gradually increasing. — 

 When the contiuental system put 

 an end to all commercial inter- 

 course with those countries from 

 which corn is usually imported into 

 Great Britain, except through the 

 means of licences, and thus im- 

 posed great difficulties upon the 

 importation of foreign corn; though 

 the prices continued to advance, 

 the quantity of corn grown in con- 

 sequence of this advance in price, 

 and of the steadiness of the price, 

 particularly in Ireland, has been so 

 much greater than it was before, 

 for many years, that the supply in 

 the last year was equal to the con- 

 sumption, for the first time since 

 1761: for the value of corn ex- 

 ported from the United Kingdom, 

 in 1812, to foreign countries, 

 amounts to 1,493,229Z. while the 

 value of foreign • corn imported 

 amounts to 1,213,850^." 



In conformity to these doctrines, 

 the committee recommend that the 

 regulating price, for allowing the 

 importation of corn, should be 

 made a very high one, while its 

 free exportation should be allowed 

 to all countries till the price rose to 

 what might be considered as very 

 high. They propose that wheat 

 be exportable till it rise to 90,$. per 

 quarter; and, when at 1035. per 

 quarter, then importation should 

 be permitted, still under the opera- 

 tion of a very considerable duty. 



The committee finally propose 

 that the importation of flour and 

 meal should be totally prohibited. 



Report on the Acts respecting 

 Copyright. 



Mr. Davics Giddy presented the 

 following Report. 



The committee appointed to ex- 

 amine several acts passed in the 8th 

 year of queen Aune, and in the 

 15th and 41st years of his present 

 majesty, for the encouragement of 

 learning, by vesting the copies of 

 printed books in the authors or 

 purchasers of such copies, and for 

 other purposes therein mentioned; 

 and to report whether any and 

 what alterations are requisite to be 

 made therein, together with their 

 observations thereon, to the 

 house : — 



" Have, pursuant to the order of 

 the house, proceeded to consider 

 the said acts, and have received 

 various statements, and examined 

 several persons connected with the 

 printing, the pubhshing, or with 

 the sale of books ; and after much 

 attention bestowed on the subject, 

 they beg leave to observe,^ 



«• That, although great changes 

 have taken place in the literary 

 systems of this country, since the 

 first of the laws referred to them 

 was enacted, on which the others 

 depend ; yet they conceive that the 

 substance of those laws is proper to 

 be retained; and in particular that, 

 continuing the delivery of all new 

 works, and in certain cases of sub- 

 sequent editions, to the libraries 

 now entitled to receive them, will 

 tend to the advancement of learn- 

 ing, and to the diffusion of know- 

 ledge, without imposing any con- 

 siderable burthen on the authors, 

 printers, or publishers of such 

 works. But that it will be expe- 

 dient to modify some of the exist- 

 ing provisions.— As to the quality 

 of the paper, which may fairly be 

 reduced from the finest sort and 

 largest size, to that used in the 

 greater part of an edition ; by sub- 

 stituting a delivery on demand, 



