1 791. lITERARy INTELLIGENCER. 309 



to doubt, that it has been the caufe of a very great fall 

 in the price in the maritime parts of the kingdom ; and 

 that that fall of price on the coafts muft alfo have mode- 

 rated the price of grain in the midland coimties, cannot 

 admit of a doubt. In this point of view, therefore, the 

 bounty has been clearly beneficial, as tending direftly 

 t3 moderate the price of grain. 



Should it be alleged, that a free importation and ex- 

 portation of corn would have produced the fame efFedl, 

 I would anfwer that this could not be expefted. Grain 

 is a bulky article, and cannot be moved from place to 

 .place, but at a great expence. The warehoufing and 

 freight of it, therefore, amounts to fo much, that were 

 not fome contrivance adopted for diminiftiing thefe ar- 

 ticles, the market for it would be fo unfteady, as to re- 

 duce the price, in 3'ears of great plenty, much below 

 the prime coft of it to the farmer, which would difcou- 

 rage him from profecuting that bufinefs withfpiiit, and 

 make him raife fo little in future, as to keep the prices 

 in general very high, as is at prefent the cafe in the 

 midland counties in England, where, although the foil be 

 much richer than in many of the maritime ihires, the 

 farmers find it more their intereft to apply their fields 

 to grazing, than to agriculture ; and therefore, cannot 

 rear grain, unlefs they get a higher price for it, than 

 the farmers along the coaft are well content to re- 

 ceive. 



Thefe obfervations might be extended much farther, 

 and illuftrated by many cafes that could eafily be pro- 

 duced : But this would be too long a difcnffion for this 

 mifcellany. To the above, I Ihall therefore only add 

 one other confideration, that deferves to be well attend- 

 ed to, as a confequence of the law, authorifing a bounty 

 on the exportation of corn ; and which w ill not readily 

 occur to thofe who are not acquainted with the pradice 

 of agriculture, as well as with the theory of com- 

 merce. 



