26 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



the level at which they stood in time of war, and indeed 

 this was its avowed aim. Even a firm believer in the 

 necessity for some measure of protection might admit 

 that such a measure as this was unjustifiable. It was 

 doomed to certain failure, and in fact it began at once to 

 break down. To begin with it failed to keep up prices. 

 In 1817, it is true, the average price of wheat was 96s. nd., 

 but in only one other year did it ever subsequently reach 

 80s. So little good did it do to farmers, that five years 

 afterwards (in 1821) a Committee of the House of Com- 

 mons was appointed to inquire into the causes of the 

 depressed state of agriculture. At the same time it 

 exasperated the masses of the population almost to the 

 verge of revolution, and aroused a prejudice in their 

 minds against landowners and farmers the effects of which 

 remain even to this day. 



In 1822 an Act was passed which provided that when 

 the price of wheat should have risen to the level at which 

 free importation was allowed by the Act of 181 5, the 

 provisions of that Act should cease, and the prices above 

 which wheat should be admitted should be lowered to 

 70s. for foreign, and 59s. for Canadian wheat. Duties 

 were, however, imposed on corn so admitted. This Act 

 need not detain us, for it never came into force except 

 for Canadian wheat, as prices did not subsequently reach 

 the level of 80s. 



In 1828 a " sliding-scale " Act was passed, which 

 allowed wheat to be imported on payment of a duty of 

 20s. 8d. whenever the price was under 67s. per quarter, 

 and falling gradually to is. when the price was 73s. and 

 upwards. In 1842 Sir Robert Peel introduced and passed 

 a " sliding-scale " Act which imposed a duty of 1/. on 

 imported corn when the price was less than 51s., falling, 

 shilling by shilling, to a shilling duty when wheat was at 

 73s. and upwards. 



The following figures give the quinquennial average 

 prices of wheat during the period 1816-45 : — 



