138 



AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



requirements, exclusive of sugar and the beverages which 

 may be regarded as necessaries of civilised life. I have, 

 I hope, sufficiently insisted on the fact that the calcula- 

 tions of home supplies are to a considerable extent esti- 

 mated, and the margin of error in these figures is much 

 greater than that which exists in the case of the values of 

 imports. But another cautionary observation must be 

 made in reference to the terms in which the calculation is 

 expressed. There is practically no common measure 

 except value which can be applied to all the items of the 

 account ; but it is not altogether a satisfactory measure 

 for the purpose. In the first place, as I have indicated in 

 connection with meat, the general level of price of the 

 imported food is generally lower than that of home 

 produce, so that the same amount of money may represent 

 a larger supply in the one case than the other. Then it 

 must be borne in mind what the values taken purport to 

 be. The figures of imports represent the declared value 

 (cost, insurance and freight) at the place of landing, not 

 including, in the case of dutiable articles, the amount of 

 the duty. The total net amount of duty charged on 

 sugar, tea, coffee, cocoa and dried fruits is £10,000,000. 

 The value of home produce mainly represents the whole- 



