CHAPTER II. 

 AGRICULTURE UNDER FREE TRADE, I846-96. 1 



THE Repeal of the Corn Laws was one of the most impor- 

 tant events recorded in the history of British agriculture. 

 In the full sense of the term it marked an epoch, and the 

 year 1846, in which it occurred, forms a dividing line on this 

 side of which a new set of conditions arose which diffe- 

 rentiate the subsequent period from certain periods, and 

 may be said to have permeated the whole of the rural 

 economy of these islands since that day. 



The famous Corn Importation Act (9 & 10 Viet. c. 22), 

 introduced by Sir Robert Peel, received the Royal Assent 

 on June 26th, 1846, and it is from that memorable day 

 that the period of Free Trade is commonly dated. It is 

 true that Sir Robert Peel's Act contained provisions which 

 continued a duty on imported wheat ranging from 45. to 

 los. per quarter, according to price, until February ist, 

 1849, and that for twenty years afterwards a duty of is. 

 per quarter was imposed, but substantially, of course, it 

 is correct to say that the Corn Laws were repealed in 

 June, 1846. But what were the Corn Laws ? 



For centuries the regulations with respect to the corn 

 trade were principally intended to promote abundance 

 and low prices. From the Norman Conquest down to the 

 reign of Henry VI. the exportation of corn was prohibited, 

 and its importation was substantially free. The first record 

 of the importation of corn which I have found was in 

 1347 '> exportation had in early days been common, and 

 Britain was during the Roman occupation " one of the 

 great corn-exporting countries of the world " (J. R. Green). 



1 Read before the Fanners' Club, December, 1897. 



