248 OUR ENGLISH LAND MUDDLE. 



Government. In this case, too, it is not 



improbable that, so far as these high prices 



were attributable to the war, they were due 



to the fact that the theatre of hostilities 



throughout was in the enemy's country, 



which was actually one of our chief sources 



of supply. The interference with wheat 



growing, and still more with its export, 



would naturally be very much greater under 



these conditions, and this conclusion is 



borne out by the official returns, which 



show that the total exports of wheat from 



Russia to all destinations fell to a very 



low point during some periods in the war." 



The argument here of the Royal Commission 



was intended to be reassuring. But it is really 



immaterial whether the increase in price was due 



mainly to direct or indirect war causes. What 



is essential to keep in mind is that at the time 



of the Crimean War, if it had been nationally 



desirable, the Government could have secured 



any range of food prices that was necessary, 



for there was the food in Great Britain to be 



requisitioned ; but that, now the food is not in 



the country, it would have to be imported ; and 



