CORN LAWS 161 



and the balance began to incline the other way, so that the 

 next Act of importance was that of 1773 which permitted 

 the import of foreign wheat at a nominal duty of 6d. a quarter 

 when it was over 48^., but prohibited export and the bounty 

 on export when wheat was at or above 44.?. This was the 

 nearest approach to free trade before 1846. 



The time, however, was not yet ripe for this, and the 

 nominal duty on imports was too small for landlords and 

 farmers, so that in 1791 the price when the same nominal 

 duty was to come into force was raised to 54^., while between 

 50^. and 54-r. a duty of 2s. 6d. was imposed, and under 50^. 

 a duty of 24.?. $d. ; and export was allowed without bounty 

 when wheat was under 46.$-. Export of corn, however, by this 

 time had become a matter of little moment, England having 

 definitely ceased to be an exporting country after 1789. 



Not only were English landowners after the Restoration 

 anxious to protect their corn, but they also took alarm at the 

 imports of Irish cattle which they said lowered English rents, 

 so that in 1665 and 1680 (18 Car. II, c. 2, and 32 Car. II, 

 c. 2) laws were framed absolutely prohibiting the import of 

 Irish cattle, sheep, and swine, as well as of beef, pork, bacon, 

 and mutton, and even butter and cheese. The statute 1 2 Car. 

 II, c. 4, also virtually excluded Irish wool from England by 

 duties amounting to prohibition. It was not until 1759 that 

 free imports of cattle from Ireland were allowed for five years, 1 

 a period prolonged by 5 Geo. Ill, c. 10, and a statute of 1772. 



In 1699 wool was allowed to be shipped from six specified 

 ports in Ireland to eight specified ports in England, 2 and 

 by 16 Geo. II, c. n, wool might be sent from Ireland to any 

 port in England under certain restrictions. 



1 MPherson, Annals of Commerce, iii. 311. 



2 Ibid. ii. 706; iii. 221, 293. 



M 



