264 THE ENGLISH CORN LAWS 



fiscal system was practically unaltered, to what causes must these 

 differences be attributed ? 



The average price of wheat during the half century which ended 

 in 1764, was hi the next fifty years practically trebled. The tendency 

 is shown in the following decennial averages of the prices of wheat 

 per quarter : 



1765-74 - 51s. 



1775-84 - 43s. 



1785-94 - 47s. 



1795-1804 75s. 



1805-14 93s. 



1815-24 68s. 



It was now that England ceased to be a corn-exporting country and 

 became a buyer of foreign grain. The year 1765 marks the first 

 stage in this revolution in the English corn- trade. For some few 

 years the balance hovered from side to side, inclining to excess now 

 of exports, now of imports. After 1792 it definitely turned in favour 

 of imports, which from that date increasingly preponderated. 

 During the whole period which witnessed this change, the fiscal 

 policy, though often revised, and notably in 1773 and 1791, remained 

 in principle the same. But from 1765 to 1774, and again from 1792 

 to 1814, the liberty to export corn, as well as the bounty which 

 encouraged exportation, was almost continuously suspended. 

 Imports of foreign corn were also repeatedly admitted at reduced 

 rates or duty free. This was the case in 1765, 1766-8, 1772-3, in 

 1783, in 1790, and practically from the commencement of the French 

 war (1793) till its final close. Besides the frequent revisions and 

 suspensions of the regulating prices, great efforts were made to 

 increase home and foreign supplies. Thus in 1772 the inland trade 

 was relieved from many restrictions by the repeal of the statutory 

 penalties against " badgers, forestallers, engrossers, and regrators." 

 To increase the area under corn, numerous enclosure Acts * were 

 passed. To eke out the home produce, economies were enforced 

 by Parliament. Thus the hair-powder tax was imposed in 1795, 

 and the use of wheat and other grain in the making of starch or in 

 distilleries was repeatedly prohibited. 2 Still more exceptional 

 efforts were made to secure a supply of foreign corn. Government 

 agents were employed to buy corn in the Baltic, as it was feared 



1 1,593 Acts were passed between 1795 and 1812 inclusive. 

 *E.g. in 1795-6, 1800, 1801, 1809-12. 



