FOOD SUPPLY IN TIME OF WAR 365 



The Committee on Wheat Stores held an exhaustive inquiry, 

 examined a number of expert witnesses, and issued their 

 report in 1898. They favoured a system of national stores, 

 and expressed the opinion that they would not have any 

 material effect upon the interests of agriculture or the corn 

 trade. Their only recommendation was to strongly urge the 

 Government to obtain the appointment of a Royal Commission 

 to conduct an exhaustive inquiry into the whole subject of 

 the national food supply in time of war. 



This report came before the Council in June, 1898, when a 

 resolution was adopted supporting the Committee's recom- 

 mendation. The Government, however, took the view that 

 the matter was not one of sufficient importance to take any 

 action upon. 



The outbreak of the South African war again drew attention 

 to the question of food supply, and on 6th March, 1900, the 

 Council repeated their resolution of June, 1898, but the Govern- 

 ment still refused to be impressed by the dangerous position 

 occupied by the country in this connection. 



The work of the Chambers, however, was not wasted. 

 The report of the Special Committee on Wheat Stores was 

 read by many who were not in any way connected with the 

 Chambers, and the vital importance of the question began to 

 be recognised by prominent men, including practically all 

 our leading naval authorities. During 1902 an association 

 was formed with the late Duke of Sutherland as President, 

 and including among others Mr. A. Emmott (afterwards 

 Lord Emmott), Mr. Henry Chaplin, Lord Desborough, Mr. 

 R. A. Yerburgh, Captain Stewart L. Murray, Mr. Henry 

 McNiel, and forty-seven Admirals. This movement met with 

 an astonishing amount of support, and the Association 

 arranged a very large and representative deputation on 5th 

 March, 1903, which met Mr. Balfour at the Foreign Office, 

 to which the Central and many local Chambers sent delegates, 

 and such arguments were used on that occasion that at last 

 the Prime Minister felt compelled to appoint the Royal Com- 

 mission which had been so often asked for. The Central 

 Chamber sent three witnesses to give evidence on their 



