154 BRITAIN FOR THE BRITON 



Pkice of Bread not affected by Tariffs 



When WG turn to other nations for further evidence of the 

 effect of tariffs on the price of bread, we are met with the 

 startling revelation that, in spite of the heavy duty on wheat — 

 which varies from lis. 5d. per quarter of 480 lbs. in Austria, 

 Hungary, and Italy, to 12s. and 12s. 2d. in Germany and 

 France ; and of duty on flour from 12s. lid. in Germany to 

 15s, 10^. to 16s. Sd. in France, Austria, Hungary, and Italy, 

 per 280 lbs. — bread is no dearer in those countries than it is in 

 duty-free England. 



The statement given in the preceding chapter shows that in 

 Holland and Belgium and Great Britain, which put no duty on 

 wheat or flour — except a nominal duty of 2s. on flour in Belgium 

 — the price of bread was practically the same on a given day 

 as it was in five other duty-levying countries where the imposts 

 varied from 12s. to 16s. 3d. per quarter. 



If after this, and many other exposures of the unsuitableness 

 of the Free-trade system to the requirements of the country, 

 the people prefer blindness, then they must reap the con- 

 sequences of their own folly. 



