28 Proofs, v. 



No. V. 



PROOFS OF THE UNFAVOURABLE IDEA ENTERTAINED BY BRITISH 

 STATESMEN, OF THE ABILITY OF THIS COUNTRY TO RAISE A SUF- 

 FICIENCY OF GRAIN FOR ITS OWN CONSUMPTION, AND OF THE 

 LITTLE IMPORTANCE ATTACHED BY THEM TO AGRICULTURE, 

 PREVIOUS TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL INSTITU- 

 TION FOR PROMOTING ITS IMPROVEMENT. 



IN the year 1790, the Committee of Privy Council appointed to 

 inquire into all matters relating to trade, took into its consideration the 

 laws regarding the exportation and importation of grain, and present- 

 ed a Report to his Majesty upon the subject, which is drawn up with 

 much ability, although with such little idea of the agricultural re- 

 sources of the country, that we are told, we must depend for a part 

 of our consumption, not on an increased cultivation at home, nor even 

 on the produce of Europe, but on the harvests of America. Yet in 

 the year 1808, as appears from the Custom-house accounts, we ex- 

 ported corn to the value of L. 470,431, and imported only to the 

 amount of L.336,460, consequently Great Britain became again an 

 exporting country, and for that year at least, with the assistance of 

 Ireland, was independent of foreign nations for corn. 



In the year 1791-2, Mr Pitt explained, in a speech on the state of 

 the nation, what appeared to him the causes of the general increase 

 of the national prosperity which had taken place at that time. That 

 speech is very ably commented upon by Mr Arthur Young, in his 

 Annals of Agriculture *. Mr Young was shocked to find, in that 

 speech, the greatest, dearest, and most important interests of the king- 

 dom, totally and contemptuously overlooked, as of no sort of conse- 

 quence in the great scale of national prosperity. A financier, he ob- 

 serves, in giving a general view of the national resources, and dwell- 

 ing with pride on the public revenue, does not think that agriculture, 

 which, even then paid twelve millions sterling per annum, in public 

 burdens, worthy even of being named amongst the sources of prospe- 

 rity! 



Mr Young also remarks, " that the agricultural interests of this 

 kingdom, perhaps never found themselves placed in so contemptible 

 a position, as in this speech of the Minister, who, wishing to make 

 the utmost parade of every circumstance that would count in a cata- 

 logue of national advantages, totally overlooks every thing connected 

 with land." Mr Young little expected, in the course of a few months, 

 to be Secretary to a Board of Agriculture, established with the con- 

 currence of the very Minister, by whom that speech had been deliver- 

 ed. 



As late as the year 1796, another British statesman, distinguished 



Vol. xvii. p. 369. 



