27<5 Mr. William Pitt on the Production and 



It father appears by accounts laid before the House of Commons by Mr. 

 Chalmers, that in five years ending in 1800, (which of course includes the year 

 1796 stated above) the average imports exceeded the exports per annum by about 

 470,000, qrs. which at 3 qrs. per acre, is the annual growth of 156,666 acres; 

 and the imports of 1801 were great beyond all former precedent ; they are stated 

 for one year, ending October 1801, as follows : 



Besides Indian corn 41,240 qrs. ditto meal 108,777 cwt. and rice, 260,383 cwt. 

 and the bounties paid on two years importation of corn and rice, ending October 

 10th. 1802 amount to £".2,166,875. 



The prices of corn between 1796, and 1800 were moderate, the following are 

 the average prices of the kingdom to the present time. 



Upon the whole, it may be concluded from these authentic documents, that the 

 consumption of grain in Great Britain, upon an average of the last 25 years, has 

 exceeded its own growth by the annual produce of about 200,000 acres of corn 

 land, and that the amount of such importation has considerably exceeded, during 

 that period of time, one million per annum. 



Respecting the bad policy, or national evil, of importing corn, there are different 



