Consumption of Corn in Great Britain, &c, 309 



sure of this nature, by encouraging growth and increasing quantity, is much likelier 

 to lower prices and lessen import than a narrow confined system. 



As bounties upon exportation at a liberal price, have proved themselves experi- 

 mentally to be a good measure, they certainly ought to be continued, and the spirit 

 of the law on that subject restored, which is not done by fixing the price as low as 

 it was in 1688 ; no evil can possibly arise therefrom, because such exportadon can 

 be Slopped instantly upon advance in price, their object being wholly to increase 

 quantity by insuring a market. Mr. Malthus has, I think, successfully answered 

 Dr. Smith's objections to such bounties, and sufficiently proved their good policy, 

 good effect, and general utility : he further says, " If from the beginning every 

 kind of trade had been left to find its own level, agriculture would probably never 

 have wanted any particular support ; but whtn once this general liberty has been 

 infringed, it seems to be clearly our interest to attend principally to those parts of 

 the political structure which appear to be ihe weakest, and upon this principle to 

 promote and encourage cultivation in England." 



Upon a similar principle, Mr. Malthus approves of the operation of the distil- 

 leries, as taking oflF a redundancy of grain in years of plenty, and thus encouraging 

 its growth, and giving in such years a salutary check to the too great increase of 

 population, which a cheapness of grain might occasion, by encouraging marriages 

 among the lower classes ; and as the grain can be withdrawn from this use in Ume 

 of real scarcity, a public granary is thus opened, richer probably than could have 

 been formed by any other means ; a country without distilleries might be more 

 populous, but on a failure of seasons would certainly have fewer resources than with 

 them. 



Storing Corn, public Granaries, Sec. — Respecting keeping the produce of a plen- 

 tiful year, for future supplies, this will only be done to a certain extent; the corn 

 farmer can seldom afford to do it but in a small proportion ; his circumstances will 

 not admit it; he is seldom benefited by high prices, his quantity on tht)se occasions 

 being deficient; a year's consumption of old corn will seldom or never be in the 

 hands of the farmers upon the return of harvest, and perhaps not often half a year's ; 

 if low prices occur after harvest, the farmer generally lessens his sowing of wheat. 



Public granaries, or store-houses of corn, laid in or stored in plentiful seasons, and 

 supported by the interference of Government, seem to be reckoned inconsistent 

 with the police, or political economy of this country ; although we have such 



