CONSUMPTION OF MALT. 343 



quarter; in 1791 to 12s. 6d. ; in 1802 to 18s. Sd., and 

 1804 to 38*. 8d., at which monstrous rate it con- 

 tinued until 1817. The consequences are thus seen 

 at intervals of a century. 



Malt consumed in England and Wales at two periods. 



quarters. 



Annual consumption, average of 10 years, ending 1723 .... 3,542,000 

 Ditto, ditto, ending 1823.... 3,182,776 



Decreased consumption. . . . 359,224 



galls. 



Population, first period, 5,500,000. Malt per head 41 



Ditto, second do. 12,000,000. Ditto 16 



Decrease per head .... 25 



" The decrease thus exhibited is very remarkable, 

 and the consequences to the agriculture of the coun- 

 try most disastrous : but let us look to another and 

 more recent period. The following is the official 

 return of the quantity of malt consumed in England, 

 at two periods of eighteen years each : 



Bushels. Tax, per bushel. 



From 1784 to 1801 .... 459,640,568 Is. Od. to Is. 2d. 



From 1814 to 1831 .... 392,980,839 , 2s. Id. to 4*. 4d. 



66,659,729 Increase Is. 7<Z. to 3s. 2d. 



" One more illustration will suffice to prove whether 

 the assertion of Sir Henry Parnell is correct, namely, 

 that ' the duty of twenty shillings per quarter (it is 

 20s. 8d.} on malt is not one that can be justly objected 

 to as too high.' (The present writer greatly regrets 

 that Sir Henry has risked such an assertion.) 

 Q 4 



