266 AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION 



London. The English farmer pays 12s 3d from Dover, 

 while the Canterbury farmer pays lis pd for quantities 

 over 3 cwts. 



Onions from Calais to London cost 14s 5d, owner's 

 risk, and the cross-channel rate is 13s 46, owner's risk, 

 showing that the seventy-two miles from Dover to 

 London is covered at the rate of is id, whereas the rate 

 for English onions is 12s 3d, company's risk. 



Potatoes from Calais to London cost 13s 9d, water 

 rate 8s 4d, leaving 5s 5d for the local rate from Dover, 

 whereas the English rate is los 6d from Dover and los 

 from Canterbury. 



Apples from Calais to London cost 15s, with a water 

 rate 13s 4d, leaving is 8d for the railway charge on this 

 side, while the English rate is 12s 3d from Dover and 

 IIS 9d from Canterbury. 



This is a preference of los a ton in favour of foreign 

 apples, and, taking 5 tons to the acre, is a bounty of 50s 

 an acre against the English fruit grower. 



The difference of about 5s a ton in the case of potatoes 

 is a bounty of 40s an acre against the home producer. 



Mr Berry admits that the English farmer would not 

 be greatly benefited by the raising of the through rates 

 on foreign produce in such cases, as it would come more 

 cheaply direct to London by water ; but he urges that 

 the companies are clearly carrying foreign produce at 

 some profit, and could therefore reduce the charge on 

 home produce. He agrees that foreign consignments 

 are packed and delivered so as to be more readily 

 handled and compactly loaded. " But," he adds, " I 

 believe that is being made an unfair u.se of against us. 

 I do not think there is anything like the difference 

 which has been suggested." 



The demand formulated by Mr Berry is that " our 

 one ton ought to be carried at the same rate that the 

 railway company carries two or three tons of foreign 

 goods, that is if we can give them a fair average load. 

 Under no circumstances whatever should foreign pro- 

 duce be carried at a less rate per ton per mile than 

 English produce." 



