THE CUSTOMS REFORM. 173 



grain had in view to keep the price as nearly as possible 

 at 56s. per quarter, by means of an ingenious but com- 

 plicated system, more efficacious in appearance than in 

 reality the Sliding Scale. A popular agitation, well 

 known under the name of the League, had been organised 

 to defeat this legislation, and had made considerable pro- 

 gress. Sir Eobert Peel, then Prime Minister, felt that 

 the time had now come for adopting a wider and more 

 radical measure. He therefore decided upon doing that 

 which he had himself previously opposed namely, to 

 abolish entirely the duties levied upon the importation 

 of articles of food ; and what is still more to be ad- 

 mired than the resolution itself, is, that in the two 

 Houses, composed mostly of landed proprietors, a majo- 

 rity was found for carrying it into law. 



The disturbance occasioned by this reform has been 

 great, no doubt, but nothing in comparison with the 

 calamities which it avoided. The urgency of the case 

 was immediately shown by the immense quantity of 

 grain and flour imported, amounting, during the single 

 year of 1849, to 



13 million hectolitres of wheat, . = 4| million quarters. 

 6 Indian corn, =2 



4 barley, . = 1 



4 oats, . = 1| 



3 wheat flour, = 1 



besides butter, cheese, meat, lard, fowls, and as many as 

 four million dozen of eggs. This alone saved England 

 from the scarcity which threatened it, and from which it 

 was found impossible to save Ireland. For the future, 

 supplies are certain, since the English consumer has the 

 whole world from which to supply himself. The price 

 of articles of food fell immediately more than twenty 

 per cent. In this way the necessity for a nominal rise 

 in wages was obviated, and the prosperity of the lower 



