TEANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 765 



these aims steadfastly kept in view, there is no reason why, in less than another 

 twenty years, the sum-total of our commerce should not reach the figiu'e of a round 

 thousand millions. 



3. Some Besults of the Removal of the Malt Tax} Bij H. Stoper. 



The author commenced by a sketch of tlie history of the Malt Tax, pointing out 

 its origin and recounting the arguments for its repeal urged by deputations in the 

 Central Chamber of Commerce upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1870 and 

 1874. He pointed out, in opposition to these, that farmers wiU find the repeal of 

 the Malt Tax act more and more against their interest, because barley is no longer 

 subject to a monopoly. The former mode of collecting the tax practically shut out 

 the foreign barleys from the mash-tuns of the vast majority of brewers. Few but 

 the largest brewers cared for the expensive best barleys of Germany and France. 

 All were compelled by law to use malt or sugar, as the natural laws of fermenta- 

 tion made it impossible to most brewers to use only a certain percentage of sugar, 

 usually a small one, and the rest malt. Now, all this is changed. A brewer can 

 brew in a better way in every sense by using a proportion of other grain than malted 

 barley. Now, too, it is very probable that large quantities of malt made abroad will 

 be imported into this country. The result of aU these causes combined must effect a 

 heavy loss to British landowners and farmers. Maltsters as a body will in some ways 

 lose as much as farmers. Formerly a maltster derived a good portion of his j)rofi.ts 

 from skilful manipulation of the duty. This is now entirely lost to him. The com- 

 petition of raw grain may prove more fatal to his interests than to the classes already 

 xaentioned. The author pointed out that the loss would only fall on those maltsters 

 ■who worked unscientifically, for the others would gain by the freedom to apply the 

 best processes in the operation. Malt will, and must, be vastly improved in manu- 

 facture and value. The malting process will get to be recognised as the most impor- 

 tant of the first steps in the production of sound, pure beer. To brewers the change 

 is of less importance than it would appear at first sight. The actual charge upon 

 each quarter of malt now used by the very great majority of brewers exceeds the 

 former charge. Then a quarter paid 22s. 8d., inclusive of brewers' licence. Now 

 each quarter is assumed to yield 82 lbs. gravity, and has to pay 25s., less 6 per 

 cent. ; but as in most breweries, and all good ones, the yield of the malt is more 

 than 6 per cent, greater than 82 lbs., it is fairly within bounds to assume that 

 each quarter of malt now yields to the revenue 25s., an increased charge of 2s. 4:d. 

 This money is, of course, paid by the general public. The increase does not add 

 the large amount to the national revenue that it should do, as every quarter used 

 by private brewers paying the 6s. licence only, in excess of the first quarter used, 

 ■pays no duty. A large amount of beer now brewed entirely escapes duty. The 

 power to use other materials than malt is a boon to brewers, and a national gain, 

 notwithstanding that farmers and maltsters lose. The public get better beer, 

 brewers make larger profits, rice merchants and maize miUers are having a good 

 time ; but farmers, in obtaining what they so long desired, find that they now 

 come into direct competition with the foreign producer in a field which the old 

 law helped to hedge round for their especial benefit. Past experience of similar 

 contests leaves very little room for speculation as to the result. 



4. Bankruptcy in its Economic Bearings. By J. Macdoneli,. 



6. On Economics and Statistics, viewed from the standpoint of the 

 Preliminary Sciences. By Patkick Geddes, F.B.S.E. 



In this paper, after pointing out the importance of uniformity in the arrange- 

 ment of statistics, the schemes for that purpose proposed to the International 



• Published in extemo in the Brerver't Gazette for September 1881. 



