484 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLII. No. 1084 



year's consumption without the necessity 

 for any addition from imports. When it 

 was further announced that the govern- 

 ment had taken steps to ensure against a 

 shortage of sugar it began to be generally 

 realized that at any rate the country was 

 not in imminent danger of starvation. In- 

 deed, on a broad survey of the whole situa- 

 tion, it was apparent that our native re- 

 sources, together with the accumulated 

 stocks of various commodities held in gran- 

 aries, warehouses and cold stores, would en- 

 able the United Kingdom to face even the 

 unimaginable contingency of a complete 

 blockade of all its ports for a considerable 

 period. 



Nevertheless it was abundantly evident, 

 not only to the man in the street, but even 

 to those whose duty it was to consider such 

 matters, that the maintenance of regular 

 supplies was essential to avoid undue deple- 

 tion of stocks. The risk that a certain num- 

 ber of vessels carrying food to this country 

 might be sunk by the enemy was obvious, 

 and it was at first very difficult to measure 

 it. After a year of strenuous endeavor by 

 the enemy it is satisfactory to record that, 

 although a few cargoes of food-stuifs have 

 been sunk, the effect on supplies has been 

 practically negligible. 



Under these circumstances it appeared 

 that, provided adequate protection were 

 given against unusual risks, commercial 

 enterprise might in the main be relied upon 

 to supply the demands of the people in the 

 normal manner and in the usual course of 

 business. It is a self-evident axiom that 

 it is better not to interfere in business 

 matters unless there is a paramount neces- 

 sity for interference. 



The machinery of modern business in a 

 highly organized community is very com- 

 plicated; the innumerable cog-wheels are 

 hidden while the machine is running nor- 

 mally, but every single one of these becomes 



very obvious when you attempt to intro- 

 duce a crowbar. "With one or two excep- 

 tions the purveyors of food to the nation 

 were left to conduct their business without 

 official interference, though the board of 

 trade took steps to ascertain what were the 

 retail prices justified by the wholesale con- 

 ditions and to disseminate the information 

 for the protection of consumers against un- 

 reasonable charges. 



One measure of a drastic and widespread 

 nature was adopted. The exportation of a 

 large number of commodities was prohib- 

 ited. This was done for two reasons: (1) 

 to conserve stocks in this country, and (2) 

 to prevent goods from reaching the enemy. 

 The latter object could be attained only 

 very partially by this method so long as any 

 sources of supply other than the ports of 

 the United Kingdom were open to the 

 enemy or to adjoining neutral countries. 

 The former object — with which we are now 

 only concerned — was on the whole achieved. 

 The board of agriculture, concerned for 

 the maintenance of our flocks and herds, 

 at once secured a general prohibition of the 

 exportation of all kinds of feeding-stuffs 

 for animals. Many kinds of food-stuffs 

 were at once included and later additions 

 were made, so that for a long time past 

 nearly all kinds of food have been included, 

 though in some eases the prohibition does 

 not apply to the British Empire or to our 

 Allies. The exportation of fertilizers, agri- 

 cultural seeds, binder twine and certain 

 other commodities more or less directly con- 

 nected with the conservation of our food 

 supplies, was also prohibited, so that gen- 

 erally it may be said that the outlet for any 

 food in the country was under effective 

 control. This is not the time or place to 

 discuss the reasons why in some instances 

 limited quantities of certain articles were 

 allowed to escape under license. It is only 

 necessary to remark that in all such eases 



