OF THE 



ToL III.] 



September 1898. 



[No. 2, 



THE BARLEY SUPPLY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. 



One of the main features of the import trade of the United 

 Kingdom in grain during the past three years has been the large 

 augmentation in the supplies of foreign barley. Prior to 1893 

 the imports of this grain had certainly exhibited a tendency, 

 with some fluctuations, to increase, but the expansion was not, 

 on the whole, remarkable. In 1893, however, the returns 

 showed an importation of nearly 23 million cwts. of barley, as 

 compared with an annual average of 16 million cwts. in the 

 previous three years ; in the following year the foreign supply 

 rose to 31 million cwts. ; and last year it amounted to 23J million 

 cwts. There is only one other year in which the imports of this 

 cereal have exceeded 20 million cwts., viz., 1888, when 21 million 

 cwts. were received. 



The average annual quantities of barley imported into the 

 United Kingdom in triennial periods since 1875 have been as 

 follows : — 



Period. 



Quantities. 



Values. 





Cwts. 



- & 1 



1875-77 



11,261,000 



4,593,000 | 



1878-80 



12,470,000 



5,119,000 



1881-83 



13,936,000 



5,113,000 



1884-86 



14,011,000 



4,238,000 



1887-89 



17,649,000 



4,932,000 



1890-92 



16,140,000 



5,080,000 



1893-95 



25,902,000 



6,] 35,000 



A closer investigation of the circumstances connected with 

 the imports of foreign barley in 1893 and 1894 would appear to 

 show that the large foreign supplies of those years were influenced 



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