March 1897.] 



FOREIGN OFFICE REPORTS. 



413 



As regards live stock, both cattle and swine have increased ; 

 the former from 12,733,000 head (including 443,000 in Alsace- 

 Loraine) prior to 1870, to 13,218,000 in 1896, and the latter from 

 5,377,000 in 1872 to 6,304,000. Sheep, on the other hand, declined 

 from 33,000,000 in 1850 to 24,000,000 in 1870, and to 20,000,000 

 in 1896. This decrease, attributed to better cultivation and 

 the tillage of waste lands, &c, has nevertheless been accom- 

 panied by an increase in the production of mutton, which was 

 estimated at 207,000,000 lbs. prior to 1870, and at 235,000,000 

 in 1882, while it is calculated that this rate of increase has since 

 been maintained. The total production of meat of all kinds is 

 given at about 2,010,000,000 lbs. before 1870, and about 

 2,550,000,000 lbs. at the present day. The production of milk 

 during the same period has grown from 1,496,000,000 to 

 1,672^00,000 gallons. 



Various speakers in the debate on the Agricultural Estimates 

 in the Chamber of Deputies appear to have contended, how- 

 ever, that the tone of the Report summarised above was too 

 optimistic, and that agriculture was in as depressed a condition 

 in France as elsewhere, while its situation, far from improving, 

 was growing worse, and the people were leaving the rural 

 districts for the towns. Amongst other factors alleged to exercise 

 an injurious effect upon this industry were the heavy taxation 

 of farmers, the absence of legislation to prevent fraud in the 

 sale of butter, the local duties (octrois) imposed upon produce 

 in towns, speculation in grain, want of a market for pigs, as 

 well as outside influences such as foreign competition and the 

 fall in the price of wheat. It was also pointed out that the railway 

 rates facilitated the importation of foreign wheat at Marseilles. 

 As remedies, speakers suggested, among other things, further 

 increased duties on imported grain, the revision of " temporary 

 admissions," and the adoption of the German system in force for 

 the encouragement of the milling and other industries, the 

 marking of foreign meat, protection of French cattle from the 

 introduction of disease from Holland, and the extension of 

 agricultural credit and insurance. 



M. Meline, President of the Council and Minister of Agricul- 

 ture, in replying admitted that agriculture was really suffering, 

 owing to the continuous fall in prices of late years and the lower 

 rate of exchange, which had rendered the customs duties partly 

 inoperative at the present moment to protect national produce ; 

 but he pointed out that the duties were still sufficiently effective 

 to prevent French agriculture being placed in so serious a 

 position as that of many neighbouring countries. He was 

 personally in favour of bi-metaliism as a remedy, but that 

 was a question which could not be discussed then. M. Meline 

 agreed as to the injury caused by speculation, but did not 

 see how it could be remedied without damaging legitimate 

 trade. He also pointed out the disadvantages of bounties. One 

 of the greatest services which could be rendered to agriculture, 

 he said, would be a revision of the present financial system ; 



