180 
Variation in the Price and Supply of Wheat. 
tlie crop, extraoiclinary taxes, &c., would be," wheat 31s, 9(i. 
per quarter, rye 15s. lOd., barley 12s. %d., oats 9s. 6rf. To this 
must be added, according to the distance and description of 
the grain, from 4s. to 6s. a quarter for bringing it to market (at 
Dantzig). This estimate, however, applies to the vicinity of 
Dantzig ; the cost of transit from all provinces south of War- 
saw would be much greater, as appears from the following 
estimate : — 
s. d. 
Cost of wheat at Warsaw, per quarter 28 0 
Conveyance to tlie boats, charges for loading, stowing, 
and freight to Dantzig 5 6 
Loss on the passage by pilfering, and rain causing it to 
grow 3 0 
Expenses at Dantzig, turning, screening, warehousing, 
and loss of measure 2 0 
Profit or commission to mercliants at Dantzig .. .. 16 
Freight, primage, shipping, charges, and insurance at 
Dantzig and in London 8 0 
Cost of the wheat to the English merchant .. .. 48 0 
To which must be added the risk from heating on the voyage 
and, at the present day, the Is. duty. Any unusual demand 
would raise the cost of freight on the Vistula 30 or 40 per cent. 
The usual cost of freight from Dantzig" to various ports of the 
United Kingdom is 3s. to 5s. per quarter in sailing-vessels, and 
Is, per quarter more in steamers. The cost of freight from the 
Upper Vistula to Dantzig, in 1865, was 3s, to 6s. Qd. per quarter, 
and from the Lower Vistula 2s, to 5s. per quarter. 
The decennial average price of wheat at Rostock for the ten 
years from 1855 to 1864 was 46s. 8rf. per quarter. The consular 
reports from Dantzig in 1864 mention the distress of the German 
farmers, and the impending bankruptcy of many of them during 
the period when low prices prevailed in the overstocked markets 
and Western Europe, 
The total charges on Black Sea wheat sold in London, in- 
cluding freight, dutv, and insurance, are not less than 16s. a 
quarter ; and more if grown far inland. On American wheat 
the charges are about 10s. a quarter, at the average rate of 
freight, exclusive of land-carriage. The charges for importing 
quarters of wheat grown on an acre of "virgin soil " in South 
Kussia would pay the rent and taxes and part of the labour- bill 
of land in England that yields as much corn, besides meat. 
The incidental exj)enses of the home-grower are small ; he 
delivers the corn at the mill, in his own waggon, at leisure 
times, at less than the cost of landing charges, to say nothing oi 
the Is, duty and the commission on the sale. English farmers 
must expect an increase in the cost of labour, but the movement 
