394= 128 Taxation as affecting the Agricultural Interest. 
CHAPTER II. 
Distribution of Taxation. 
Amoiint of HAVING thus obtained some notion of the numerical strength 
taxation. financial resources of the agricultural classes, it is, in the 
next place, necessary to inquire what is the entire amount and 
distribution of British taxation. 
The public revenue accounted for by the Chancellor of the Ex- 
chequer in 1877 was 78,600,000/. ; that received at the most 
recent dates by local authorities throughout England, Scotland, 
and Ireland (deducting of course all subventions from one source 
of revenue to another) was 49,000,000/. 
This sum of 127,600,000 is nevertheless not all raised by 
taxes. From the imperial side of the account must be deducted 
10,000,000/. for rents of crown lands, miscellaneous receipts, 
and the actual costs of postal or telegraphic business. From the 
local revenue in like manner must be eliminated 16,600,000/., 
two-thirds of this being sums borrowed within the year and not 
forming part of the annual levy, and the rest made up of incom( 
from corporate property or miscellaneous sources. 
This reduces the general taxation, properly so called, tc 
101,000,000/., whereof two-thirds is raised by imperial and one- 
third by local imposts. 
Analysis of The widest and most elementary division of the whole fabric 
ta:tation. imperial and local taxes is the rough-and-ready classificatioi 
adopted by Lord Halifax (then Sir C. Wood) in his Budge 
Speech of 1851, and recognised as legitimate by so good an au 
thority as the present Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir Staffon 
Northcote). It was a division into " taxes on property " an' 
" taxes not on property." Adhering to the method thus sir 
ployed, with only a slight correction for some local items, the fo 
lowing Table will not only give the ratio now existing, but wi 
at the same time show the tendency of recent financial change 
Date. 
Taxes * 
on Property. 
Taxes' 
not on Property. 
Total Taxation. 
Percentage of 
Taxes on 
Property to 
Total Ta.\es. 
1840 
£ 
10,000,000 
£ 
45,000,000 
£ 
64,000,000 
30 
1850 
25,000,000 
45,000,000 
70,000,000 
3'6 
1860 
30,000,000 
S.-?. 000, 000 
83,000,000 
36 
1877 
42,000,000 
.59,000,000 
101,000,000 
42 
To determine how this taxation in detail specially affects tl 
agricultural classes a closer investigation, and a somewhat vari( 
• Boo note on facing page. I 
