106 
LEWIS EVANS—ADDKESS ! 
continent we only occupied one very small portion, which was' 
misused for the base purpose of a penal settlement. 
In a similar way the new century found this country engaged 
in a war, which, though of less European importance than the 
Napoleonic wars of a hundred years before, was still one of vital 
importance to the Empire, and one which had in the short period 
of fourteen months increased the national debt by more than 
£50,000,000, and as a guerilla war was still destined to cost the 
country many valuable lives and much treasure. There could, 
however, he no doubt as to its ultimate result, and the disturbed 
territory had already become part of the British Empire, and was 
rapidly coming under British administration. The internal condition 
of the country was good, and its financial credit secure; with 
Consols at 97%, corn at 27s. a quarter, all the necessaries of life 
cheap, employment plentiful, and wages good. The national debt 
had indeed advanced during the previous century from about 
£620,000,000 to £705,000,000, or allowing for certain national 
assets to £673,000,000 ; but in the same period the population of 
Great Britain had increased from about 16,000,000 to 41,000,000, 
so that the actual debt per head had fallen from about £38 to 
£16 10s., and this in spite of a very great reduction of taxation. 
The reigning Monarch was the most intelligent and best beloved 
of any that had ever sat on the throne, and the government of the 
country was in the hands of able ministers supported by an over¬ 
whelming majority in a free and reformed parliament, and one 
which fully represented the feelings of the people. 
But probably the best measure of our progress as a nation can be 
got from a comparison between the condition of the labouring classes 
at the beginning and end of the century. 
At the early part of this period the condition of the labouring 
classes was indeed miserable; the increase in population, combined 
with the introduction of machinery, led to the lowering of wages, 
whilst bad harvests, combined with the heavy taxation, made living 
dearer than ever before; and in order to prevent thousands from 
dying of famine, and to provide at least a living wage, outdoor poor 
relief was distributed on a scale hitherto unknown, the poor-rate 
almost reaching 20s. in the pound in some parts of this county. 
The quartern loaf, which had been as high as Is. 5d. in 1800, rose 
to Is. 11^. in 1801 ; and during nearly twenty years the same 
distress prevailed, the climax arriving about 1816, when the male 
population was greatly increased by the soldiers discharged at the 
end of the war, while at the same time a rapid introduction of 
machinery had for the moment lessened the sources of employment, 
