1800. ] 
inclofure bill, and a commutation upon 
fair and equitable terms in lieu of tithes. 
To provide that all fales of grain fhall be 
in the open market, and be duly regifter- 
ed. To oblige every farmer to fend to 
the weekly market a certain proportion of 
grain to be fold in fingle bufhels, the quan- 
tity, as well as the name of each farmer, 
to be publicly notified. ‘Fo ‘appoint a 
clerk of each market to enter into a proper 
book each farmer’s name, the proportion 
of fingle bufhels he is to furnifh, and, in 
feparate columns for every market-day in 
the year, his compliance or non-compli- 
ance with the fixed regulation, and to pub- 
lith this lift monthly. To impofe a pe- 
nalty for each default. To enact that 
every parifh, in proportion to its popula- 
tion, fhall provide or rent a piece of 
ground for the cultivation of that valuable 
root, the potatoe ; and during the prefent 
diftrefs, to grant moderate bounties for 
bringing potatoes to market. To en- 
courage our fifheries, and enact ftriét re- 
gulations againit the pernicious practice 
of erecting dams and weirs in the eftua- 
ries of our principal rivers, and increafe 
the penalties on the ufe of unlawful nets. 
By thefe and fuch other fimilar regula- 
/ tions as are calculated to check abufes 
and produce abundance, we may hope that 
a time of fuch diftreis as the prefent will 
no more return. In the mean while, let it 
not be forgot, that on the fpeedy relief af- 
forded, and the adopting fuch precautions 
againft future calamity, depends the imme- 
dtate {afety and ultimate happinefs, of our 
country. J. Woop. 
Shrewsbury, Nov. 175 1800. 
ae 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, : 
OOKING the other day into one of 
the earlier volumes ot the Annual 
Regifter, I tound fome curious and impor- 
tant tables relative to the price of corn 
during the paft century ; I was particular- 
ly ftruck with the following view of the 
vatt difference which occurs during a con-. 
fiderable number of years taken at no 
very remote diftance from each other: 
«¢ Average price per bufhel at Mark- 
Jane and Bear-quay fifteen years, 1742 to 
1756—Wheat 2s, 10d. to 3s. 4d 3 barley 
1s. 8d. to 2s.; oats 1s. gid. to 1s. 8d. 
Average price per bufhel at Mark-lane 
and Bear-quay eight years, 1771 to 1778 
— Wheat 5s. roid. ; barley 3s. 1d.; oats 
2s.ot%d.; rye 38.1135 beans 3s. 
. Quarters exported in five years, from 
1744 to 1748, part of the firft period— 
_ On the Price of Corn during the paft Century: 
AAS 
Wheat 1,4.97,762 3; oatmeal 37,5203 rye 
490,526 ; malt 1,431,883 ; barley 451,684; 
bounty paid 678,907]. for exportation.” 
To which I would add, by way ol-cons 
traft, from the beft information, that into 
the two northern ports of Newcaltle and 
Hull only there have been imported dur- 
ing the laft twelve months 247,000 quar- 
ters of wheat only. : 
From what can have arifen this amaz ng 
difference in fo fhort a time? whether from 
increafed population, from the introduc- 
tion of a worfe, or at leafta changed, 
mode of agriculture; from a change in 
the general diet of the great body of the 
people (who yet, fifty years ago, ate lefs 
flefh-meat, and had, e@omparatively, 27 po- 
tatoes), from a different fet of commercial 
or political regulations, or from repeated 
war, occafioning an enormous expenditure 
and heavy debt, and, during their fubfif- 
tence, a dreadful waite through every de- 
partment of the neceffaries of life, are 
quettions highly deferving the ferious at- 
tention of the ftudent in political eco- 
nomy. 
An excellent friend, ina communication 
lately received from him on this fubje&t, 
lays down the following propofitions on 
the fubjeét of the prefent fearcity ; but, for 
want of the neceflary information, de- 
clines difcuffing the matter more at large. 
I give youthem in their fimple un{upport- 
ed {tate : perhaps fome of your corre{pon- 
dents, who have the means of information, 
may chufe to difculs them more at large. 
The view, he would take of the fubject 
is this: 
1. The fearcity is real; but the prices 
are higher than the degree of {carcity 
would have occafioned before the war; 
and higher than the farmers require for a 
fair profit. 
2. The fcarcity arifes from two unpro- 
ductive feafons in fucceffion, and from the 
effet of the war in increafing confumption 
and diminifhing produce. : 
3. Thofe who look for the caufes of the 
fcarcity at home ovly are miftaken. We 
required, even in peace, a fupply from 
abroad, communibus aunis, and we mutt 
therefore look to the ftate of the countries 
from which we received it. 
4. The fcarcity is very general through. 
out Europe; and had not America fur- 
nifhed a much larger quantity for the lat 
feven years than fhe ever did before, we 
fhould have run fome danger of famine. 
The grounds of thele affertions will 
probably occur to many, and fome, per- 
haps, will be able to procure the requifite 
information. Iam, &c. Ver. 
