» 
57? 
on the importation of corn, muft necef- 
farily tend, in the firff place, to moderate 
the average price of corn, fo as to make 
it upon the whole lower than it could 
pofibly have been without it: /fecoudly, 
to encourage the produétion of corn, foas 
neceflarily to augment the quantity in the 
home markets ; and thirdly, to prevent 
thofe Auctuations in the: prices of corn 
which are attended with fuch ferious and 
incaiculable evils. The celebrated Corn- 
Jaw which was eaacted in the year 1638, 
had for its object the encouragement of 
exportation, and the prevention, as much 
as pofible, of importation ; and it effected 
the defired purpofe. This law was fuf- 
pended in the year 1757, fince which pe- 
riod it has never been fuffered to operate 
freely; and fince the year 1773, it has 
been alieted and virtually repealed. An 
oppelite pelicy fucceeded, for it was the 
{fpirit cf the new law of 1773, to pro- 
mote importation as much as poffible, and 
to annihilate exportation. This object 
has alfo been accomplithed ; ‘* Now, (fays 
Dr.. Anderfon,) what confequences have 
refulted from effeéting thefe two purpofes? 
By the operation of the old jaw, the prices 
in tee home-market were reduced in the 
courfe of fifty years to the confumers 
in the home-market, from 3]. torl. 128. 6d. 
per quarter, and by the operation of the 
-new law the prices,are rifen, from 2. 
2s. 1d.) to sl. 10s. per quarter!*”’ It 
would give us pleafure to purfue the rea- 
fonings and deduétions of this excellent 
economift, but we muft turn our atten- 
tion to the many other works which prefs 
upon us. ; 
A Kentifh Clergyman’s ‘‘Obfervations 
on the enormous high Price of Provi- 
fions”’ are wel! intended, but do not feem 
calculated to remedy the evil or to prevent 
recurrence. 
Theauthor of ** A Refidence in France”’ 
has publifmed a pamphlet, entitled “* A 
Maximum,’ illuftrating the ill. confe- 
Guences which would attach to fuch a 
meafore m England, by thofe which 
atually refulted from it in France; the 
author ‘was an eye-witnels of its bane- 
ful effe&ts in that country: “© The French 
Revolution, {(fays he,} hadin various ways 
occafioned a fearcity, and the Maximum 
changed that fcarcity into famine! 
Mr. Prince has publifhed fome lauda? 
* Dr. Anderfon’s pamphlet was written in 
‘December, 18co. It is well known_ that 
within the fpace of three or four months af- 
ter that date, corn had rifen to the enormous 
Fricé of nine pounds per quarter! 
\ 
Retrofpec? of Domeftie Literature. — Political Econcmy. 
tory ‘*Obfervations on the A& for In- 
corporating the London Flour and Meal 
Company.’” -We cannot join in his 
eulogies, nor form any conception how a 
chartered company, with exclufive advan- ~ 
tages, is to lower the market-price of the 
article in. which they deal. 
‘An attentive cbferver’’ has addrefled 
«“An Appeal to the Public, in Behalf of 
the poorerMillers and. Bakers refpefting the 
high Price of Bread, and the Injury fuftain- 
ed by them from the London Company.” - 
The author flates the immediate effec& 
of the incorporation of this Company to 
have been the raifing, not the redu€tion 
of the price of corn; he alfo confiders the 
little millers and bakers to have fuffered 
feverely from its eftablifhment. 
The bookfellers have fpeculated on the 
publication of Mr. Burke’s ** Thoughirs 
and Details on Scarcity,” which were 
prefented to Mr. Pitt in 1795. What-_ 
ever comes from the pen of this great 
man, excites intereft, and merits attention: 
where Mr. Burke’s obfervatioas are ge- 
neral, they may be applied to the fearcity 
which lately vifited us, but they are often- ~ 
times of a temporary and isrelevant na- 
ture. 
<‘A Report’’.is publifhed, *¢ of the State 
and Progrefs of the Inftitution-for the 
Relief of the Poor of the City of London 
and Parts adjacent, fituate in New-ftreet, 
and Friar-ftreet, Black Friars.°* The 
propriety and policy of fuch Inftitutions 
being admitted, there can be no doubt as 
tothe excellence of the regulations by- 
whica this is conduéted; and, at any-rate, 
there can be no doubt as to the benevo- 
lence of thofe gentlemen who are inftru- 
mental in fupport of it. In the prefent 
pamphlet are given the elevation, ground- 
plan, &c. of the houfe; receipts for pre- 
p2ring the foup and fice which have been 
diftrisuted to the poor, and the regula. 
tions adcpted by the Affociation. Itap- 
pears that in ninety-four days, 120,416 
guarts cf foup were delivered, (the ex- 
pence of which was 1462]. rgs. being 
nearly three pence per quar!) at a: penny 
per quart, fo that the lofs to the Com- 
mittee was about two-thirds of the ex- 
pence. A fum, exceeding 500].-was alfo 
funk by the reduced price at which pota-- 
tocs, pickled-herrings, and preparations ~ 
of rice, were fold to the poor. The 
Phoenix Fire-office Company very gene- 
roufly enfured the premiles, to the amount 
of 1200]. for the nomina! premium of 5s. _ 
per annum; and the New River Com- 
pany gratutioufly fupplied the kitchen with 
water. : 
« PraGical 
