Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 69, No. 423, January 1851Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 69, No. 423, January 1851
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
How much of this surplus produce may be expected to find its way into
the English market, we do not pretend accurately to foretell; but
when we find that, without the inducement of an unrestricted access
to it, in 1846 America was able to raise her exports of grain to
thirteen millions of bushels, from six millions in 1845; and in 1847,
with only the preparation of a year, to twenty-six millions, we think
Lord Fitzwilliam is quite justified in taking it for granted that
the price of corn in England will not rise above its present ruinous
average. Attempts, no doubt, will be made to show that the emigration
to California has deprived the Western States of the labour that is
required to raise these enormous crops. Our answer is, that 300,000
souls were added by immigration to the population of the United States
in 1849; and that our own emigration returns for 1850 show that the
tide from England is flowing in that direction with unabated force.
So last year, when the great and unexpected import of French flour
was adding to the depression, and stimulating the complaints of the
English agriculturists, the Free Import authorities explained it away
as a forced unnatural importation which must speedily cease, as France
was an importing, and not an exporting, county, and the price of corn
there was naturally higher than in England; and yet we learn from the
same organ of public opinion which favoured us in the summer with this
satisfactory explanation of the French importations, that in the month
of November last, the prices of wheat, flour, and bread were all much
higher in London than in Paris. In its City article of November 14th,
appeared the following comparison of the present prices of wheat,
flour, and bread, in London and Paris:--
"The highest price of wheat of the first quality in Paris is
24 francs per 1-1/2 hectolitres, which is equal to 36s. 8d.
per quarter; and the highest price of white wheat of the first
quality, in London, being 48s. per quarter, it follows that
wheat is 30-7/8 per cent dearer in London than in Paris. The
highest quotation of flour of the first quality in Paris is 29
francs 95 cents the 100 kilogrammes, which is equal to 29s.
11d. per sack of 280 lb. English; and the highest quotation of
flour in the London market being 40s. per sack, it follows that
flour is about 33-5/8 per cent dearer in London than in Paris.
The price of bread of the first quality in Paris is 27 cents
per kilogramme, which is equal to 4-5/8 per 4 lb. loaf English
weight; and the price of bread in London, at the full-priced
shops, being 6-1/2d. per 4 lb., it follows that bread is 40-1/2
per cent dearer in London than in Paris."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account