average ruling price, which afford great and obvious facilities to fraud; these facilities exist, too, without violating the letter of the law. They have not been practised hitherto, partly because the extent to which they exist has not been generally known, and partly because in former times the inducement was not so strong as at present; within the last few years more extensive speculations in foreign corn have been carried on than formerly. It is obvious, that whilst the difference is so great between the Continental and the British price of corn as at present, the latter being on an average double the price of the former, every temptation exists to get in a large quantity of foreign corn, and then to shut the ports; and as the importation price is fixed at 80s., which is also supposed to be the lowest price at which it can be grown, the market price will (except at particular pe riods, and under peculiar circumstances) be within a very few shillings of the import price, and, of course, the approach to the quarter-day is likely to produce a struggle between the parties concerned, according to their respective interests. In the early periods of the corn laws, the import-price was fixed so much above the remunerating market-price, that an occasion for such struggles, and consequent perpetual speculations, could rarely occur; nor was the difference between the British and Continental price at that time so considerable as to excite so much interest as now exists.

In order to explain fully these facilities of fraud, which arise out of the present mode of computing the aggre. gate average, it is necessary to refer to the paper in the Appendix marked (A), in which the amount of the weekly sales for the year 1819, in each of the twelve districts respectively, is set forth. It will be seen, that the average weekly sales in the

6th district amount only to 359 quarters, 6 bushels; in the 8th, to 324 quarters, 2 bushels; and in the 9th, to 135 quarters, 3 bushels.

These quantities, being so small, are obviously liable to be operated upon to a great extent by purchases made at a trifling sacrifice; and, as each district forms alike a twelfth of the aggregate, three form a fourth; and any undue influence created therein must produce a great alteration upon the price on which the opening or shutting of the ports depend: thus, if the price was advanced 4s. in these three districts, the aggregate would be advanced 1s. ; if 63., 1s. 6d., and so in proportion; a great effect upon the aggregate price must follow there upon. It is true, that if a more rigid execution of the Act should bring a larger quantity of corn into the returns of these districts, the facility of influence over the price would be di minished in proportion; but still the computation of the averages upon a dividend of the whole quantity into twelve, and three or four of these twelve being comparatively small, great temptations to influence the aggregate price, by operations carried on in those smaller districts, would still exist. To obviate the occurrence of so great an evil, your Committee venture to propose, that the total quantity of corn sold in the 139 towns of the twelve districts should, by the receiver of corn returns, be thrown together and cast up also the total amount of the money for which the said was sold, and the money divided by the number of quarters; thus dividing once only to find the aggregate average price, instead of extracting it by the complicated calculations before described. The average total of weekly sales in the 139 towns, according to the paper in the Appendix, marked (B), amount, in the six weeks ending 13th May last, to 25,114 quarters,

This quantity, drawn from so many different markets, appears to your Committee to be above the means of any fraudulent influence; and as a more rigid execution of the law will add considerably to the quantity of corn now brought into the returns, the difficulty of fraud will be so much further increased, as in the opinion of your Committee to remove all apprehension of such an occurrence in fu

ture.

Your Committee think that a new Act may be necessary to authorize the computation of the aggregate average price in the manner thus proposed. The direction of the Act of the 44th Geo. III. cap. 109, as to the manner of computing the aggregate averages, is not very definite; but one uniform practice has prevailed since that period, which of itself may be supposed to have determined the law, and make a new Act necessary. Your Committee have particularly turned their attention to an examination of the effect that would be produced, as to the opening or shutting of the ports, by adopting the mode proposed of computing the average, instead of that at present in use; as they are sensible, that if the opening of the ports was likely to be retarded thereby, it would be productive of an effect which at present is not in the contemplation of the House. They therefore directed the receiver of corn returns to compute the average price of each of the six weeks ending the 13th May last, in the established mode, and in that proposed, which is accordingly set forth in the paper marked (B) and (C), by which it will be seen that the difference is very trifling, so as rarely in any instance to exceed the fraction of a shilling, and that fraction more frequently higher than lower, according to the mode now practised. Should the proposed mode be adopted, the returns

from the inspectors to the receiver in London may be made exactly in the same form and manner as at present. It will be the business of the receiver, when the returns are all come in, to add the quantities all together, and strike the general aggregate average.

Your Committee are of opinion, that, in order to ensure a due execution of the law, some further enactments and regulations are necessary to be adopted. In the first place, they think that the Board of Trade should be furnished by law with greater means of general superintendence and direction than they at present possess. Secondly, they think it necessary to observe, that the inspectors have not at present an adequate salary for their trouble. The country inspectors are paid 5s. only for each return, and though the magistrates have a power to increase that allowance out of the county-rates, it does not appear to have been done in any instance.

The inspector upon the Corn-Exchange appears to be adequately paid by the proprietors thereof, and the receiver of corn-returns is appointed by the Treasury, and it is presumed he either is or may be sufficiently paid for the due execution of his office, which is certainly an office of great trust and responsibility, and requires the constant attention and utmost vigilance of those employed in it.

Your Committee are also of opinion, that various other regulations might be adopted that would tend to the obtaining of more correct returns.

The inspectors should be furnished with directions and printed forms for making up their books and returns ; the latter have indeed been lately supplied to them by the receiver; their books should be open to inspection, under regulation, to buyers and sellers, so far as relates to their own individual sales or purchases; the average price of each town should be posted

in the market-place so soon as the same has been cast up, and again at the opening of the market on the subsequent market-day; and the total quantity of corn and total of money should be given at the same time.

Your Committee are of opinion, that though it is proposed to ascertain the aggregate price which is to govern the foreign trade by the total quantity received from all the towns in the twelve districts added together, yet that it may be useful to shew the weekly average of each district, and quantity sold therein.

The inspectors should every quarter produce their books to a general or petty sessions, to have them examined and signed by the magistrates thereat; and it is also expedient that the weekly aggregate of the twelve maritime districts, with the quantity and price, should be published in the Gazette.

Your Committee think it necessary here shortly to advert to certain provisions of the 31st of his late Majesty, under which returns were made of the prices of corn from the inland counties, and which still continue in conformity thereto to be received and made up, and weekly published in the Gazette. That Act recites, that "whereas it would be highly useful that an account should be obtained of the prices at which the several sorts of corn, &c. are sold in the several inland and other counties of the kingdom, from which returns were not hereinbefore directed to be made, in order that a register thereof may be formed and published, for the information and benefit of his Majesty's subjects." The Act then provides for the appointment of inspectors, and the general execution in like manner as is provided in respect to the maritime counties, and the returns then received are entered in a book kept for that purpose, and once in every

week" an abstract of the average prices made up and computed in manner herein before respectively directed, from all the returns received, as well from the several districts of the said twelve maritime counties of England and Wales, as from the counties, cities, and towns thereinbefore mentioned;" and this total is denominated the average of England and Wales. Your Committee have carefully examined and compared the prices returned by this total of inland and maritime counties with the price of the maritime counties only; the difference is trifling, and varies so as sometimes to be above and sometimes below the prices of the maritime districts. Comparative prices will be seen in the paper marked (D); the inland counties therefore might be added, if thought advisable, to the maritime, in order to form the governing price. But your Committee do not take upon themselves particularly to recommend this alteration in the law, as the maritime counties alone have been taken as the basis on which to form the governing price, under the Act of the 55th of his late Majesty.

Upon the same principle on which the prices of the inland counties have been ascertained and published weekly in England, it would be desirable to direct similar returns to be made weekly also from Scotland and Ireland. From the former country it may be done without any fresh enactments, as quarterly returns still continue to be received from those under the directions of the 31st; and for the same reasons, that there should be published quarterly in the Gazette, average prices, made up from the returns received from the whole of the united empire.

It appears reasonable that Irish corn should be considered as British corn when sold in the British market, and admitted as such into the returns.

Your Committee having received some intimations of frauds committed under the warehousing provisions of the 55th and the 31st Geo. III., and that foreign corn was taken from under the King's lock and thrown upon the market, proceeded to make some inquiry thereupon, but were not able to discover that any such frauds had been actually committed. They are of opinion, however, that it would be useful to provide a check against such an occurrence, by not only measuring the corn into the warehouses, but occasionally gauging the quanti ties, and measuring them out again, as well when the locks are taken off for home consumption, as for exporta, tion.

It had also been suggested to your Committee, that frauds had been committed by introducing foreign grain into ships taking cargoes coast wise, going out half loaded, and filling up with foreign corn on their voyage; but no evidence has been adduced to establish the existence of such a practice. It has also been said that flour has been introduced from the United States of America, through the medium of our colonies; and one witness has stated that a mercantile house at Liverpool offered to supply him through that medium; but your Committee have received no further testimony thereof. They are certainly of opinion that it is highly desirable that the officers of the customs should, under the direction of Government, be ordered vigilantly to guard against any attempt of this nature to defeat the object of the legislaturę. July 8, 1820.

REPORT

From the Select Committee appointed to consider of the Means of Main

taining and Improving the Foreiga Trade of the Country.

The Select Committee appointed to consider of the means of maintaining and improving the foreign trade of the country, and to report their opi nions and observations thereupon to the House; and to whom the several petitions relating to the commercial restrictions, and to the duties on timber, presented in the present session, were referred; and who were also empowered to report, from time to time, to the House, have, pursuant to the order of the House, considered the matters to them referred, and have agreed upon the following Report:

It has appeared to your Committee, that the means of attaining the object to which their consideration has been directed by the order of the House, consisted less in affording any additional legislative protection or encouragement to the commerce of the united kingdom with foreign states, than in relieving it from a variety of restrictions which the policy of a former period imposed upon it; and which, whether expedient or otherwise at the time when they were enacted, having ceased to be necessary for the purposes which originally recommended them, tend to embarrass its operations, and impede its extension and prosperity. Your Committee are satisfied that the skill, enterprize, and capital of British merchants and manufacturers, require only an open and equal field for exertion; and that the most valuable boon that can be conferred on them is, as unlimited a freedom from all interference as may be compatible with what is due to private vested interests that have grown up under the existing sys tem, and those more important considerations with which the safety and political power of the country are intimately connected.

Your Committee have therefore

thought, that they should best consult the intentions of the House by direct ing their immediate attention to those regulations which, under the name either of restrictions or protections, operate in controlling the commerce of the kingdom, in order to estimate their nature and effects; and to judge in what degree it may be prudent to retain them, and in what instances (subject to the considerations referred to) their removal or modification may be recommended with safety and advantage.

In contemplating the range of the duty assigned to them, and the variety and importance of the objects of inves tigation embraced by it, your Committee were of opinion, that the most convenient course they could adopt would be, to take the subjects up under distinct heads, and report upon them in succession; by which the House might be enabled, not only to form its judgment more easily on each subject, as separately submitted to it, but also more readily to give effect to its judgment, when formed, by such legislative enactments as in the respective cases might seem expedient.

Before, however, your Committee proceed to advert to the points which have been the principal objects of their inquiry, they are anxious to call the observation of the House to the excessive accumulation and complexity of the laws under which the commerce of the country is regulated; with which they were forcibly impressed in the very earliest stage of their proceedings. These laws, passed at different periods, and many of them arising out of temporary circumstances, amount, as stated in a recent compilation of them, to upwards of 2900, of which no less than 1000 were in force in the year 1815, and many additions have been since made. After such a statement, it will not appear extraordinary that it should be matter of complaint

to the British merchant, that, so far from the course in which he is to guide his transactions being plain and simple; so far from being able to undertake his operations, and to avail him self of favourable openings, as they arise, with promptitude and confidence, he is frequently reduced to the neces sity of resorting to the services of professional advisers, to ascertain what he may venture to do, and what he must avoid, before he is able to embark in his commercial adventures, with the assurance of being secure from the consequences of an infringement of the law. If this be the case (as is stated to your Committee) with the most experienced amongst the merchants, even in England, in how much greater a degree must the same perplexity and apprehension of danger operate in foreign countries and on foreign mer chants, whose acquaintance with our statute-book must be supposed to be comparatively limited, and who are destitute of the professional authorities which the merchant at home may at all times consult for his direction. When it is recollected, besides, that a trivial unintentional deviation from the strict letter of the acts of parliament, may expose a ship and cargo to the inconvenience of seizure, which (whether sustained or abandoned) is attended always with delay and expence, and frequently followed by litigation, it cannot be doubted that such a state of the law must have the most prejudicial influence both upon commercial enterprize in the country, and upon our mercantile relations and intercourse with foreign nations. And perhaps no service more valuable could be rendered to the trade of the empire, nor any measure more effectually contribute to promote the objects contemplated by the House, in the appointment of this Committee, than an accurate revision of this vast and confused mass of legislation, and the establishment of some