probability that the accounts before ftated refpecting the produce of the laft harvest may be rather below than above the truth; yet the exhaufted state of the old stock, and the unufually early period at which the late crop came into confumption, make it not only highly advifable, but indifpenfably neceffary, as the most effectual means of fecuring an adequate fupply at a reasonable rate, to have recourfe to the greateft economy, in every part of the country, in the use of thofe articles of grain upon which the fubfiftence of each refpective diftrict principally depends.

Your committee entertain the strongest expectation, that a recommendation from the highest authority, pointing out the advantages which would be derived, under the prefent circumftances, from the general practice of economy and frugality in thefe articles, could not fail to produce extenfive and beneficial effects. In order to give the greatest weight and folemnity to fuch a recommendation, your committee fubmit to the houfe whether it may not be proper to defire the concurrence of the other houfe of parliament in an humble addrefs to his majefty, requefting that his majefty would be graciously pleafed to iffue a proclamation for this purpofe. The effect of fuch a proclamation might undoubtedly be extended by the univerfal circulation which might be given to it, through the magiftracy and clergy, in every diftrict and in every parish; and affociations might be entered into by every defcription of perfons to whom it might be addressed for carrying it into execution in their refpective neighbourhoods. The general adoption of fuch a measure,

by diminishing the confumption of grain, and particularly of wheat, amongst those who are able to procure other articles of food, would leave for the use of thole who are unable to procure them a larger proportion of what is necessary for their fupport; by decreafing the demand the price would probably be reduced, and it may well be expected from the paft conduct of the more opulent claffes, that much of what might be faved by the reduction of their own confumption, would be applied to the relief of their indi gent neighbours.

Your committee having thus fuggefted the means by which they conceive that a great reduction in the confumption of corn, and particularly of wheat, may be produced by the practice of economy among a large proportion of the community; proceed to call the attention of the house to another meafure, by which a fimilar effect may be produced, to a great extent, among the laborious claffes, without in any degree diminishing their neceflary fubfiftence; for which, on the contrary, it is the great objec of the plans proposed effectually to provide. It is evident that, under the prefent high price, a very large proportion of the poorer claffes derive, from parish relief, a confiderable part of the fubfiftence neceffary for their families; extraordinary relief, under fuch circumftances, to a great amount, is indifpenfable: and it is hoped that it has been generally extended through moft parts of the kingdom, on the moft liberal principle, in due proportion to the extra cost of food, to the number of a family, the quantity neceflary for their fubfiftence, and the fair amount of their earn

ings. But it is evident that if the whole of this relief be given in money, it will be applied to the purchase of bread to the ufual amount, and will thereby counteract that economy which it is fo effential, for the intereft of the poor particularly, to introduce. It feems, therefore, of the utmost importance to provide, that as large a portion as poffible of this relief fhould be given neither in money, nor in the fort of bread ufually confumed in each parish, but in fome other wholefome fubftitutes, fuch as your committee have before enumerated. They have, indeed, the fatisfaction of knowing, that this practice, through the voluntary attention of magifirates, has already prevailed in many inftances; and that, whereever it has been adopted, its confequences have been most beneficial: but partly from want of fufficient authority in the magiftrates for this particular purpose, partly from the ufe of the fubftitutes being lefs generally known than at prefent, and from the fupply of them not being as abundant as may now be expected, the practice has been lefs general than the intereft of the country requires. Your committee, however, are aware that thele measures may not even now be indifcriminately applicable to every parish; from local circumftances, it may be at first difficult to procure the neceflary articles in fufficient quantity, or it may require fome time to introduce them into general ufe. Your committee, therefore, do not wish that a peremptory rule fhould be laid down (without exception) for the conduct of the magiftrates in all cafes, in carrying into effect the general principle here stated, but they conceive that where

ever the exception is made, the grounds of it fhould be fpecially ftated and allowed; and that in all other cafes the rule fhould be enforced. For this purpose they would recommend that an act should be paffed, requiring the magiftrates in each diftrict, within a certain time, to take into confideration the circumftances of each parish, and, at the application of the overfeer, or at their own difcretion, to make an order for giving a certain portion of relief in articles to be fixed, and to direct the application of fo much of the rates as may be neceffary for providing fuch articles; or, if they fall be fatisfied that circumftances will not then admit of fuch articles being provided, that they fhall ftate their reafons, and report them to a fpecial feffions to be directed by the act to meet for that purpose.

That the magiftrates affembled at fuch feffions fhall make fuch order thereupon as they fhail think fit, either authorifing farther delay in the execution of the measure, if they fhall be fatisfied that the circumftances juftify and require it; or, if not, directing it to be enforced in fuch a manner as they fhall judge expedient. The first advantage to be procured by this measure, evidently is that of rendering the fupply more equal to the neceffary demand; but this advantage, though the greatest, is not the only one: the labourer, by receiving the proportion of relief in fome other article than bread corn, will receive the benefit of the reduction of price, which the diminished confumption muft tend to produce, in purchafing cheaper what he provides out of his own earnings, and will be less dependent on the parifh for his fub

fiftence.

frftence. Every defcription of perfons paying to the poor-rates (particularly the leaft opulent houfekeepers, who feel the most heavily the increafed burden of that rate, and the addition to their own neceffary expenfes, from the prefent high price, of provifions), will be materially benefited in three ways: firft, in the diminution of the rate, from a large proportion of the relief being given in articles cheaper than bread, on the price of which the relief, if given wholly in money, must be calculated. Secondly, in a diminution in the amount of that part of the relief which may ftill be given in money, correfponding to the reduction which, as before stated, the measure has a tendency to produce in the article of bread.Thirdly, in the immediate effect of fuch reduction of price (as far as it may take place) in diminishing the expenfe of the neceffary confumption of their own families.

On all thefe grounds your committee venture earnestly to recommend this meature to the early and favourable confideration of the houfe,

Your committee have thus fubmitted to the wisdom of the house thofe measures which appear to them to claim the moft immediate attention with a view to relief.They have, upon the whole, the fatisfaction of being perfuaded, after a deliberate review of the deficiency in the fupply (arifing both from the exhaufted ftate of the flock of the former harvest and the partial failure of the laft crop) compared with the various refources which have been already pointed out, that if the measures of economy which they have fo ftrongly recommended are generally adopt

ed, the faving thereby produced, together with the extenfive fupply expected from abroad, will be fully fufficient to compenfate for fuch deficiency and to provide for the neceffary demand of the year.

Amongst the fubjects which prefs upon the confideration of your committee, is the ftate of the law refpecting the commerce of grain. It is evidently a matter of the greatest delicacy and difficulty; and your committee think they cannot better difcharge their duty than by taking it up in the temper recommended to parliament by that part of his ma jefty's fpeech which has been referred to them by the house.

In their farther proceedings your committee will give their mot earnest attention to the difcuffion of every propofal which has for its object the relief of the prefent preffure, or the prevention (as far as poffible) of its recurrence; and will fubmit, from time to time, to the judgement of the house, whatever appears to them most likely to attain those defirable ends.

Second Report of the Committee of the Houfe of Commons on the prefent Scarcity of Corn.

The committee appointed to confider of the prefent high price of provifions, and to whom fo much of his majefty's moft gracious speech from the throne to both houfes of parliament as relates thereto; and alfo the feveral petitions prefented to the houfe complaining of the high price of provifions; were referred:

Have, in conformity with the principles stated in their former report, continued to employ them

felves in the investigation of fuch farther measures as might tend to produce either an increase in quantity or an economy in the confumption of food.

Among measures of this nature the fupply to be derived from the fisheries on the coaft of Great Britain, and especially the herring fifh ery, appeared the moft confiderable in point of extent, and the moft preffing in point of time; which reafons have induced your committee to make it the subject of a separate report.

The attention which has been paid to the herring fishery by feveral committees appointed in former feffions of parliament has collected a very confiderable mafs of information on the fubject; in addition to which your committee have called for fuch evidence as appeared to them neceffary.

Their first inquiry was directed to afcertain the places from whence a fupply may be obtained during the prefent feafon, and the extent to which it may be carried.

With refpect to the firft point, it appears, both from the evidence given to former committees, and from recent information, that the herring fishery carried on during the winter on the north-western coafts of Scotland is neither confiderable in its prefent extent nor capable of any very immediate addition, being nearly concluded for the prefent year, except in Loch Roag, in the ifle of Lewis, a remote and thinlypeopled diftrict, to which the navigation in winter is difficult and dangerous. With respect to the herring fisheries on the English coaft, it allo appears that the featon is nearly terminated, and the high price at which their produce has been fold

may reafonably be fuppofed to have encouraged the adventurers to give them the greatest extenfion of which they were capable; but for the laft fix or seven years a great and increafing winter fishery has been carried on in the Firth of Forth, which in the prefent feafon has commenced with very confiderable fuccefs. This fifhery, which begins at the end of October and continues in full feafon till February, produces fuch an abundant fupply that, in the opinion of every perfon who has been examined, it may be confidered as inexhaustible,

It is flated to your committee, that in each of the two laft feafons not less than one thousand two hundred boats were employed in the fifhery; and the total quantity taken has, by the best judges, been fuppofed equal to five hundred thoufand barrels, each containing about one thoufand herrings. On a fupposition that, by any exertions, this quantity could be doubled in the prefent feafon, an additional fupply of animal food would be obtained nearly equal to the confumption of two millions of perfons in three months, allowing three herrings daily to each perfon; and none of the witnelles examined, either before former committees or recently, appear to entertain any doubt of the posibility of an extenfion as great, or even greater, than is fuppofed, except what arifes from the difficulty of fuddenly collecting a great additional number of filhermen, provided with proper boats, nets, falt, and other materials for taking and curing the fith. On this poat it is material to obferve, that the Firth of Forth run.mg into the richest and most populous part ot Scotland, and being accellible by

an eafy navigation both by the eaftern and (by means of the great canal) from the western coafts of the kingdom, there is no fpot where the advantage of a high price would more readily attract numerous adventurers, or where any unufual encouragement held out by the legiflature, in a cafe of particular emergency, might be expected to operate with greater effect. Accordingly it is ftated, that in the three laft seasons the Firth of Forth was frequented by veffels from Ireland, from the western coaft of England, and from the whole caftern coaft of the kingdom, as well as from the ports in its immediate vicinity. Your committee being informed that the refort of purchafers to the Forth is in this prefent feafon great beyond example, and that there is every appearance of as large a fupply of fifh as ever has been known, think there is reafon to hope that the quantity taken will much exceed that m any former feafon, efpecially if the legiflature fhould think it expedient to adopt extraordinary meatures to encourage and facilitate the efforts of

the adventurers.

With refpect to the duration of the fupply, it must be obferved, that herrings fprinkled (or, as it is term ed," routed or corned") with a moderate quantity of falt, will continue perfectly good at least two months, and are much fuperior in flavour and in nutritive qualities to thofe which are prepared for exportation to diftant countries with a greater quantity of falt. If, therefore, the herrings in the Forth continue in full feafon till towards the iniddle of February, (beyond which time it is reprefented, by the beft judges, as injurious to the fishery to

permit them to be taken) they will be preferved till the middle of April by the ordinary method of curing in bulk; but it requires only a small addition of falt, and fomewhat greater attention to make them fit for keeping a much more confiderable length of time.

The ordinary price of herrings in the Forth, when fresh out of the water, has not in former years exceeded 5s. or 6s. per cran, a meafure containing about two gallons more than a barrel (i. e. about thirty-four gallons); but in the beginning of this feafon an unusual competition among the buyers raised the price to 12s. and even to 15s. and 16s. per cran. This extraordinary price was not expected to continue after the principal fhoals fet into the Forth, which appears to have taken place towards the end of November; and it has in the mean time an obvious tendency both to attract the greateft poffible number of fishers, and to excite them to the utmost induftry; and it thould be farther obferved, that, at the very highest price, it has been found that the Forth herrings could be retailed in London (in the ftate of roufed or fprinkled herrings), with a moderate allowance to the perfons employed in retailing them, at the rate of two for one penny, a price greatly below what fish of much inferior quality have utually been fold for.

Your committee are perfuaded, that the circumftances which they have ftated will point out the effential importance of infuring the full benefit of a fupply fo well calculated

to afford the moft immediate and most extenfive relief under the prefent temporary preffure, as well as to prevent the danger of its recurrence; and they derive great addi