citement to adulterate it, and much is it to be lamented, that no Mode has been yet devised, to stop the many Impositions practised in the Sale, of this necessary Article of Life.

The Yearly Consumption of Wheat in LONDON, is about Nine Hundred Thousand Quarters, each containing Eight WINCHESTER Bushels. This Essential Commodity, has been, and is liable to numerous equivocal Causes, for its full or scanty Appearance in the London Market. From a Letter which appeared October, 1811, in the Newspaper published at Boston, Lincolnshire, the Extract is taken, and the Author seems to Explain many points, that influence the Value of Bread Corn, to the general Consumer.

"In the different Remarks which have fallen under my Notice, upon the subject of the Causes for the Dearness of Corn, the Writers have not appeared to preserve a proper Distinction, between the Intervention of bad Seasons, and the progressive Advance in Price, after the most plentiful Harvests.-Last Year is acknowledged to have been abundant, for Quantity and Quality; still, the Price averaged nearly one-third more, than it did a few Years ago. It must, therefore, be presumed, that there are some operative Causes existing, which have not been sufficiently attended to--and the common worn-out Topics to excite Discontent, have been revived against the private Merchants (as combining to advance by a Monopoly, the Scarcity)-who by the Stocks they occasionally hold, are enabled to consign Corn at a considerable Risk, to those parts of the Kingdom, which consist of large Manufacturing and populous Districts, and whose Consumption exceeds their own Produce, or to support the enormous Population of the METROPOLIS. The private Merchant in the Country, is regulated in Buying, by the

Prices of MARK-LANE, which is, to him, and the Grower, the general CORN BAROMETER. The Fluctuations which that imperious Market is subject to, are affected by the daily Supply; and in doubtful Seasons is agitated by public Opinion, which is often corrected by the Exertions of the Merchant, who engages in large Importations, and thereby checks the Impulse of Speculation, and thus whilst in the pursuit of his particular Advantage, he benefits the whole Community. But the most mischievous Interposition proceeds, from the vast Demand of the PUBLIC CONTRACTOR, who not only dictates the price to MARK-LANE, but intercepts in the Country those liberal Supplies which would otherwise be more than adequate to the regular Demand and Consumption.-After the dire Continuance of so wasteful a War, it is impossible to be at a Loss to account, for the progressive Dearness of the NECESSARIES OF LIFE, which will become more oppressive to the whole Country, the longer it is persevered in. The unnatural Value of the PRODUCE of the LAND, will recoil upon the POSSESSORS of the large hereditary landed Interest, who presume upon the present RENTS, as if they were a CERTAIN PERPETUITY.

It has been frequently observed, that when a Fall has taken place in the Price of WHEAT, there has been no proportionate Reduction in that of FLOUR. When WHEAT has sold at a Trifle more than Ten Shillings a Bushel, FLOUR has been so high as Fifteen. No honest Cause can be assigned for the Difference; no Pretext of Scarcity can be urged to palliate the Extortion: it is barefaced, unqualified Fraud, and imperatively calls on the LEGISLATURE, for Retribution and Redress.

Mr. S. WYATT, in his Depositions before the CORN and FLOUR

Committee of the CITY, some Years since, stated a Belief, the Result of Sixteen Years Experience, that "FLOUR might be sold Eightpence per Sack lower, than the Average price of WHEAT (allowing for the Expence of Carriage), and if ground upon the Spot, the Difference might be still greater: even in the long Frost of 1789, the ALBION MILLS furnished FLOUR at Seven Shillings and Eight-pence per Sack, below the average quarter of WHEAT."

Mr. T. WOOLHEAD, formerly a Cornfactor, on the same Occasion, was Examined:-" A few opulent Individuals (said he) have "A the entire Guidance of the Market, and return to the MealWeighers, what Price they please for FLOUR; this Price is generally regulated by Sales to the necessitous Baker, who is obliged to come with part of his Money in his hand, by way of Advance, when he wants FLOUR, and is told it is such a Price, being often an Extortion, and this is the Price given to the Meal-weighers as the bona fide Sale, by which means the AssIZE of BREAD is frequently Augmented."

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The AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, in one of their Reports, says, Very little of the best Flour is sold alone. Most of the Bakers are in Debt to the Meal-men; they have not the Power to choose the best, but at equal Price are compelled to take Seconds, and in many Cases, such a Mixture, as the Mealman may think fit to offer. There are Persons who suppose, that the Adulteration by Mixtures of various kinds of Meal, even Bean-meal, forms the greater part of the Mealman's Profits; as it is notorious that the Mealmen buy different Kinds of Grain, and that a large Proportion of the BREAD, sold as the best Wheaten Bread in LONDON, is at least ONE ASSIZE, or Twopence in the PECK LOAF, under Bread of that Quality."

The IMPORTATION of Foreign Corn into ENGLAND in 1810, was 2,221,951 Quarters. If that immense Quantity be turned into Money, it will amount to more than Eight Millions Sterling, the greater Part of which, was thus carried in Specie out of this Country. To remedy this Evil, in Future, it has been suggested, that a GENERAL INCLOSURE BILL, would make rapid Progress, and the following Facts and Arguments fairly sustain the Principle.

The Provincial Prints are crowded with Notices, of intended applications to PARLIAMENT on this interesting Subject. We felicitate Society on the Occasion, and most cordially hope (and we nothing doubt it) that these patriotic Undertakings will be as productive of Emolument to the Individuals, as they must be beneficial to the Community.

It is a Fact, ascertained by the Researches of the AGRICU LTURAL SOCIETY, that "upon an Average, Rents have trebled by ENCLOSURE:"-in many Instances they are eight times greater, as at LONG SUTTON, HOLLAND FENS, &c. and in some, as LINCOLN HEATH, KIRTON, &c. Rents have increased in the Proportion of

one to ten.

Within Forty Years, upwards of 92,033 Acres have been enclosed, in Twenty-seven Parishes in LINCOLNSHIRE. The old Rents amounted to 21,490l. 16s. 5d.-they now let at 72,150l. 15s. 11d. being an Encrease, in Consequence of ENCLOSURES, of 50,6591. 19s. 6d. Annually. These Works cost 175,1917. 13s. 11d.; and deducting the Interest of this Sum, from the Amount of Improvement, leaves an annual net Gain to the Owners, of 41,9057. 8s. 11d. Upon a moderate Calculation, the yearly Produce, is three times the

Rent; and hence it follows, that by the ENCLOSURES in question, the Community is benefited to the amount of 216,451l. 14s. 6d. annually.

In the neighbourhood of BELVOIR CASTLE, a Lordship thirtytwo Years ago, was 300l. per Annum, it is now 1500/.-and an Estate at SWINHOP, in LINCOLNSHIRE, Occupied by the Rev. Mr. ALLINGTON, which Sixty Years ago let for 951. now lets at 9601.

The Encrease of individual Revenue, powerfully as it stimulates the immediate Parties, is of the least Importance, though, when proceeding from a proper Source, entitled to much Weight as a national Consideration. It has been demonstrated, that infinitely the greater Part of the COMMONS, or as they are well denominated, the WASTES of ENGLAND, are wholly unproductive; and it must be self-evident, that even the Best of them would be more beneficial, if properly cultivated, than in the rude State in which they have long remained. The Question of ENCLOSURE, therefore, extends beyond the Persons immediately connected with the COMMONS; it comprises the COMMUNITY, which, in obtaining more abundant, and more reasonable Sustenance, at home, would retain several Millions of its Specie, which is at present annually exported to foreign Countries.

The Enemies of ENCLOSURES, have made the Cause of the lower Orders of the People, the Pretext for their Hostility. We should be amongst the first, to resist an Attempt to augment the Estates of the Affluent, by depriving the PEASANT of his scanty Property; but the Reverse in this Instance, is the Case:-Every Man's Right of Commonage is at present defined, and the Interest of the Rest, sees that he does not exceed it; (which, by the way, is the Spring of eternal