TORONTO PUBUC LIBRARIES 
 
 REFERENCE LIBRARY 
 
/ 
 
 ijOu^ <'-^ 
 
 
 N0TE8 ON CAF^i>ivv- 
 
 WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACT f.-7 tiaT!''^*]4, o,J2il^' t 
 
 » ';'•' •■ .•• .■■■-• A/ , 
 
 REDUCING THE DUTIES ON CANADIAN WI^yAt AND^^V-tJEA 
 FLOUR IMPOXrED INTO TilE UNITED V;^D(^M, ' ^'^ 
 
 COMPni«lNG 
 
 STATISTICAL KM GENERAL INFORMATION 
 
 RELATIVE TO THE PROVINCE, 
 
 «?TATR^TEXTS FROM OFFICIAL RETURNS SHOWING 
 THE PAST OPERATION OF THE ACT, 
 
 AND 
 
 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 ox ITS PROBABLE FUTCRS RESL^LTS, &c. c^c. 
 
 liY A MEMBER 
 
 or THE 
 
 ESSEX AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION SOCIETY 
 
 CHEL^iSFORD: D. BURRELL, T. ARTHY. 
 COLCHESTER: T. KNIBB.— SUDBURY : G. FULCHER. 
 LONDON : J. OLLIVIEU, o^. Pall Mall; 
 
 AND AEL OTKiR BOOKSELLERS. 
 
 1845. 
 
F A~s-4 So 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
NOTES ON CANADA, 
 
 S)C. S)'c. 
 
 As the operation of f!iP piesent Law with respect to the 
 nmies on Wheat jjiuI Fl()i:r iinpoited from Canada into 
 the Unit«»<l Kir);;(loni rxcites rr.nch discussion amongst the 
 Ajuritullnrists of this ccuiitry, it is huptul that the followin<;f 
 pagrs will not he coiisid(n'rd iil timed cr useless. Thoy 
 are puhii.-hed for llio purpi>r.e of plucinf^ hrfure the public, 
 Topographical and V-lati.stical iuibrjuation collected from 
 various sotjrces, whith may i;!isist |;orsons in forniing- a 
 ju(lj;ment as to the prtjbaMtj future rosiilfs of the facilities 
 given by the Act of (! — 7, Victoria, c. 2J) —for the impor- 
 tation ol Vv'hcat and M'hcat Flour into the United Kingdom 
 from Canada. 
 
 POSITION, ARK A, & POPCLATIOX OP CANADA. 
 
 Canada comprises that portion of the American Continent 
 which is boiunlcd on tlio Kast by the Atkiutic Ocean and 
 the Gulf of St. Liiwrrnce — on the \Vest by the country 
 beyond Lt.ke Superior — on the North by the Hudson's Bay 
 territory — and on tlie South by the United States and a 
 pari of Nrw lirunswiik. 
 
 The country occupies an area of about 850,000 square 
 mile''', beiri<:f more than six times the area of Enyla'ul 
 and Wales, atul nearly three times that of England, Wales, 
 Scotland, and IrtUind. Lower or East Canao'a occupies 
 4?05,8tj;i square miles, including G'JOO miles covered by 
 lakes and rivers, and excludinfj the surface occupied by 
 the St, Lawrence and part of the Gulf, which cover 
 6'^,(^00 square miles, the whole area of land and water 
 beinof 257, POO square miles or lG5,(13'i,3..^0 acres. Upper 
 or West Canada comprises about 144,000 square miles 
 or 9"2.1(J0.00O acres. 
 
 At present bwt a coniparativfly small portion of the land is 
 in cultivation. Pr. Mc Culloch gives the follow ing table for 
 1845. 
 
Area in Acr«. 1 '^y;;;^,-^ 
 
 Uu8urveyi?d. 
 118.983,000 
 3,l»f).O00 
 
 Availablp IV/r 
 .Settlfiiient. 
 
 5to«,000,000 
 3,754,000 
 
 Lower Canada 132,000,000 2.734,735 
 Upper Canada 6i,000.000!l,32G,313 
 
 The country is, in lenijth, tVom East to West, about 1000 
 
 miles; in breadth, from North to Sou(h. about 300 miles. 
 
 la 180G the population of Upper and Lower ) ^^^ ^.g 
 
 Caoada, was 3 ' 
 
 181G ditio 33:1,250 
 
 1824 ditto 580,450 
 
 1831 Lower Canada ♦ 52r>.n20 7 j,.,, o-.. 
 
 Upper ditto 2J)G,544 f ••*'®'*» 
 
 1836 Lower Canada, supposed G00,000 } , ^^^ ««^ 
 
 Upper Canada 400.000 5 *»"""'""" 
 
 Mc Culloch makes the population to be in 
 
 1842 Lower Canada 700,000 7 , o^^ nn^ 
 
 „ Upper ditto (iOO.OOO J I'^O^'OOO 
 
 The Parliamentary returns state the population of 
 Upper Canada in 1842 to be only 480,055. 
 
 IMMIfillATION. 
 
 The immi;;ration into the Colony from the United King- 
 dom is considerable. In 1842 the number of Emigrants 
 arrived at Quebec and Montreal from the United Kingdom, 
 was as follows : — 
 
 From En-land and Wales 12.216 ) 
 
 Scotland (>.070 J. 43,818 
 
 Ireland 25.532) 
 
 The total number arrived at Quebec from the United 
 Kingdom in 14 vears— IS'JO to 1842, was 
 
 From Kng-lan d and Wales , D(),34f) n 
 
 .Scotland 42,3<)i) / 
 
 Ireland 222.415 V 3G6.181 
 
 Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, &c. 4,518 1 
 
 Continental Ports 500/ 
 
 It was catcuiated by Mr. Buchanan the British Govern- 
 ment Agent at Quebec, that the 30,933 Emigrants landed 
 at Quebec and Montreal in 1834, look into the country 
 a capital of at least £1,000,000. xMany of these Emigrants 
 proceed to the United States, but a large number of 
 those who land at New York, afterwards proceed to 
 Canada It is therefore very difficult even to approximate 
 to the relative numbers that finally settle iu each country. 
 
 CLIMATE- 
 
 Canada may be said to have but two seasons — summer 
 and winter. Winter has no looner disappeared, which 
 
 • Census taken in 1831. 
 
{generally happens in llie niuldlc of April, ihan tlie wLoIb 
 ▼egetuble creation starts into renewed life with a rapidity 
 and vigour that leava the season of sprinjj with such 
 doubtful limits as to he scarcely perceptible. In the fall 
 of the year, Sepiembor and October are generally fine 
 and summer like, and are succeeded by what is called 
 the Tndian summer, in November, during which the genial 
 temperature of the iitmosph<^re is extremely pleasant. In 
 Upper Cat)ada the frost commences at the end of Noven^her, 
 and continues tiil nrar April: sometimes it is the first week in 
 that month heiure the navigation is open. The climate, 
 especially of Upper Canada, is colder in winter, warmer in 
 summer, and aluays possessing a hrii;hter, clearer, and drier 
 atmosphere tliati that of (jreat Britain, but it is neither so 
 much warmer in summer nor so much colder in winter as 
 to he disagreeable. In Lower Canada, the winter is very 
 severe, the country being covered with snow nearly half the 
 year. In summer the highest temperattjre varies from 96 
 to 102 Falirenheit, but the purity of the atmosphere abates 
 the heat that prevails in most countries where the mercury 
 ranges so high. The spring opens and the resumption of 
 agricultural labour takes place from six weeks to 2 months 
 earlier at the Western extremity of Lake Ontario in 
 Upper Canada than in the neighbourhood of Quebec. 
 
 SOIL AND PRODUCE OF WHEAT. 
 
 In the course of the debates in the House of Commons 
 en the Canadian Flour Bill, it was repeatedly stated by the 
 advocates of the measure, tliat Lower Canada did not grow 
 enough Wheat for its own consumption, and that Upper 
 Canada but barely supplied the deficiency. This was denied 
 by several members. Mr. E. Ellicesaid it was new to him 
 to hear that the Canadians— nay, that even the Lower 
 Canadians did not grow a surplus of Corn beyond their 
 own consumption. Mr. Ellice had engaged in large land 
 speculations in Lower Canada, having one estate 18 miles 
 square, near Montreal, which, some years ago, he bought for 
 less than £10,000, and recently sold to a Company of 
 Proprietors in England for £120,000. A large portion of 
 the estate is under cultivation, and Mr. Buckingham calcu- 
 lates that it may, in 20 years, be rendered worth £500,000. 
 Colonel Rushbrooke said " That in the paper No. 218, laid 
 on the table of the House, there was a paragraph which stated 
 that Canada was now an exporting country, and that in a 
 short time she would be able to supply the mother country with 
 any quantity of corn, provided the British markets be 
 open to her produce."* 
 
 •MejDoiial of Earl Mountcashel and ihft North American Committee of th« 
 Colonial Society in London, in 1842. 
 
Mr. Murray [in his " British America"] states, that the 
 Agriculture of Canada, was in 1 839, most rapidly increasing, 
 and the Province, had for many years exported Wheat and 
 Flour into the United States. A report of the Committee 
 of the House of Representatives gives a return of quantities 
 80 imporfrd : thev wpre 
 
 Dubh. >VUe»t. Cwt. Flour, Dush. Wheat. Cwt. Flour. 
 
 1831 585 5 1831 1,232 20 
 
 183:2 I.1G3 3 isrjj 23G.n»4 28,483 
 
 1833 1.581 3(5 18:50 115.850 not known. 
 
 The amount in value being 374.})3l) dollars. 
 
 Parliampntfiry Returns give the following particulars. In 
 1840, Lower Canadaimported 1074 biirrels of Wheat Flour, 
 and exported 157,2()0 bushels of Wheat, und a03,07l 
 barrels of Flour. The total value of Corn exported was 
 £49 1.507 sterling. The total value of imports of uil articles 
 was £1,1303.043— of exports £l.(j;>j,(>8r). 
 
 Cattermole, a gentleman, who gave Public Lectures in 
 1831, on the advantages of Kmigrulioii to ('aiiadu, speaking 
 of the Upper Province, «ay« "it would bo dillicult— perhaps 
 impossible, to find in any othor region of the globe, a tract of 
 country of the same magnitude, with so many natural udvan- 
 tages as that part which lies between Lakes Ontario, Krie, 
 Huron, and the Ottawa river, nine-tenths of the whole of 
 which are calculated for the exercise of almost every descrip- 
 tion of agricultural labour, and with such a prospect of success 
 as perhaps no ol'ier part of the Continent could realize. A 
 part of this tract of country commencing in the npi<>;hbour- 
 hood of Kingston, and running westward nearly 500 miles 
 to the Sandwich frontier by a depth northward of about 100 
 miles, is of itself capable of supplying all liurope withgrhin." 
 Mc Culloch also says "That part of Upper Canada which 
 •tretches from Lake Sitncoe and the rivers Trent and 
 Severn, westward to Lake Huron and the St. Ciair river, 
 and southward to Lake Frio, and part of l^ake Ontario, has 
 a soil of extraordinary fertility, capable ©f producing 
 luxuria)it crops of wheat and every sort of grain. The soil 
 is more genial for vegetation than Lower Canada." A 
 •writer in Black wood (Vehnvdry, lb:38) observes that "The 
 quantity of good soil in Canada is proportionate to that uf 
 any other country of the globe. It is in some places singu- 
 larly fprtile ; 50 bushels of wheat an acre are u frequent 
 produce. In some instances 100 bushils have been ob- 
 tained. The soil of Upper Canada is chielly composed of 
 brown day and loam intermixed with marl." In the Colonial 
 3Iaffazinc (Mar'^h, 1840) are the following observations, 
 "The soil, although of almost every variety, is mostly fit for 
 agricultural purposes, being rich and deep with the spoils of 
 
the forest, acuiiniulatiiig for ueuturies. With rejjard to 
 the effect of climate ort ug;riuu!ture, it may be Buid, that 
 pluiighin;^ for spring crops generally comtneiices in Upper 
 Cuiiuiia the first Meek in April, and teruiiiutes in June, 
 although instances are not infr>)quent of ploughing and 
 sowing in the latter end of March ; and such was the mild- 
 ness of the season in Decembrr, lb3(}, that a great deal of 
 laud was ploughed in that mnnth. Agricultural opr rations 
 may be considered suspendi-d from St. Andrew's Day, 
 (:iath November) to St. Patrick's Day, (March 17). The 
 fall wheat is generally sown by the 10th of October, 
 although there is a case on record in the township of 
 Ancuster, on a farm belongiag to F. Sufer, Esq. of wheat 
 sown on the 5th of November, and producing a beautiful 
 satnplc of spod wheat in the following year." There can b« 
 little doubt that, with the continual accession of enterprising 
 emigrants iu>d their capital, together with the impetus of 
 the Act of 18l;J, t!(e agricultural produce of Cana<1a will 
 grtfatly and rapidly increase. In a Petition from merchants, 
 millers, Ui^ricniltuiisis, and others of the Home District of 
 West Canada, iti Ajuil 181'2, it was said, ••The cultivation 
 of Wheat is undoubtedly the object to which more than any 
 other the Canadians are destined to devote their exeitions : 
 the climate and soil are alike favorable to its growth. It is 
 proper to add that many parts of Canada are, front t!te pie- 
 vaL'ncc of a destructive fly, less favourable to the growth of 
 wheat. It is also to some extent disadvantageous that the 
 rich and heavy land of Upper Canada, is not to be found in 
 general upon the immediate banks of the lakes and rivers. 
 It lies for the greater part from t'i to 20 mites inb>nd. 
 
 In 1840, there were in Montreal District 4,0UU acres of 
 Wheat, producing AO.OOO bushels, and the price at 
 Montreal was 5s. sterling per bu>hcl. 
 
 In 1842, the produce of Wheat in Upper Canada was 
 3,221,990^ bushels, and the price at Toronio and Montreal 
 markets was 4s. 5d. per bushel. 
 
 The Canada Company wfilch is u very prosperous one, 
 was incorporated by Act of Paillautent and lloyal Ciiarter 
 in 182G, for the purpose ol* purchasing, holding, improving, 
 clearing, settling, and disposing of, waste iuid other lauds 
 in the Province of Upper Canada; for opening, making, 
 improving, and maintaining roads and other internal 
 comiQUuicatious fur the benefit thereof, Slc. 
 
 CURRENCY, REVENUE, &c. 
 
 The paper currency in 1841 was for Lower Canada from 
 
8 
 
 £400,000 to £r>00.000 sterlinjr. In Upper Canada the 
 umonnt of Government Debentures outstanding was 
 £1,232,880, iis. Id. sterling^. All the Banks issue notes 
 for Cu, and there is no Colonial metallic currency. 
 
 In Canada, accounts are kept and sales and purchases 
 made in pounds, shiilinj^s, and pence, Halifax currency. 
 This currency is about 20 per cent inferior to the British, 
 though the denominations and proportions are the same. 
 The pound currency is four Spiuiish dollars, each dollar 
 being called 5s. But ttie avcriige value of the dollar in the 
 London market is only 4s. 2d , hence 4s. 2d. sterling is 
 equal to fis. currency ; or 1(h. 8d. sterling is equal t« £1 
 curr^^ncy ; or £100 sterling is equal to £120 currency. 
 
 When exchange is really and wholly undi<^turbed, or in 
 other words at par (£100 sterling selling for £120 currency) 
 it is said to be at 8 per cent, per annum. The average 
 exchange on London in ISll, was 12^ to 13 per cent, in 
 1842 9* to 11 per cent. 
 
 It was stated in Blackwood (1808). that the British 
 Government pidd directly more than £200,000 a year for 
 troops and public works, but there is reason to believe that 
 for the jast 8 or 1) years the annual expense of Canada 
 to this country fur military and other matters, has been 
 about £800,000 per annum. In 1831, the revenue and 
 expenditure of Canada is thus given in the Parliamentary 
 tables of revenue, population, &c. 
 
 Revenue. Expenditure. 
 
 Upper Canada, £102.289 £101.0:?5 
 
 Lower Canada, 157,134 J7ii,778 
 
 Total £259.443 £277,808 
 
 Murray makes the Revenue and Expenditure in 1834, 
 to have been 
 
 Revenue. Expenditure. 
 
 Upper Canada, £108.841 £102,430 
 
 Lower Cauada, 15G.589 108,188 
 
 Total £2(55.430 £270.618 
 
 Cattermole, writing in 1831, sayi "All the taxes or 
 assessments put together on a farm of 100 acres only 
 amounts to a few shillings." An emigrant at Guclph, 
 Upper Canada, about that time says •* Our taxation here 
 is moderate : a man with 100 acres does not pay a dollar a 
 year altogether." 
 
 In August, 1844, the following particulars were given in 
 a Parliamentary return moved for by Mr. Leader. 
 
 The gross total charge on account of Canada in respect 
 of the Armv, Navy, Ordnance, Commissariat, &c. was in 
 
9 
 
 £. £. 
 
 183G 1(J5,8;U 1840 1.31:3,884 
 
 1837 189,048 1841 8y8,<)88 
 
 lH3h3 510,248 1842 884. {)98 
 
 1839 1,029,070 1843 806,007 
 Total £(;,398,077. 
 The special grants on account of the rebellion of 1837 
 wero 
 
 £ £. 
 
 1838 50O.(H)0 1841 108,000 
 
 1839 1,000.000 1842 108.000 
 
 1840 35l.74(> 1843 25.300 
 
 Total £2,090,04 (). 
 
 In the official return of the public expenditure for the 
 year ending 5lh January, 1843, we find au item of" Insur- 
 rection in Canada £253,343 12s. 4d." 
 
 The British Army maintained at the present moment in 
 Canada, consists often re;^iinpnts or battalions, viz. the 14th 
 foot, reserve battalion of 23rd foot, 43rd foot, 52nd foot, 
 2nd battalion GOth foot, reserve battalion 7lst foot, 81st 
 foot, 82nd foot, 89th foot, 93rd foot. There is also u 
 Colonial Corps — the iloval Canadian Rifle Regiment. The 
 Militia in l«42, amounted to lG0.^30--viz. for Lower 
 Canada 90,5G2. Upper Canada 75,208. 
 
 IMPORTS, EXPORTS, MANUFACTURES, &c. 
 
 In the Petition of merchants, millers, agriculturists, &,c., 
 of West Canada, April, 1842, it was stated, that Canada, 
 at that time, purchased a lirgcr amount of British manufac- 
 tures, and furnished eniplovmeut to a much greater number 
 of British ships, than several of the most populous kingdoms 
 of Europe combined. 
 
 The declared value of British and Irish produce and man- 
 ufactures exported in 1842 from t!io United Kingdom into 
 th« British North American Colojiies, was £2,333,525. In 
 that sum are included. 
 
 £ 
 
 Apparel, slops, and haberdashery 282,551 
 
 Cotton manufactures 485,490 
 
 Hardwares and cutlery 128,181 
 
 Iron and steel wrought and unwrought 145,744 
 
 Linen manufactures 108,548 
 
 Silk manufactures 74,074 
 
 Soap and candles 50.736 
 
 Stationery 44,750 
 
 Sugar refined 55,109 
 
 Woollen manufactures 425,122 
 
 £1.806.965 
 
10 
 
 In 1830, Canada imported of British munufactiires, in 
 value as under 
 
 (.'otton. Linen. Silk. Woollrn. Iron. 
 
 £544,110 £(»7.4C8 £95.772 £:h'9,59« £111,C0S 
 
 Total £1.1 18,55-i. 
 
 Mc Culloch says, that in the year ISHD, the total valiio 
 of imports into Canada from al! parts was £2,l'J7,l.i74, 
 of exports £1.090,3:^7; the Colony in 1^41 had 4H2 ships, 
 the tonnajre of which was 53,' 12. 
 
 Tlie value of ashes, grain and timber (the most impor- 
 tant articles of Canadian product;) exported in lS3f), was 
 
 Aslips. Oniiii, lOct. Tinibrr. Totul. 
 
 £142,457 £32.05'> £bS0.403 £l,U5l.f)l2. 
 
 In Upper Canada there were in 1841, 'J804 mills, of 
 which 414 were for corn. Of manufactories there were 
 22 iron works, 10 iron hammers, (i nail factories!, 147 
 distilleries, 9(i breweries, 1*61 tanneries, 1021 pot and 
 pearl ash manufactories. Woollens for domestic pnrpose.s 
 are munufactured throughout the province, lu iHl'i 
 -were manufactured 433,537 yards of fulled cloth ; ICG,88'i 
 yards of linen, cotton, and other thin cloth; 727,2^8.^ yard.^ 
 of flannel or other woollen cloth not fulled. Wool 
 1,30-2,5101 per lbs. 
 
 The great shippin*^ ports of Canada are Quebec and 
 Montreal. Quebec is situated about 340 mites from the mouth 
 of tbe St. Lawrence, and in 1842 had a population of 31,801). 
 It is the capital of Canada and of the Kritish possessions in 
 North America. Moj)treal is the second town of Canada, 
 and is situated on the St. Lawrence about 180 miles from 
 Quebec. The population in 1842 was 40,203. Vessels of 
 (500 tons burden ascend here. Toronto, the capital of Upper 
 Canada is near the head of Lake Ontario. 
 
 IlIVERS, LAKF.S, AND CANALS. 
 
 The rivers of Canada are very nnmcrotis and spread over 
 the country like the arteries and veins of the human body, 
 and are the channels tliroiifih which the trade of tbe 
 country (lows. The principal rivers are the St. Lawrence, 
 the Ottawa or Grand River, the Gatineau, the Saguenay, 
 the St. Maurice or Three Rivers, the Champlain, the 
 Chaudiere, the Richelieu, and the Montmorency, Of 
 these it is unnecessary here further to notice more than two 
 or three. The St. Lawrence is a river of magnitude 
 scarcely to be conceived by an Englishman who has not 
 "seen the world." In length it nearly ecpials any river on 
 the habitable globe, and perhaps in magnificence and beaiity, 
 surpasses every other. It rises in the great basin of Lake 
 Superior, in Upper Canada. Its course to the sea is nearly 
 3000 miles, the width varying from more than that of the 
 
11 
 
 Thames in its widest part to 80 miles. For nearly 2000 
 miles, including the Lakes Ontario, £rie, and Huron, it it 
 navigable for ships of200 tons burden, and the remainder of 
 its course for batteaux, (flat bottomed boats,) of from 10 to 
 20 tons burden. It docs not preserve the same name 
 throughout its course: from the Sea to Montreal it is 
 called the St. Lawrence ; from Montreal to Kingston the 
 Cbtaraqui or Iroquois ; between Lakes Ontario and Erie 
 the Niagara; between Lakes Erie and St. Clair the 
 Detroit ; between Lakes St. Clair and Huron the St. 
 Clair; between Lakes Huron and Superior, the Narrows 
 or Fails of St. Mary. The first steam boat that plied on 
 the St. Lawrence was launched in 1812; there are now 
 many — some of large burden— employed conveying goods 
 and passengers between Quebec and Montreal and between 
 Quebec and Halifax in Nova Scotia. The navigation at 
 Quebec closes by the freezing of the river at the end of 
 November, or beginning of December, and opens in April. 
 Below Quebec, the river is seldom frozen over, but the 
 masses of floating ice agitated by the tide, render navi- 
 gation impracticable. The Ottawa originates in Lake 
 Temiscaming. more than 350 miles N.W. from its junction 
 with the St. Lawrence, near Montreal. In 1839 a survey 
 was made to ascertain the possibility of connecting the 
 Ottawa with Lake Huron by navigation. Numerous smaller 
 rivers amply supply the communication between the several 
 districts of each province. One of the most singular rivers 
 is the vSaguenay which falls into the St. Lawrence near 
 Quebec. The depth at its mouth has never yet been 
 ascertained ; it is probably the deepest of rivers, having 
 been tried in vain with 330 fathoms of line. The height of 
 the banks rising from 300 to 2000 feet is as extra* 
 ordinary as the depth of the stream. 
 
 The Lakes or inland seas of Canada, chiefly in the 
 Upper Province, are innumerable ; the principal are Lakes 
 Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. The following is a 
 statement of the size of these magnificent " meetings of 
 the waters." 
 
 Lfngth, Width. Circumference. Depth. 
 
 Lake Superior 360 miles 140 miles 1500 900 feet 
 
 Huron S50 220 1000 900 
 
 Erie 270 G3 C58 200 
 
 Ontario 172 59 467 600 
 
 The Erie Canal * connects the waters of Lake Erie with 
 
 those of the Hudson. Lake St. Clair, the smallest of 
 
 •The great United States* Erie Channel is a vast achievement : it is 363 
 miles lonfr, and was eight years making, being completed in 1825, at a cost 
 (including the Champlain Canal) of 9,000,000 dollaii : (he ex^)ense was born« 
 chiefly by the State of New York, 
 
 C 
 
12 
 
 th» Lukes, iH oval and ralh^r less tiian 109 miles in circnin- 
 ference. 'Vh« Bay of Quiiit« nmn parallel with Lake 
 Ontario 80 miles, and is sepiiratt'd from it by U»p Prince 
 Edward District. Ihe houudary, dividiiisj Canada from 
 the United States, runs llirough the ^rreai Lakes. 
 
 The British Government has expt'nded a very large sum 
 upon the Rideati Canal, as much with the view oliinproving 
 the military defences of Canada as of benefititi^; its com- 
 merce, in which latter respect it has been of considerable 
 utility. The Welland Canal bus also become a well fre- 
 fjuented commercial channel, and is every day inrreasinu in 
 importance. 13y means of these Canals an uuinlerrupJed 
 line of steam communication is established between the 
 Atlantic and Aniherstbnroh, one of the remote settlements 
 of Upper Canada, a distance of more than 1500 miUs, 
 which we may soor« erpect to see extended to the liead 
 of Lake Hnron, and eventually to the Western extremity 
 of Lake Snpeiior, about 700 miles beyond Amherstburgh, 
 giving to Quebec aconnniitid of internal navigation inferioi 
 ordy to that of N< w Orleans. The Ridean Canal com- 
 mences at the ft>ot ofthe Chaudiore Falls, in the Ottawa 
 river, and ends at Kinfjston, on Lake Ontario, and by thn.s 
 connecting that liver with the St. Lawrence it aflords a jate, 
 easy, and expeditious communication between Kingston 
 and Montreal ; fiatural livers or lakes are in great part nia<le 
 use ol for this Canal. The exjvense to the iirifish (jrovern* 
 menthas been upwards of. CI ,000.000: the oiiojnd estimate 
 was £1(19,000. The Cniid is 1;J5 miles in length. Tho 
 tolls collected more lh;in pay the cost of its support. The 
 Welland Canal was (brmed to connect Lakes Erie and 
 Ontario, the navigation of which was rendered impassable 
 by the Falls of Niagara. It is 53 miles long, of which 
 about II) required excavation, the remainder being a 
 natural navigation of rivers and reservoirs. This Canal 
 was originuliy a private undertaking a-sistod by Loans from 
 Upper and Lower Canada. It has since been purchased 
 by the Colonial Government, who with the tissistance ofthe 
 British Government, are enlarging and completing it in a 
 ▼ery substantial manner. The tolls in a few years will 
 pay an interest of £5 or £t> per cent. The cost when 
 complete is estimated at £500,000. Twr» other very use- 
 ful Canals have been formed — the La Chine and the 
 Granville. The La Chine begins at Montreal, and extends 
 up the side of the Island until it gets to the still water at 
 the head of the rapids of La Chine : it cost about £120,000 
 which was defrayed by a Company of merchants, assisted 
 by the British Government. The Canal of Grenville is 
 aitout 40 miles from La Chine, at the rapids called Lang 
 
13 
 
 SdtiU and Cbute of Blundeau, in the Ottawa river: It is 
 fqnul in luagnitude to that of La Cliine, and the expense 
 -was defrayed hy the British Government. 
 
 DIVISION AND UK-UNION OF THE PROVINCES. 
 
 For a coiisiJerable period the French were masters of 
 Canada, but the invasion of the country by the English, in 
 1759, ended by France (in 1703) ceding" the whole of 
 (vanadd, Nova iScofia, New Brunswick, Cape Breton, and 
 Newfoundland to Great Britain. Much dissension r.nd 
 many political difficulties subsequently arose out of the 
 jarring interests and opposite views of the inhabitants of 
 Canada, the Cpper Province haviijoru British and Protestant 
 population, and the Lower a IVench and Uonian Catholic. 
 Mr. Pitt thought tbtt this evil might he remedied by 
 dividing the country into 2 Proviuccs to be called the 
 Upper and the Lower, each haviii<; a separMe Legislature. 
 This division took place in 1791, by what was called Lord 
 Granville's Act. The measure appeared to answer the 
 desired end for some years, but in the autumn of 1837 a 
 rebellion burst forth headed by M, Papineau in Lower 
 Canada, and by Mr. Mackenzie in the Upper Province. 
 A host of fabricated grievances were assigned as the cause 
 of the outbreak, but the conduct and declarations of the 
 rebels showed that tlieir real object was, with the assistance 
 of the United States, to throw off the sovereignty of 
 England. Much bloodshed was the result of this revolt, 
 but it was suppressed. Sir Uobert Peel stated in the 
 House of Commons in May 1843, that the expense of sup- 
 pressing the rebellion had beon little less than £3,500,000. 
 The Canadian constitution was suspended, and the Legisla- 
 latures dissolved; and Lord Durham was sent out, as 
 Governor General, if possible, to restore tranquillity. The 
 principal recommendations of his Lordship were— the re- 
 union of the two Provinces into one, the assembling of the 
 English and French races in one Parliament, and mingling 
 thcni in other bodies for the transaction of public business. 
 These recommendations were ndopted, nnd on the 23rd 
 July, 1840, the " Act for the union of the Canadas" was 
 passed. The Act provides, that for the United Provincef 
 there shall be one Legislative Council and one Assembly, to 
 be called the Legislative Council and Assembly of Canada; 
 and that all laws passed by those bodies, and assented to 
 by her Majesty, the Queen of England, shall be binding 
 within the Province. The Members of the Legislatira 
 Council, (not fewer than 20 in number) are nominated by 
 th9 Crown; and each member is entitled to hold his seat 
 
14 
 
 for life unless forfeited by peculiar circumstances. Ho 
 may however resign. Tiie members of lUe Assembly are 
 elective, fiut aIthoua;h tbe Provinces are united, they are 
 commonly designated Upper or West Canada, aud Lower 
 or East Canada. 
 
 THE CANADA CORN LAW OF 1843. 
 
 We now come to the principal subject— that of the Canada 
 Corn Law of 1843, which we will divide into 4 parts, 1. 
 The previous state of the Corn Law affecting Canada in the 
 articles of Wheat and Flour. 2. The passing of the Act of 
 1843. 3. The operation of the Act up to the present time, 
 4. The probable futurtj results of the Act. 
 
 PREVIOUS STATE OF THE LAW. 
 
 By the Act of 1815, 55 Geo. 3, c. 2(), all importation of 
 Wheat from any of the British plantations of North America 
 was forbidden except when the average home price was 
 at or above 67s. per quarter, when it might be imported 
 duty free. 
 
 An Act of 1822, 3 Geo. 4. c. (50, permitted the impor- 
 tation of Wheat and Flour from British North America, at 
 the following duties 
 
 Wlicat, per qr. Flour, ptr D«r, 
 
 If under 07 12 Q 3 
 
 at 67s. but under 71 5 17 
 
 at or above 71 1 4 
 
 With an additional duty after the first three months. 
 
 By an Act of 6 Geo. 4, c. 64. (1825), Wheat, the 
 produce of any British possession in America was admitted 
 for one year at 5s. 
 
 It was enacted by the 6th Geo. 4, c, 73, that the follow- 
 ing duties should be paid ou Wheat and Flour, not the 
 growth, produce, or manufacture of the United Kingdom, 
 or of any British Possession in North America, or the 
 West Indies, or within the limits ofthe East India Company's 
 Charter, imported into any British Possession in North 
 America or the West Indies, viz. 8s. per quarter ou Wheat 
 and 5s. per barrel on Flour. 
 
 The Act of 1 Wm. 4, c. 24, repealed (after the 15th 
 April, 1831) so much of the Act G Geo. 4, c. 73, and 
 subsequent Acts as imposed any duty in any of the British 
 Possessions in North America, on the importation of Com 
 or Grain unground ; or on the importation of Wheat Flour 
 into Canada. 
 
 In 1828, 9 Geo. 4. c. 60, an Act was passed by which the 
 duty on Wheat imported from British possessions in 
 North America was fixed at 5s. per quarter, when the price 
 
15 
 
 of British Wheat was under 67s. and 6d. when it was at or 
 above 678. Tlie barrel of Flour of 196 ibs. was charged as 
 38^ gallons of Wheat. 
 
 In 1842, 5 Vic. (c. 14.) an Act was passed alterio;; the 
 Import duties on Foreign Corn. That Act provided that 
 the following duties should be charged on Wheat and 
 Flour the produce of and imported from any Dritish Pos- 
 sessions in North America or elsewhere out of £uropo into 
 the United Kingdom. 
 
 s. 8. s. 
 
 Wheat under 55 5 per quarter 
 
 ,, at 55 and under 56 4 
 „ 66 .. 57 3 
 
 „ 57 .. 58 2 
 
 ,, „ 58 and upwards 1 
 
 Wheat Meal and Flour for every barrel (I96lbs.) a duty 
 equal in amount to tbat payable on 38| gallons of Wheat. 
 By 5—6 Vict. 1842, c. 49, s. 7 and 8. it is enacted that 
 certain duties shall be paid on certain goods, wares, and 
 merchandise, not being the growth, production, or nian> 
 ufacture of the United Kingdom, or of any British possess- 
 ions in America, or of the Muuritlas, or of any British 
 possession within the limits of the Kast India Company's 
 Charter, or the produce of any British Fishery, imported or 
 brought into any British possession in America, or tbe 
 Mauritius, by sea, or inland carriage, or navigation. 
 Among the articles charged is Wheat Flour 24. per barrel. 
 Corn and Grain ungrouud, Meal or Flour except Wheat 
 Flour are exempted. 
 
 If we look to the state 'of things with regard to 
 Canada, from the year 1831 to 1843, we shall find that 
 during the whole of that period. Wheat might be imported 
 into Canada duty free, not only from the United States 
 but from any other Foreign Country and after being 
 ground into Flour in Canada, be imported into the United 
 Kingdom at a small duty, viz. up to 1842 varying from 6d. 
 to 5s. per quarter, and in 1842, varying from Is. tu 5s. 
 When the United States* Wheat ground into Flour in 
 Canada was paying here the maximum duty of 5s., Wheat 
 coming here direct from the United States would pay a 
 duly of 18s. But it was stated by Lord Stanley in 
 1843, that tbe duty paid on Colonial Wheat and Flour, 
 had, on the average of the last 5 years, been only 2s. Id. per 
 qr., that in 1842, it was 2s, 5d., and that in only one of the 5 
 years it had been so much as 4s. American Wheat unground 
 could not be legally exported from Canada at Canadian duty 
 inasmuch as that duty was only applicable to the produce of 
 Canada* 
 
16 
 
 THE PASSING OF THE ACT OF 1843. 
 
 Our next consideration is the passing of the Act of 1843. 
 
 Fur many years tho Canadians had sought to obtain a 
 remission or reduction of the duty on their Wheat and 
 Flour imported into th9 United ECingdom, but they did not 
 attain their object until the year 1843. 
 
 From Parliamentary Papers of the last Session, we gather 
 the followinj; particulars. It appears that the Canadian Le- 
 o-islalurc had, up to the year 1842, declined laying a duty oil 
 the importation of Foreign Wheat. On the 21sl February, 
 1812, Sir C. linrrot, the Governor of Canada, forwarded to 
 Lord Stanley, the Colonial Secretary, a Petition to the 
 Queen and Parliament, from merchants of Montreal, and a 
 memorial from the Board of Trade at Montreal, praying for 
 a repeal of the duties on the importation of the produce of 
 the soil of Canada, into the United Kingdom. In the 
 Petition it was stated that from the great distance from 
 which the Wheat and Flour were transported, the remunera- 
 tion afloided to the Canadian Farmer was not sufficient to 
 allow evej) the smallest impost — that the expense of inland 
 transit and freight across the Atlantic was greater in pro- 
 portion to the produce of the soil in C'anada — than were the 
 rent and taxes paid by the Farmer for the produce of the 
 soil in Great Britain to tlie produce of the soil thereof — and 
 that Canada took almost exclusively British manufactures. 
 Lord Stanley replied that the Petition would, by command 
 of Her Majesty, he presented in the House of Peers by 
 Earl Ripon, and in the Commons by his Lordship (Stanley.) 
 
 On the 2nd March, 1842, Lord' Stanley addressed the 
 following dis})atch to Sir Charles Bagot, which is the doc- 
 ument so frequently referred to during the Parliamentary 
 discussions in 1813. 
 
 Lord SxANLbY to the Right Honourable Sir CharlEI 
 
 Bagot, G.C.B. 
 
 Sir, Do-*nin|,' Sircet, 'l\ M.iroti IS 12. 
 
 In the anxious Consideration which it has been t!ie Duty of 
 Her Majesty's Government to give to the important and com- 
 plicated Question of the Importation of Corn into this Country, 
 they have, of course, not overlooked the Interest which is felt 
 in this Question by the Province of Canada, and which has 
 been expressed in Memorials from the Legislative Body, and 
 from other Parties, addressf d to Her Majesty and the Legisla- 
 ture of this Country, and although, in present Circumstances, 
 Her Majesty's Government have not felt themselves justified 
 in recommending to Parliament a compliance with the general 
 Request of the various Memorialists, that Canadian Corn and 
 Flour should be imported at a nominal Duty into the United 
 Kingdom,! trust that the Steps which we have taken, and the 
 Grounds upon which we have declined to advance further io 
 
17 
 
 the same direction, will convince the People of Canada that 
 the Course which we have pursued has been dictated by no 
 unfriendly Feeling towards the Interests of Canada, and es- 
 pecially of Canadian Agriculture. 
 
 The Steps which have been taken, so far as they go, have 
 been decidedly in favour of those Interests. By the Law, as 
 it has hitherto stood, Canadian Wheat and Wheat Flour have 
 been admissible into Great Britain at a Rate of Duty estimated 
 at 5s. per Quarter, until the Price in the lMii<lish Market 
 reached 07s., at which Amount the Duty fell to 6d. By tho 
 Bill which is now before Parliament the Duty of 5s. is leviable 
 only while the Price is below 55s., and at 58s. falls to Is. 
 only. But, in addition to this Reduction in the Amount of 
 Price at winch the lower Duty becomes payable, it is proposed 
 to take oft' the Kestrict'on which has hitherto been imposed 
 upon the Importation of Canadian Flour into Ireland, iind 
 thus to open a new ^larket to that which may be justly con- 
 sidered as one of the Manufactures of Canada. 
 
 In the Measures which they have adopted, not without the 
 most anxious Attention to the various Interests involved. Her 
 Majesty's Government have been desirous, while they gave a 
 general Facility of Admission to the British Mi.rket, of dis- 
 turbing as little as possible the relative Aivantajies possessed 
 by the Colonial and Foreign Suppliers of that Market. In 
 this Sense, while they have continued to the Channel Islands 
 the Facilities which they have heretofore enjoyed, of a free 
 Importation of their own Produce (liuiiied as it necessarily is 
 in Extent) into Great Britain, together with the Means which 
 they at present enjoy of having their own Supplies furnished 
 from the neighbouring and cheaper Market, they have not felt 
 themselves called upon to remove fioin the Isle of Man the 
 Restrictions which have been recently imposed on that Island 
 as to its Foreign Imports, while it possesses the Advantages 
 ©fan unrestricted Commerce with (^reat Britain. The same 
 Principle has guided Her Majesty's Government in the 
 Course which they have felt it their Duty to pursue with 
 regard to Canada. 
 
 It is impossible to be more fully convinced than are the 
 Members of Her Majesty's Government of the Importance to 
 the Interests, both of the Colony and of the Mother Country, 
 of Maintaining between the Two the most unrestricted Freedom 
 of commercial Intercourse. Even a cursory Examination of 
 Facts and Figures must demonstrate the Value to be attached, 
 in a commercial and much move in a moral and political point 
 of view, to the Continuance and Improvement of that rapidly 
 increasing Intercourse: and Her Majesty's Goverument would 
 have had much less Difficulty in approaching the Question of 
 an unrestricted Admission of Canadian Wheat and Flour into 
 the British Markets, if it had been in their Power to look at 
 that Question as one of Intercourse between Great Britain and 
 her most important Colony, and independent of all Considera- 
 
18 
 
 tions of Foreign Trade. But it was impocsible for Her 
 Majesty's Government so to regard it; it was impossible that 
 they should not advert to the geographical Position of Canada 
 in reference to the great Corn-growing States of the West of 
 America ; it was impossible not to see, that, however desirable 
 it might be even to encourage the Transit through Canada of 
 the Produce of those States, with the Advantage to Canada 
 of any manufacturing Process which it might undergo in the 
 Transit, a Relaxation of Duty to the extent of free or nearly 
 free Admission would have been a Relaxation not limited, as 
 in this Case it ought to be, to the Produce of a British Colony. 
 
 It is true that the Imperial Parliament, at the Time that they 
 admitted Canadian Produce at a Nominal Duty, might con- 
 stitutionally have imposed a corresponding Duty |upun the 
 Import of American Wheat into Canada, and might thus have 
 placed a Check upon the undue Influx of Foreign under the 
 Name of Canadian Produce ; but looking back to the Proceed- 
 ings in the last Session of the Legislature of Canada, I find that 
 such an Impost was considered and ultimately rejected ; and 
 whatever might be the view taken by Her Majesty's Govern- 
 inent under a different State of Circumstances, in which a Tax 
 imposed by Colonial Authority, and of course receivable into 
 the Colonial Treasury, upon Wheat imported from the United 
 States, might secure the Agriculturists of England against 
 the Competition of Foreign Growers, they have been unwilling 
 to impose such a Tax by the Authority of Parliament upoa 
 a raw Article which might be required for Home Consumption 
 in Canada, and in the Absence of such a Tax have felt it im- 
 possible to propose to Parliament a further Reduction than 
 that which they have submitted in favour of Wheat and Wheat 
 Flour shipped from the Ports of Canada. 
 
 I have to request that you will take an early opportunity, 
 after the assembling of the Provincial Parliament, of laying 
 before them so much of this Dispatch as may put them fully 
 in possession of the Principles on which Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment have proceeded in reference to Wheat and Flour imported 
 from Canada in the general Consideration which it has been 
 their Duty to give in the most Impartial Spirit, and with an 
 earnest Desire to consult and conciliate alt conflicting Interests 
 to the Amendment of the L\ws regulating the Importation of 
 Com into the British Islands. 
 
 I have, &c» 
 
 (Signed) STANLEY. 
 
 On the 28th April, 1842, Sir C. Bagot forwarded to Lord 
 Stanley a petition from " sundry merchants, millers, agri* 
 culturists and others of the florae District, West Canada," 
 in which it was stated, that as the law then stood the average 
 price of grain in England was such as generally to subject 
 the Wheat of Canada to a duty of 5s. The quantity of 
 bread required for England, was so immense that what 
 
19 
 
 Canada could furnish for many years would he too small 
 to be felt as an injury, and yet the privilege of a free market 
 for Wheat, supplying but a few days' lonsumption. would 
 speedily elevate the Province to a condition she must other- 
 wise be very long' attaining. 
 
 On the r2th October, 1842, the Canadian Le^^islature 
 passed an Act imposing a duty of 3s. per quarter on Foreign 
 Wheat. It stated that the objection of the British Govern- 
 ment to the free importation of Canadian Wheat and Flour 
 arose from the free admission of Foreign Wheat into Canada, 
 and that Lord Stanley's dispatch of the 2nd March, 1842, 
 afforded strong ground for expecting that on the imposition 
 of a duty on Foreii;n Wheat, her Majesty would recom- 
 mend to Parliament, the removal or reduction of the duties 
 on the importation of Wheat and Flour from Canada into 
 the United Kingdom. It was, therefore, enacted that 8s. 
 duty should be charged on all Wheat except British ; the 
 duty, fines, &c. under the Act to be paid to her Majesty's 
 Ileceiver General for the Province, and form part of the 
 Consolidated Revenue Fund thereof. 
 
 On the 27th January, 1843, a Petition was forwarded by 
 Sir C. Bfigot from the President and Council of the Quebec 
 Board of Trade. It complained of the 2s. per barrel dut? 
 being imposed by the General Corn Law of 1842 on all 
 Foreign Flour imported into the British North American 
 possessions. If the Queen assented to the Canadian Act 
 for imposing a duty of 3s. on Foreign Wheat without con- 
 ferring on the Province some countervailing privilege in 
 their trade with some other parts of the empire, the Petition- 
 ers believed the result would be the utter prostration of the 
 trade of Canada. They, therefore, prayed that her 
 Majesty would withhold her assent to the Canadian Act 
 until the British Legislature had passed a law for admitting^ 
 all grain and flour from Canada, duty free into the United 
 Kingdom and other Colonies. The Governor General in 
 his dispatch sent with the Petition, said that the Canadian 
 Bill was passed with the expectation that all duty on 
 Canadian Grain and Flour would be removed ; and Sir 
 Charles added, that the rate of duty fixed upon American 
 Wheat was that originally proposed by the Vice-President 
 of the Board of Trad« on the introduction of the Colonial 
 Customs' Bill. 
 
 At the same time was forwarded the report of a Special 
 Committee of the Legislative Assembly of Canada, on the 
 subject of Free Trade with Great Britain in agricultural 
 
 F reduce and protection from competition with Foreigners, 
 t contained a series of resolutions which it recommended to 
 the Assembly. They were in substance — that to treat 
 
 D 
 
20 
 
 Cuiiada us an ititf gral p.irt of tlic empire, cuiild only be dune 
 t»y rciuovitig all duties oa jjrain and flour, llie produce of 
 tlio Province, duty free into the United Kingdom, and that 
 when tiidt was done, so soon as the linances of the Province 
 for the support of the Government and its enj^agemeuts for 
 the security of the public debt would admit, it was ro- 
 «ommende»l to remove all duties on the manufactures of the 
 mother country when admitted into the ports of Canada 
 from sea.* — that the Petitioners were confident that the 
 revenue from Foreign commerce, and tolls on canals, would 
 enable the Government to make the reduction tn a few 
 years after the great leading commtmications to the Ocean 
 were opened. They also stated that to secure the transit 
 of tl»e Western States of America through those waters it 
 was indispensable to allow a drawback on all grain and flour 
 shipped to Great Britain from the ports on the St. Lawrence, 
 whenever the price exceeded 30s. sterling per barrel at the 
 ports of Montreal and Quebec. 
 
 To these documents was appended the evidence of several 
 gentlemen engaged in the forwarding trade, given on the 
 iiOth September, 1842. Amongst other matters, it was 
 stated in this evidence, that the average price of Wheat io 
 England must be 60s. per quarter, to ensure the trade by 
 the St. Lawrence; when over that, the Americans could send 
 their own Wheat more advantageously to England via 
 New Vork — that there was not a suHjcient quantity of bread 
 stuff' grown in Canada to supply the consumption of Dritith 
 North America, and that Wheat could not be exported from 
 Canada when the price was so low in England us to 
 bring a duty on Colonial. 
 
 In these papers we And the Canadians claiming to be 
 put on a level with Ireland so far as regards the exportation 
 of their own produce to the mother country. This may be 
 very reasonable and just, but the great difliculty has been to 
 give full encouragement to Canadian procluve without giv- 
 ing a large bounty for the importation oi' American Wheat 
 into the United Kingdom, to the great injury of the 
 British Agriculturists: this was the problem to be solved. 
 
 On the 20th March, 1843, Sir C. Bagot wrote a dispatch 
 to Lord Stanley, stating that he had received an application 
 from the Council of the Quebec Board of Trade on the 
 4th of March, requesting information as to the fate of the 3s. 
 
 •The duties on imported goods levied in Canada are imposed partly by the 
 authority of the British Government, and partly by that of llie Colonial Lef^is. 
 lature. Thecrown duties are principally on wmes,spiriis,cofrt'c, cocoa, sujjar, 
 and tobacco. They appear to have been framed rather for forcing trade into 
 particular channels than for revenue. The Provincial duties have only th«- 
 •l)]ect cf revenue. 
 
21 
 
 duty bill, and rHattve to the abulition of duty on Canadian 
 roru ; as the season of husiiiess was now upproacliiriu^ it was 
 of great importance to tlio iitli.ibitants of the Province 
 generally, tliat tlioy .slioulil receive untheutic infurniation 
 on those questions with tlie least possible »lelay. 
 
 In 1842, Sir Hubert IVel carried hi» memorable 
 alterations in the Crcncrui Corn Laws, ;ind the llight 
 Honourable Uaronet stated in the next Session, tbat in the 
 month of February, IHA'J, Lord Statiley bad announced tu 
 the Ilouso of Curiuiiriiis, tbe position in wliicb tbe Ministers 
 stood with reffard to ibi? pledj^e n>iven to tbe Canadians* 
 Manyoflbo Members denied all reollecJiun of sum a 
 Statement, and it probably was not made in a very particular 
 or formal manner, or when there were many Members in 
 the House, and tliem'ore passed unnoticed amidst tbe 
 great and excitins; discussions on tbe main question at issue. 
 
 In May, 1843, Lord Stanley presented to tbe House of 
 Commons his proposition for reduci)i<r tbe import duty on 
 Canadian Wbeat and Flour to Is. per quarter. The 
 proposed measure created great ularm amongst the 
 Agriculturists, and the debates in the Leg^islature during; 
 its progress were very animated. The Ministers declared 
 themselves pledj;ed to the Canadians to exert their influence 
 to carry tbe measure, and stated tbat altliough th<'ir pledge 
 was not binding on tbe Btitisb Legislature they, the 
 Ministers, were bound in faith and honor to do their utmost 
 in favor of it. 
 
 Sir Robert Peel observed ** You must govern Canada 
 by the good will of her people : on every other principle, 
 the weakest point in ail your Empire would be Canada, and 
 tbat danger would aO'ect all the other provincts of British 
 North America." 
 
 The grounds of opposition to the measure were principally 
 these — that large quantities of Wheat would be smuggled 
 into Canada, and being there made into Flour would be 
 poured into the United Kingdom at Is. per quarter duty. 
 It was said to be impossible for the Canadian Government, 
 with so small a revenue, to keep up a sufficient force to 
 prevent corn being smuggled over a line of 1500 miles. 
 There were mills on both sides of the river St. Lawrence, 
 and tbe factors in Canada being almost all Americani, 
 every facility would be given to the smuggling of Wheat 
 and even of Flour in barrels regularly marked. They 
 vrould be put on board boats in tbe creeks and come down the 
 river from the West. It was impossible to prevent large 
 shipments coming down from Point Niagara, into Lake 
 Ontario, and thence into the St. Lawrence, (perhaps by 
 transhipping it once,) and indeed they could get the Wheat 
 
22 
 
 ground into Flour in the United Stutes and not manufuc* 
 lure it all in Canada: much Aniericun flour had already 
 so come into the country. Tiu Niag^ara was so narrow 
 that a stone might almost be thrown across it, and there 
 was only a fort at one or two places. In reply to thif. 
 Sir Robert Vee\ asked who ever heard of smu(;rglii)g corn 
 i'rom France, when the duty was even 25s. or 2iis. per qr. ? 
 If then, with a Channel only 20 or :)0 miles across, there 
 was no smugrnrlitipr Qf com (Vom France or Hel^iuni, was it 
 to be imag^ineil that with the interest ul the Canadian grower 
 to watch for himself, and the influence of the Canadian 
 Treasury to lake care that the duty he paid — with the 
 extent of the Lukes, and with the expense ofthe navi^r^tion 
 smuggling would be carried on i A quarter of Wheat 
 weighed 500lbs., and the profit of 3s. would not tempt a 
 .smuggler. Mr. Gladstone observed that the line of frontier 
 where smuggling was practicable was in a part of the 
 country, which produces no Corn. This observation does 
 not appear to he correct. Mr. Kllice said tiuit his personal 
 knowledge of the frontier, satisfied him that 200 quarters 
 of American corn annually, would be the maximum that 
 could escape the duty in Canada. It was also urged by 
 the friends of the measure, that it was unreasonable to 
 suppose that more L'nited States' Wheat would be imported 
 into Canada when there was a duty of 8s, upon it, than 
 when it was duty free. Mr. Mitchell objected to the 
 measure because the 3s. duty would be received by the 
 Canadian Treasury instead of the British, and the Canadian 
 consumer would have to pay 3s. per quarter more for his 
 Wheat. It was also to be borne in mind that the present 
 duties ranged from Is. to 5s. whereas by the proposed 
 measure this country would never receive more than a 
 fixed duty of Is. The reply to this was a reference to the state- 
 Hk- tt of Lord Stanley, which we have before noticed that 
 the average of the last five years had only been 2s. Id. 
 per quarter. It was rejoined that the cause of this was that 
 the price of wheat hero had been high, and that if it had 
 been at the present price, the duty on Canadian wheat 
 and flour would have not been less than five shillings. 
 Mr. Handley thought it would be equivalent to a fixed 
 duty on all corn that would be imported into this 
 country. On Dantzic Wheat the fixed duty would be 
 about 15s. per quarter, and shipowners could easily be 
 found to carry Dantzic corn to Canada and bring it hero 
 as Colonial corn. As an argument in favor of the measure. 
 it was said that under the existing law no duty was payable 
 until the article was taken from the warehcuse here for con- 
 sumption. Under the proposed Act, 3s. would be paid by the 
 
23 
 
 Americans on the grain many months before it could come 
 here, and form a charge upon it in the process of grinding 
 and during the time of transit. On the other side it was 
 said that the 3s. duty would make the corn dearer to the 
 Canadian consumer; and that to increase the expence of 
 living in the country would check emigration. It was 
 suggested that the Canadian Legislature might, at any 
 time, repeal the Ss. duty, but that was met by the fact 
 that such a measure could not ho adopted without the 
 consent of the Queen. The discussions terminated in the 
 passing of tliu Bill, which received the Royal Assent oo 
 the 12th July. IM'3. 
 
 The following is a copy of the Act 
 
 An Act for reducing the Duty on Wheat and Wheat Flour, the 
 
 produce of the Province of Canada, imported thence into the 
 
 United Kingdom.— V2th July, 1843. 
 
 •' Wliereai on the I'iih Jay of October, 1812, an Act was passed by the 
 " LL'}.'i>laUve Council and Lngislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, 
 " and reserved by ilic Governor tieneral for the si^jnification of Her Majesty's 
 " pleasure, imposing a Duly of 3s. sterling money of Great Ihitain, on each 
 " imperiil qnurier of Wheat imported into Cii/iuiia, except from the United 
 '• Kinjjdom d;- any of Her Majesty's possessions, and beinj; the growth and 
 " produce thereof. And wiiereas it is recited iii the said Act that it was passed 
 " in the confident belief and expectation, that upon the imposition of a Duty 
 " upon Forei^M) Wheat imported into the Province, Her Majesty would be 
 •* graciously pleased to recommend to parliament the removal or reduccion of 
 " the Duties on Wheat and Wheat Flour imported into the said United 
 " Kinj;domfrom Caituda. And whereas in consideration of the Duty so imposed 
 '« by the said Act of the Legislature of Canada, it is expedient that if Her 
 " Majesty shnll be pleased to give Hei> sanction to the said Act, the Duties 
 " imposed by an Act (5 anil 6 Vic. c. 11.) ma:le and passed in the last 
 " Session of Parliament, intituled An Act to amend tUe Laws for the impur- 
 " tatiun of Corn, upon Wheat and Wheat Flour, the produce of and imported 
 •■ fiom the Province of Canada, entered for home consumption in the United 
 ** Kingdom, should be reduced as hereinafter mentioned," lie it therefore 
 enacted by the Queen's most Excellent M.ijt'sty, by and with the advice and 
 consent of the Lords s[)irilual and temporal and Commons, in this present 
 Parliamentassembled, and by t!ie authority of the same. That from and after 
 the 10th day of October, 1813, and thenceforth during the continuance of the 
 Duty so imposed by the said Act of the Legislature of Canada as aforesaid, 
 there shall be levied and paid upon all Wheat and Wheat Flour, the produce 
 of the said Province of Canada which shall be imported thence into the United 
 Kingdom after the said 10th day of October, and shall be entered for home con- 
 sumption (the same having been shipped and imported with such declarationi 
 and certificates as are required in respect thereof, in and by the said Act passed 
 in the last Session of Parliament) in lieu of the Duties charged thereon by the 
 said Act of Parliament, the Duties following, (namely) 
 
 For every quarter of such Wheat Is. and so in proportion for a less 
 quantity. For every barrel being 196 pound;! of such Wheal Flour, a Duty 
 tqudl in amount to the Duty which would hereby be payable upon 38 gallons 
 
24 
 
 *n(l a half of Wheat, fiml so in proportion for a less quantity. And thr* 
 said Duties hereby charged shall ho levied, collected, paid and apf<licd, in sucli 
 and the same manner in all respi'cf;, as if the same had been imposed by the 
 said Act of Parliament, provided always, that nolhin;^ in this Act co::taiiiod 
 shall repeal, reduce, or alter the Duties payal)lp undar the said Act of Parlia- 
 ment upon Ylieat or Wheat Flour, the produce of Cttntiln, which "-hall be 
 imported into the United Kingdom previous to the said 10th day of October, 
 1843, notwithstanding the same shall not be entered from the warehouse or 
 otherwise for home con-;uiiiption until after that day. 
 
 And be it enacted, that this Act may be amended or repealed by any Act 
 to be passed in this present ^^essinn of Parliament. 
 
 OPERATION OF THE ACT UP TO THE PRESENT 
 
 TIME. 
 
 From the varied forms in which the Parliamentary Refnrns 
 relative to the subject are given, it is difficult to present 
 anything like a complete synopsis of them, but the following 
 particulars will be tound to bear upon the question at issue, 
 by showing the quantities of Wheat and Flour imported 
 befoie and after the passing of the Act, the rate of duty, &,c. 
 Thev are all taken from oflicial documents. 
 
 Until the 10th October, 1843, when the Act G— 7 Vict. 
 c. '2d, came into operation, the oflicial returns combined, 
 without distinction, the importations of Wheat and Flour 
 from Canadi with those from the other North American 
 Colonies. 
 
 Wheat and Wheat Flour imported into the 10 principal 
 ports of Great Britain, and entered for home consumption 
 from the 28th April, 1842, to 5th January. 1843. 
 
 Foreign 2,383,431 qrs. 
 
 Colonial 177,414 qrs. 
 
 The highest rate of duty on Foreign was 20s. the 
 lowest 8s. 
 
 The average duty on Foreign was 14s. 34d.; on Colonial 
 2s. 8id. 
 
 Wheat and Wheat Flour imported and entered for 
 home consumption in the year ending 5th January, 1843. 
 
 Qrs. Qrs. 
 
 Foreign before the 2,9th April 4,719 ) ^ 77c oio 
 
 ditto after ditto 2,770,594 5"^'^'°"^^'* 
 
 Colonial 
 di 
 
 lonial before the 29th April ' l>o',269 \ «,. ««-, 
 
 iitto after ditto 194,062 3 ^^^"^"^^ 
 
 2.989,644 
 
 Wheat and Flour from all parts imported and entered for 
 home consumption in the United Kingdom in the year, 
 ending 5th January, 1844. 
 
25 
 
 Quarters of Wheat 872.715; cwts. of Flour 425,098, 
 together equal to 904,343 qrs. of \V heat. Of these quan- 
 tities 24.81G qrs. of Wheat, and 39(1,479 cwts. of Flour 
 (together equal to 138,095 qrs, of Wheat) were from the 
 British Colonies, 
 
 The following are the countries from which the much 
 larger part of the Importations came. 
 
 Qis. of VVlinat. Cwts. of Flour. 
 
 Prussia (558,711 5,1G4 
 
 Germany r2(),105 2,298 
 
 Denmark 09,707 887 
 
 Russia 33,060 6 
 
 Ki?vpt 11.540 
 
 United States 2,383 91.317 
 
 East Indies and Ceylon ... 021 11,310 
 
 Wheat and Flour entered for home consumption from all 
 parts, in the 11 months ending- 5lh December, 1844 
 812,721 qrs. of Wheat: 087,700 cwts of Flour; too-ethei 
 equal to 1 ,009,208 qrs. of Wheat. " 
 
 Wheat and Wheat Flour entered for home consumption, 
 Mith the average rate of duty, from 29th April, 1842, 
 to 5th January, 1844. 
 
 Qrs. of Wheat. Average latc Cwts, of Flour. Average rat« 
 ofiiuty. of duty. 
 
 Foreign 3,404,018 iji 10 554.559 3 
 
 Colonial 40.210 2 3 737,311 8 
 
 From Canada, | 
 
 from 10th Oct. f i.-i 4io « n r^->/^-.^- 
 
 1843, to 5th ( ^^'^12 ' ^ 220,117 4^ 
 
 Jaiuiary. 1844, .• 
 
 Together equal to 3,955,242 qrs. of Wheat. 
 
 Colonial Wheat and Wheat Flour entered for Lome 
 consumption, 
 
 Qrs 
 From January 1841 to December 1841 259,001 
 
 In the year up to December 1842, 
 
 Qrs. 
 Before the Act of 1842, 20,209 
 
 After the Act, 194^002 214,331 
 
 Entered for home consumption of Colonial Wheat and 
 Wheat Flour, from the 15th July, 1828, to 29th April. J842 
 
 Wheat 597,700 qrs. 
 
 Wheat Flour 1,744,591 cwt. 
 
 Together equal to 1,090.154 qrs. of Wheat, of which 
 681,188 paid 6s. duty, and 414,906 paid 6d. duty. 
 
26 
 
 Qrn. 01 VTIiftt. 
 
 From 29th April. 1842, to 5th Jan. 1813. iiii,m> 
 
 Cwts. of Flour. 
 
 Ditto ditto 560,86(> 
 
 Together equal to 194,061 qrs. of Wheat, of nrhich 
 170,703 qrs. paid Is. duty, 6,602—38. snd 16.756—68. 
 
 The total quantities and average rate of Duty received 
 on Wheat and Wheal Flour imported and entered for 
 home consumption from the British ColonieK into the 
 United Kingdom, from the 15th July, 1828. to the 6th 
 January, 1843. 
 
 
 
 
 Qrs. of Avernffe rate 
 Wheat, of fluty paid. 
 
 Whiat rioiir 
 per cwt. 
 
 Averaarft n te 
 of duty paiil. 
 
 a tk 
 
 18-28 
 
 
 
 14,908 
 
 4 7 
 
 14.214 
 
 1 8 
 
 1829 
 
 
 
 7,232 
 
 1 6 
 
 4,965 
 
 1 8 
 
 1830 
 
 
 
 46,419 
 
 10 
 
 48.132 
 
 3 
 
 1831 
 
 
 
 112,699 
 
 2 
 
 88,725 
 
 1 4 
 
 1832 
 
 
 
 163,964 
 
 4 10 
 
 105,147 
 
 I 9 
 
 1833 
 
 
 
 61.215 
 
 4 10 
 
 74,093 
 
 1 8 
 
 1834 
 
 
 
 45.631 
 
 4 U 
 
 65.212 
 
 1 8 
 
 1835 
 
 
 
 15,302 
 
 5 2 
 
 42.349 
 
 1 8 
 
 1836 
 
 
 
 18,583 
 
 5 
 
 36,656 
 
 I 8 
 
 1837 
 
 
 
 22.538 
 
 5 
 
 37,873 
 
 1 8 
 
 1838 
 
 
 
 7,740 
 
 1 11 
 
 76,381 
 
 8 
 
 1839 
 
 
 
 32 
 
 6 
 
 44.478 
 
 2 
 
 1840 
 
 
 
 4,704 
 
 4 
 
 380,668 
 
 8 
 
 1841 
 
 
 
 64,690 
 
 1 9 
 
 676.477 
 
 9 
 
 1842, 
 
 to 29th Ap. 
 
 under Act9,") 
 >. 4. c. 60. 3 
 
 8.688 
 
 6 
 3 71 
 
 40,534 
 
 1 8 
 
 Total 
 Ge( 
 
 594,345 
 
 1,735,904 
 
 1 
 
 Total under Act 5,^^ 
 Vict. c. 14. from/ 
 
 ^ThApriCIsiaTo^ 33,809 1 7 500.886 6 
 5th January, 1843.) 
 
 Quantities of Wheat and Wheat Flour, the produce of 
 Canada, imported (for home consumption) from the 10th of 
 October, 1843, to the 5th of July, 1844. 
 
 Wheat. Wheat Flour. 
 
 Qrs. bus. €wts. qrs. lb«. 
 
 Into Great Britain... 18,199 6 262,606 1 2 
 
 Into Ireland — 4.007 110 
 
 Total 18,199 6 266.513 2 12 
 
 Together eqiial to 94,345 qrs. of Wheat. 
 
27 
 Fluctuations of duty on Coluulul WLeat, from 1838 to 184?. 
 
 1838. From 5th Xantiary to I3th July 5 O 
 
 — SOih July to 28th September (J 
 
 — 5th October to 2nd November 5 
 
 — 9th November to 28th December 6 
 
 1839. — 4lh January to 20lh December 6 
 
 2(jlh December , 5 
 
 1840. From 3rd January to 13th March 5 
 
 — 20th March to 25th September 6 
 
 — 2nd October to 25th December 5 
 
 1841. — 1st. January to (Jth August 5 
 
 — 13th A-ugtist to 1st October 6 
 
 — 8th October to 24th December ;. 5 
 
 1842. — 7th January to 29th April 5 
 
 — <5th May to Jrd September 1 
 
 10th September 3 
 
 From 17th Srj)? ember to 31st December ... 5 
 
 Colonial Wheat and Wheat Flour imported and entered 
 for home con.sumptiou from 5th November, 1842, to 5th 
 October, 1843. 
 
 WHEAT. FLOUR. 
 
 Month cnJiiij. 
 
 6 Nov. 1842 
 
 5 Dec. 
 
 5 Jan. 1843 
 
 5 J eb. 
 5 Mar. 
 5 Apl. 
 
 5 May 
 t> .lune 
 
 6 July 
 6 Aug. 
 6 Sep. 
 6 Oct. 
 
 Imj)ortf<l 
 
 . 
 
 OlS. 1 
 
 us. 
 
 858 
 
 2 
 
 415 
 
 (! 
 
 G,464 
 
 7 
 
 1,914 
 
 7 
 
 1 ,2im 
 
 
 
 1,573 
 
 4 
 
 IGfi 
 
 5 
 
 S14 
 
 « 
 
 700 
 
 4 
 
 268 
 
 3 
 
 1,076 
 
 1 
 
 — 
 
 
 15,019 
 
 6 
 
 I'.iitiroJ f 
 
 or 
 
 Home ( Dii- i 
 
 sumption 
 
 . 
 
 Wis. L 
 
 us.; 
 
 243 
 
 *i 
 
 574 
 
 
 
 3.492 
 
 II 
 
 1,911 
 
 2 
 
 1,095 
 
 3 
 
 1,070 
 
 4 
 
 925 
 
 (i 
 
 1,128 
 
 G 
 
 1,291 
 
 
 
 C82 
 
 2 
 
 2,121 
 
 5 
 
 895 
 
 3 
 
 15,482 
 
 V 
 
 IinjxtttoJ, 
 
 
 Cuts, t. 
 
 2 
 
 13,827 
 
 20,355 
 
 2 
 
 65,954 
 
 2 
 
 25,814 
 
 2 
 
 1,489 
 
 3 
 
 &,970 
 
 2 
 
 711 
 
 2 
 
 35 
 
 2 
 
 15,411 
 
 2 
 
 31,770 
 
 2 
 
 21, GIG 
 
 2 
 
 4.280 
 
 2 
 
 206,441 
 
 1 
 
 I'.nteieiJ for 
 
 IJome Consump- 
 
 tion. 
 
 
 Cwts. Qis. 
 
 8,785 
 
 3 
 
 12,922 
 
 1 
 
 22,251 
 
 2 
 
 13,080 
 
 2 
 
 14,738 
 
 1 
 
 14,000 
 
 2 
 
 21.880 
 
 1 
 
 6,517 
 
 3 
 
 21,281 
 
 
 
 30,820 
 
 
 
 37.369 
 
 3 
 
 8,949 
 
 3 
 
 212,654 a 
 
 The above quantities brought into quarters of Wheat 
 reckoning 2 barrels of Flour (each weighing 196 lbs.) equal 
 to a quarter of Wheat, give the following totals. 
 
 ImpoiteiL EiUered for 11. Coa. 
 
 Cwts. Wheat 15,019 15.432 
 
 Flour 206,441 equal to 58.983 
 
 212,654 ditto 60.758 
 
 Quarters 74,002 
 
 76,190 
 
Offirial Return of the Total Qiianlities of \Vli»'at and Wheat Flouf 
 Imported under tht* Act (J and 7 V'lr. r, *2ii. from Ciuiadit, into the priii- 
 eipal Ports ot Great Britain, vi/. London, Livrrpowl, Hull. Newcastle. 
 IJristol, (Jloticester, l^lvmouHi, Leith, Dundee, and Per(h,*iii t!te several 
 weeks followiufif tlie receipt of tlio ccrlifuMte of thoaveraf;p prices. 
 
 
 WlitMi and 
 
 ImiKmc'I f'^'- 
 
 i 
 
 Wheal iiiij 
 
 Liiteit'tl lor 
 
 Wcfks rii.lin;r, 
 
 t l<vii- 
 
 Home ('oil- 
 
 ' Wt'i'ks ciulmj;, 
 
 flour 
 
 Hoint' 
 
 
 n> 
 
 i-iuiiiitioii. 
 
 i 
 
 'nn|tnitt>il. 
 Qrn tins. 
 
 Con'iimpiion. 
 
 i 12 Oct. 1013. 
 
 1 
 
 11 April. 1044 
 
 tjrs. Hu*. 
 
 02 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 1 ^« 
 
 1001) 1 
 
 10()f> 1 
 
 18 
 
 — 
 
 4 2 
 
 ! 2(; 
 
 3178 C 
 
 8178 a 
 
 25 ; 
 
 ~— 
 
 120 2 
 
 '■ 2 Xov. 
 
 1)G22 
 
 l)(V2-i 
 
 2 May 
 
 — 
 
 -— 
 
 t> 
 
 .'>H2J 6 
 
 r>»i3 4 
 
 9 
 
 — i 
 
 — _ 
 
 Ji »« 
 
 195) 
 
 2021 4 
 
 iO 
 
 — 
 
 — . 
 
 1 2:1 
 
 3240 ti 
 
 4uaj> 7 
 
 28 
 
 
 — 
 
 ; 30 
 
 G2(U{ 2 
 
 58J8 
 
 30 
 
 — 
 
 ^_ 
 
 { 7 Dec. 
 
 4720 ()• 
 
 8.') 18 
 
 a .lune 
 
 — 
 
 M^w 
 
 14 
 
 8»1« 4 
 
 8708 
 
 13 
 
 i.ojn 3 
 
 1,151 4 
 
 21 
 
 6G77 
 
 «(>8.» 1 
 
 20 
 
 7.705 7 
 
 8.859 6 
 
 28 
 
 5at5« 1 
 
 5807 5 
 
 27 
 
 l,2:vt 
 
 1 ,853 7 
 
 4 Jan. 1814. 
 
 in(>l 3 
 
 2227 2 
 
 4 Jidv 
 
 12,258 5 
 
 11,588 7 
 
 11 
 
 l(J(M 
 
 2101 7 
 
 11 
 
 19,087 
 
 20.215 4 
 
 Hi 
 
 2*>f>fJ 
 
 i;)88 3 
 
 18 
 
 12,788 
 
 13,652 5 
 
 25 
 
 2712 
 
 1074 3 
 
 2.> 
 
 20,875 
 
 10,830 (J 
 
 I Feb. 
 
 878 5 
 
 582 1 
 
 I August 
 
 lOimi C 
 
 16.421 2 
 
 8 
 
 23;J 2 
 
 281 4 
 
 8 
 
 3,829 
 
 4.874 5 
 
 15 
 
 1I.*» 7 
 
 428 7 
 
 15 
 
 25.384 4 
 
 28,000 C 
 
 22 
 
 52 A 
 
 62 :* 
 
 22 
 
 9,8211 I 
 
 10,258 4 
 
 21» 
 
 — 
 
 48 I 
 
 2;> 
 
 7.92G 1 
 
 6,009 5 
 
 7 March 
 
 1 2 
 
 1 2 
 
 5 Sept. 
 
 11,287 2 
 
 0.511 2 
 
 14 
 
 3 5 
 
 3 5 
 
 12 
 
 28,099 5 
 
 20.593 I 
 
 i- 2^ 
 
 — 
 
 24 « 
 
 10 
 
 3.928 5 
 
 3,(J8| 2 
 
 ill 28 
 
 10 G 
 
 10 (J 
 
 28 
 
 6,190 7 
 
 7,504 4 
 
 4 April 
 
 
 60 I 
 1813, to . 
 
 3 Oct. 
 3rd Oct. 1044* 
 
 9,284 
 
 0.00c 
 
 Total from 12th Oct. 
 
 288,808 3 
 
 205,406 « 
 
 
 
 10 Oct. 
 
 4,098 7 
 
 3.597 6 
 
 
 
 1? 
 
 8.081 3 
 
 4,008 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 858 5 
 
 858 2 
 
 
 
 31 
 
 2.223 7 
 
 3,022 fl 
 
 
 
 7 Nov. 
 
 G.803 5 
 
 4.814 7 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 3.128 4 
 
 3,887 6 
 
 
 
 21 
 
 2.874 5 
 
 2.882 
 
 
 
 28 
 
 3,558 2 
 
 2.821 3 
 
 i 
 
 
 5 Dec. 
 
 41 I 
 
 709 7 
 
 1 
 
 
 12 
 
 725 7 
 
 1,366 
 
 Total from 12th Od. 
 
 1843, to 
 
 10 
 19th Dec. 1844 
 
 688 4 
 
 695 
 
 . 206,154 
 
 290,047 
 
 • These 10 are the only ports which make a return to the Inspector General of exports and 
 imports. The quantity of Wheat anil Wheat Flour from Canada imported into other 
 places in thii country is very small. The whole imported into Ireland from 10th October, 
 i843, to rjth July, 18 U, was but 4007 cwts. of Flour, 
 
29 
 
 Quantities of, an<l rates of Only on, Wheat and Wheal 
 Fluur entereil for hotiiP coiisiunptioii from a!! the Biiliih 
 Possessions ia North Americu, except Ciioadu. 
 
 Qrs. I 
 
 From 28th Sept. to :28th Doc. 1843 3372 
 
 — 4lh Jau. 184 1, to 21st Mar. 1814 ^25 
 
 — 28th Marih. 1844 (i2 
 
 — 4th April to Uth April 1^03 
 ~ 18th April to 25th July 47(i3 
 
 — 1st August to IDlh December :HS-22 
 
 l.;s. 
 
 Dmv. 
 
 5 
 
 6$. 
 
 i 
 
 6s, 
 
 7 
 
 4s. 
 
 5 
 
 Us. 
 
 I 
 
 4s. 
 
 8 
 
 5s. 
 
 rn 
 
 13.450 3 
 In 1811 thft population of Etijjlaiul and Wales was 
 15.911,72.3. Mr. Charles Smith, in his celebrated '* Three 
 Tracts on the Corn Trade and Corn Laws," estimated 
 the annual consumption of Wheat in England and Wales, 
 at one quarter per head lor each individual, and JMc 
 CuUacii considers that ostimate tolerably correct also for 
 the present time. 
 
 Takinif this for granted ond adding 800,000 as the 
 increase of population up to the present time, it appears 
 that in the 12 months (ending; 5th October, 1843) previous 
 to the Canada Com Law of 1843 coming into operation, 
 the quantify of Wheat and Wheat Flour from all th© 
 British Colonies, entered for home consumption in the 
 United Kingdom, was equal to the consumption of England 
 and Wales for a little more than one day and 16 hours. 
 
 The quantity of W^heat and Flour /rowi Canada alone, 
 since the Canada Corn Law came into operation (the 10th 
 October, 1813) to (he 3rd October, 1844, entered for home 
 consumption in the United Kingdom, was equal to the 
 consumption of England and Wales for 5 days and 19 hours. 
 
 Monthly average duty on Colonial Wheat entered for 
 home consumption in 1842. 
 
 January 5 April 1 3 July 1 Oct. 4 4 
 February 4 11 May 1 Aug. 1 Nov. 6 
 March 5 June 11 Sept. 2 5 Dec. 5 
 
 THE FUTURE OPERATION OF THE ACT. 
 
 The next branch of the enquiry is the probable future 
 operation of the Act of 1843. With this is connected the 
 consideration of the following circumstances : — The 
 Agricultural capability of Canada — the prices of Wheat 
 grown in the Colony — the expense of inland and foreign 
 transit — the supply of United States' Wheat — and the 
 probability of the latter being smuggled into Canada. In 
 ;i former page particulars are stated relative to the natural 
 
30 
 
 ffirtiiity of the soil, particularly ia Upper Canada, and it 
 niust be expected that, with the rapid iucreaseuf the popula* 
 tion, the tide of British capital and luboor year after year 
 flowing thither and the impetus given by the Act of 1813, 
 the Canadians will be induced to raise much more Wheat 
 than hitherto. 
 
 The accounts from Canada, last season, gave abundant 
 proofs of the increasing^ attention paid to the agriculture of 
 the country and of its success. 
 
 "The Times of the Kith September, referring to the 
 Montreal Papers says " The Prospects of Agriculture 
 this year are stated to be very good. The Wheat raising 
 in the Lower Province had been particularly successful, 
 the crops havings suffered but little from the Fly, the 
 usual curse of the Canadian farmers, and hardly at all 
 from the rust. The accounts also from Upper Canada are 
 very flatterins:. "The Morinii(r Post of the same day 
 says" The Wheat crop>? throU!;!jout Eiist and West Canada 
 are most abundant and show the certainty of a lur;;er yield 
 than was ever before known in our North American 
 Colonies. The Editor of the F.umers' Majjazine, (for 
 August) observes " The accounts from Canada generally 
 describe the prospect in regard to the harvest as most 
 promising and a much greater breadth than usual under 
 Wheat." 
 
 A Letter from Montreal, 0th November, says "The 
 quantity of produce for shipment next Spring must be large ; 
 ai present it remains principally in the hands of the farmers, 
 who are unwilling to accept the prices now offering." 
 
 When we are taking into consideration the capability of 
 Canada for growing large quantities of Corn, we must not 
 forget that there are circumstances which give reason to 
 believe that the Agricultural produce of the country will 
 rapidly increase. At a recent Meeting of the Essex Agri- 
 cultural Protection Society at Chelmsford, Mr. Du Croz, a 
 gentleman intimately acquainted with Cannda, in pointing 
 out the mischievous en't;cts of the Corn Law of 1843, said, 
 " Look at the relative position of the farmers in Canada, 
 mid those of this country I The mother country pays the 
 greater part of the public expenditure of the Colony : — its 
 army, its navy, are principally paid by Great Britain. The 
 fee simple of the best land in Canada, except in some par- 
 ticular places, does not cost more than the rent of land in 
 this country, and the expense of transfer is next to nothing, 
 no stamps being necessary. There are no tithes, highway 
 rate, poor's rate, or county rate." 
 
 With respect to the sale of land, we find that from the 
 year 1826 to 1836 the Canada company had sold 670,000 
 
31 
 
 acres out of their purchaso of 2,481,413 acres from Govern- 
 ntcnt. In the Huron tract, the average price was lOs. 8(i. per 
 acre, and in other quarters 123, 4d, ; in 1838 their sales in 
 consequence of the insurrection were but 13.299 acres, the 
 price of which, in the Crown Reserves and the Guelph 
 territory, (some of the best in the Province) varied from 
 15s. Od. to 10s. lid., and in the Huron tract from 13s. 7d. 
 to 10s. 3d. The British American Land Company held 
 their Annual Meeting in London, on the 28th March, 1844, 
 and their Report stated, that duritjgf the precedinff year 
 they h.n\ sold 34,859i^ acres in the Eastern District for 
 £17,031 19<. 4(1., heino-about lOs. peracre. The Company 
 still had about (353.500 acres in the Eastern District. 
 
 Py an Act of the Local Legislature passed in September, 
 1841, it was provided that the waste lands of the Crown 
 should be sold at a price to be fixed from time to time, by 
 the Governor in Council. The prices fixed for the present 
 are Upper C inada Gs. 7d. sterlino^ per acre ; Lower Canada 
 in Ottawa County, and South of the St. Lawrence, to the 
 West of the Kennebec road 4s. lid. and elsewhere in that 
 division 3s. 34d. 
 
 The Canada Company grant leases of their land in the 
 Huron District to persons not havininj ready cash, for 12 
 years, at small annual rents, commencing one year from the 
 datiJ of the lease, at the expiration of which lease, and the 
 punctual payment of the yearly rents, the settler will receive 
 a deed for the freehold of the land he occupies, without 
 further charge. The rent for 100 acres at the end of tha 
 first year is £2 currency, and increases yearly, until at the 
 end of the 12th year £16 10s. is paid, making the total paid 
 in the 12 years £110 5s. Od. 
 
 Mc. Culloch in his Geographical Dictionary, 1841, gives 
 the following statement. 
 
 Acres cutlivateJ. Acres ocf npied but 
 
 uncultivated. 
 
 Upper Canada 1,308,307 4.394,109 
 
 Lower Canada 2,0(30.213 4,981,793 
 
 3.374,520 9,375,962 
 
 Murray makes the following statement, 
 
 Lower (3anaJa Upper Canada 
 in 1831. ill 1835. 
 
 Families employed in Agriculture 50,824 
 Ditto Trade 2.503 
 
 Acres of Land under Cultivation 2,065,913 1,308,3074 
 Occupied but unimproved 3,981,713 4,394,169 
 
 A small tax, not exceeding Id. in the pound is levied 
 both on cultivated and waste lauds, the former being valued 
 at 20s. the acre, and the latter at 4s. Mc Culloch says that 
 
32 
 
 the wholft amount of taxation of a farm of 100 acres in the 
 
 Upper Province is about 18s. 
 
 Tbe Ciinudiun Government is takinn^ active measures foi^ 
 improvino^ utid extending the means of Kind and water 
 carriage by I'ormino^ roads and canals. Hy an Act 5 — 6 
 Vict. c. 118, (1842), Great Britain guaranteed the payment 
 of the dividend and interest ut 4 per cent, on a lean of 
 £1,500,000 (hat mi^ht he required by the Canadian Govern- 
 ment for public works. 
 
 The 43rd cUnise of the Act for uniting^ the Provinces of 
 Canada (3 — 4 Vict. c. 35) recites an Act passed in the 18th 
 George III , e. 12, which decbires that the King; and 
 Parliament of Great Britain would not impose any duty, 
 tax, or asseiisment whatever, payable in any of His 
 Majesty's colonies, &c., except only such duties as it might 
 be expedient to impose for the regulation of commerce, the 
 net produce of sneh duties to be always paid and applied to 
 and for the use of the portion of the empire in which the 
 isame shall be respectively levied in .such manner as other 
 duties collected by the authority of the respective general 
 courts or general assemblies were ordinarily paid and applied. 
 The clause then goes on to establish these provisions — to 
 retain in the Imperial Parliament the right to impose such 
 duties us may be necessary for the re«nlation of navigation 
 and commerce ; but provides that the produce of all such 
 duties levied within the province shall be at the disposal of 
 tbe local Legislature, by and with the assent of IJer Majesty. 
 
 We shall conclude this part of our ••Notes'* with 
 the average prices of some descriptions of Produce and 
 Provisions, and rates of wages, as given in oflBcial returns. 
 
 Lover Ciinada. Upper Cnnada. 
 
 1041. 1842. 
 
 £. s. d. £. 8, d. £. 8. d. £, s. d. 
 
 Horned Cat- 7 q o tolO 6 Otolo 
 tie per yoke 3 «*«»»» « * w 
 
 Hurses each 10 15 10 39 
 Sheep ditto 10 12 10 15 
 
 Wheatcubread, 0O8OO6OO8 
 6 pounds J 
 
 Beef per lb. 002 00400 2J 00 4i 
 
 Mutton ditto 21 4 2i 4i 
 
 PorkpcrlOOlbs.l 6 o' 12 6 17 6 
 
 Tea ditto 030 040036 060 
 
 Sugar (soft) do.O 00 005007 008 
 
 Beer per gallon 000 00 10^ 00 10 010 
 
 Domestic wa- » ^ 00 1 10 00 18 170 
 
 ges per month ) 
 
 Husbandry K 1 10 2 10 
 
 with board ilo. ) 
 
 Ditto with ditto 2 10 4 
 
 Trades per day 4 C 4 (> « 
 
33 
 
 Before nolicinj; tho price of Wheat in Canada, it may be 
 useful to give ll»e followingj statement of (ho average prices 
 of Wheat in liujjlaud utul Wales, from the vear 1828 to 
 1B43. 
 
 S. D. 
 
 8. D. S. D. S. D. 
 
 1823 CO 6 1802 
 
 58 8 1836 48 6 1840 66 4 
 
 1829 CO 3 18J:J 
 
 52 11 1837 55 10 1841 64 4 
 
 1830 64 3 18:U 
 
 46 2 1S38 64 7 1842 57 3 
 
 1831 66 4 1835 
 
 39 4 1839 70 8 IS 13 50 
 
 Imperial averajre prices of Wheat for the last week of 
 
 each month in 1844. 
 
 
 S. D. 
 
 S. D. S. D, 
 
 Jnnunry 52 3 
 
 May 65 10 Sppt. 45 J> 
 
 February C::j \ 
 
 June 55 Oct. 46 
 
 March 5<» 6 
 
 July 52 Nov. 45 4 
 
 April 55 6 
 
 August 50 11 Dec. 45 6 
 
 Official return of th 
 
 (? average prices of Wheat and Flour, 
 
 the pr»t(lnce of Canad 
 
 a and the LFuiled States at Moj»lrea!, 
 
 in llalifax curreiuy.* 
 
 
 CANADA. 
 
 UNITED STATES. 
 
 Whoat |>pr <\r. 
 
 I'lonr per barrel. Wheat per qr. Flour per barrel. 
 
 s. u. 
 
 .S. I*. ». D. S. U. 
 
 1831 63 4 
 
 32 6 Could nut be ascertained. 
 
 1833 47 4 
 
 33 9 ditto 
 
 18:i3 47 4 
 
 28 3 30 
 
 1834 40 8 
 
 25 t; 40 26 
 
 1835 40 B 
 
 25 7 Exported to the United 
 
 
 States. 
 
 1830 40 8 
 
 30 54 33 9 
 
 1837 56 
 
 41 4 52 35 
 
 1838 56 
 
 39 60 38 
 
 183J) 57 4 
 
 36 6 54 3(J 
 
 1840 46 
 
 29 U 50 29 6 
 
 1841 49 4 
 
 29 4 4(J -28 10 
 
 1842 46 
 
 28 1 44 27 7 
 
 1843 40 
 
 25 42 8 25 U 
 
 Annual average price of Wheat per bushel at Dundas in 
 
 Upper Canada. 
 
 
 s. 
 
 D. S. D. 
 
 1837 51 
 
 1| 1841 36 Oi 
 
 1838 47 
 
 7^ 1842 36 2| 
 
 1839 32 
 
 2i 1843 26 5^ 
 
 1840 29 
 
 74 
 
 • As bffore staled (pafreS)- 
 
 -Halifax currency is abont 20 per cent inferior to 
 
 British. Thus in 1843 the 
 
 • price of Canada Wheat was 403. currency or 
 
 £1 I3s. 4d, sterling. 
 
 
34 
 
 la the report of a Special Cumniittee of the Le<;i.slulive 
 Assembly of Canada in January 1H43, art* tiio ('utIovviii<; 
 statement!^. Wheat must command 4s. (id. .sterling- per 
 bushel, to remunerate the Canadian growers — Flour must 
 command in Britain !33s. per harrel Co ensure the Canadian 
 growers a remunerating* price* — If grain cainiot be exported 
 tu England at a profit to the Canadian growers unless flour 
 reaches 33s. per bushel, and V\ heat (JOs, to (Jls. per qr., 
 the transit of Western Flour will be diverted through the 
 Erie Canal, und it follows that unless prices in England 
 steadily range from 55s. to 01s. per quarter, Canadian 
 growers cannot benefit by the home market, and their carry- 
 ing trade will become so uncertain that few if any will 
 embark in it — One gentleman giving evidence before the 
 Legislative Assembly in September 184*i, said, the averages 
 HI England must be GOs, per quarter to ensure tlio trade by 
 the St. Lawrence, and that when it isover that, the Americans 
 can send their own Wheat more advantageously to England 
 via New York.f 
 
 We now come to the question of the facilities and ex- 
 pence of transit. On this, as was said by Colonel liushbrooke, 
 in the House of Commons, the statements are so various 
 that it is dilBcnlt to arrive at the truth. The Editor of the 
 Farmers' Magazine says " From Ohio, and other Western 
 Stales' the most productive districts in the American Union, 
 the water distance to Montreal is considerably shorter than 
 is that to New York, and the expence of transit through 
 the Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario, (now we may say 
 rendered one by means of the Welland Canal) is in com- 
 parison much cheaper than to any port of shipment within 
 the United States. Mc Culloch, p. 42C, says the cost of im- 
 portation from the United States to this country, is from L'3s. 
 to I4s. per quarter for Wheat; in p. 428, he says the price 
 of carriage and warehousing of Wheat exported from Canada 
 to Liverpool, is 13s. In the Farmers' Magazine of Feb. 1844, 
 is the following announcement, " By the Hibernian steam 
 packet we learn that a ship had been actually loaded at the 
 head of Lake Huron itself, with Wheat, and had sailed 
 direct for London by way of the Welland Canal. Thus the 
 Canadian Corn Bill is scarcely made public when a cargo 
 of Wheat, most probably from Ohio, Michigan, or some 
 other of the Western Provinces' of the United Stales, is 
 shipped direct to London from that part of our possessions, 
 which is nearest to those of our own Transatlantic brethren 
 in those regions." On the other hand. Dr. Mc Culloch says, 
 •The price of Canadian Flour in tlie London market has for some lime been 
 
 only from 25s. to 28s. per barrel of 196 lbs. 
 tin several of our pages we quote from Papers furnished by the Canadians to 
 the British Government, but we recommend our readers to consider how the 
 
35 
 
 "The United States' Corn imported u:jd«r t!ii.i T.;»\v [of 
 18 13] must be derived partly from the Wrsfcrn pi.it of 
 the iSuUe of Nuw York hoideiiiij;' on Jiuko Ondirio, 
 but principally no doubt from tiio NoiUurn parts of Ohio 
 bordering on Luke Erie. The navigation thence to Montreal, 
 partly by uatuj.d and partly by ju-tilicial cbannols is tedious, 
 Uillicult, and expensive, and when tlie Wheat has arrived 
 at the latter or at Quiibec. luul [ncu groiuid, the voy;ige to 
 England is longer, the risk greater, and the rate of freight 
 materially Iiigher tlian IVoni New York or nahimore." The 
 Montreal papeis state \\x.d on thf "Jnd of NW)V€mber, 18-1-1, 
 the freight of Flour iVoni tlial port to Liverpool and Iho 
 Clyde, was from 4s. C], to in, p?r barrel. 
 
 Mr. Tlnbback, n Liverpool nierehant of great experience 
 
 says •• The rate of f. eight (Voni all the main shipping points 
 
 on the United Statt's' jido of Luke Erie, to any one point in 
 
 Canada, is generally the same nt the same tiiue; i. e. the 
 
 freight on thelst J ujy fr<»m BinTnlo, Cleveland, Sandusky, or 
 
 Detroit, to Kingston vs'ould be tije name, The ireight from 
 
 all points on Lak*; Mii higan to uny one point in C.nuida is 
 
 th<isarne. The dillerence offr^Mght bet ween Lakes Michigan 
 
 and Erie, is met !)y ^lio diifcrence in ths price of "Wheat; 
 
 thus,si!pjU)sing V> heatat Cleveland 75 cents per bushel, and 
 
 freii'-ht to Kinuston 10 cenls, at (.'lucajro. Wheat at the same 
 
 » time will be 'uo cents, and fi\-ig!]t to k'ngsl(,n 20 cents. 
 
 J The princii a! pf^v's in Caniuia to which Whea.t from the 
 
 J United States'? ide is sent are ir't. Catherine's on tleV/elland 
 
 I Canal (the most importanOTorcnio, Ilingt-ton. and Prcscott. 
 
 j The rate cf freight from uuy port on the United .Slates' side 
 
 of Lake Erie is 
 
 cents. average. 
 
 To St. Catlierine's 5 to 8 per bushel G to 7 
 
 • Toronto or Kingston 7 V2 f) 10 
 
 • Prcscott 10 lit 12 13 
 
 I From Chicago on Lake Michigan to St. Catharine's,' the 
 
 freight ranges from 13 to 18 cents per bushel. The 
 insurance from Lake Michigan to Lake Ontario ranges 
 from 1 to 2 per cent according to th.o season ; from I ake 
 Erie to St. Catherine's i to ^i per cent. The usual length 
 of passage from Cleveland to St. Catherine's is 4 days, 
 
 I from St. Catherine's to Montreal 10 or 11 days; from 
 
 Chicago on Lake Michigan to St. Catherine's is very un- 
 
 i certain, especially in the spriag and fall, say 15 to 80 days." 
 
 In the report of the Special Committee of the Legislative 
 
 Assembly of Canada, in January, 1843, it was stated that the 
 
 I cost of conveying a barrel of (lour from the Welland Canal, 
 
 by way of the St. Lawrence to any part of the United King- 
 dom was 14s. 6d. — that the freight from Cleveland (Ohio) 
 
 F 
 
3(3 
 
 to fjiiko Ontario was Is. (M. — fliaf tlu* <:o!it, of transit tu> 
 Liverpool through tlit^ Erie Ciiiial is y«. lid. less than by 
 rli«^ way of the S;iint. Lawreiirc* 
 
 In (iKMneniorial of I-larl IVIoiniloaslii!!, he. {v'\(\r pago 5) it 
 Was stated that the lVei<;hfaf;e olti barrel ol Flour from Cleve- 
 land to Kin;ifston, was Is. \U\i\, from Kini;sfon to Montreal 
 2s., other charges tip to that port 2s. bid., charges from 
 Montreal to and in Liverpool 7s. I. Ld. ni.ikinjj a tutiil from 
 Cleveland to Liverpool ot' i4s.(Id. 
 
 In the course of the debates on tho Rill, Lord .Stardey 
 Stated th'jt a larj^e portion of the Flour which came into 
 this country from (>anada was not the produce; of Canada, 
 but of the United Stales — the Ureal States of tho West — 
 Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana. 
 
 There can he little doubt that whaten-er quantity of 
 United States' Wheat may be imported into tho United 
 Kingdom through the nKMliiitn of Canada, tho prin(npal 
 portion of it will be the j^rowth of the Western States : 
 and let us rellect on what was said by Mr. Cmtis, an 
 American, at the Manchester Corn Law Conference of 
 Dissentini;' Ministers, in /\u;;tist. LSI!, lie said "The 
 portion of our countrv best adapted lo the culture of Wheat, 
 find to which I wish to call your particular attenfron, iscom- 
 prised in the G North Western States and Territories, 
 Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michiyan, Wituonsinand Iowa: they 
 contain more than 178,000.00!) acres ol' land, chielly arable. 
 England contains 32,000,000 acres. That portion of their 
 States which may be called f^ood Wheat land at 3 qrs. per 
 acre, would produce in a year 200,000,000. (jrs. They are 
 at present just commencing to pour the innnense amount of 
 bread and meat they are capable of |)roduciii^- into the 
 markets of the world. Ohio alone last year had 8,000,000 
 bushels of Wheat to export. Michi<Tan, which never 
 exported till 183!), has now a surplus of 250,000 bushels of 
 Wheat, and 5300,000 barrels of pork. The population of 
 these States is now 3,000,000. It has increased during; 
 the last 10 years at the rate of 202 per cent. It has been 
 estimated by practical n?en that the amount of their exports 
 would be doubled or trebled by a j^ood demand in 10 years " 
 
 A gentleman long resident in Canada states that much of 
 the American Corn and Flour is finer than any Dantzic, 
 and when the Wheat conies to market it is very hard and 
 does not sweat. It was also stated in the House of Commons 
 by Mr. G. Palmer, that American Flour would be consi- 
 derably better in condition after it had been six months 
 ground, than any English. Americati Flour, three years 
 after it was imported, was as good as when it came out of 
 the mill. 
 
 • Vide note in page 31. 
 
37 
 
 We must ulso rnnsiclctr the timft of year when the Amcr- 
 icuii harvest is riNidy. Mr. Iluliback says that the crops 
 are secured in ordinary Vffars iVoiii 4 to (> weeks «nirliBr in 
 the Uiiitod Slates, than id this country. "I have seen" 
 he says "in Virj^inia and Maryland Uirj^e fields of Wheat 
 entirely cleared hy the lOih 1)1.1 idy. At New York and 
 D.dlimore 1 hav(? seiMi <;ar;i<)es ot" \\ heat (at the tormer 
 port snnui (IdO to 7<)0 ijaarlers from North Carolina and 
 Viri^ini.'^on sale during' llie first and second weeksin Anjjnst. 
 The nature of the American climate is so dry that by a little 
 rare and ma!ia<j;(Mnent those car;>ocs uiii;hthave l)een made 
 fit to stand a voyage across the Athiiilic. The averaj>e 
 passage from Anierica is (Voni 18 to 'J') days, therefore 4he 
 Wheat mij;ht he in the I'nglish markets ut the very time 
 when the KrioH^h farmer stood nu)st in need of protection.** 
 " In anoth«.'r pan ot his pa\n})hlet, speaking' of the new Laws, 
 he says — " At present so tiilling a concession is not likely 
 to be much felt. When the States of Michigan and Illinois 
 with the territory of Wiuconsin become more populous, 
 the cidtivation of Wheat is certain to become much extended. 
 The business of convertiii<jf American Wheat into Flour is 
 therefore likelv to be a {rrowinf^- one." 
 
 The only ofiicial return published of the quantity of 
 Wheat imported from the Unittsd States into Canada since 
 the 10th October, 1843, g;oes no further than the 5th July, 
 1844, and is as follows. 
 
 Qrs. 
 
 By sea 034 
 
 Uy inland navigation or land carriage 21,161 
 
 Total 31,795 
 
 On the 5th of May, 1843, a Public Meeting was held at 
 Chelmsford, in Essex, to consider the propriety ofpetitioning 
 l^arliament against the measure announced to be brought 
 forward for reducing the duties on Canadian Wheat and 
 Flour. Much had been said in various publications of 
 the facility the alteration would afford to the smuggling of 
 United States' Wheat into Canada, and to remove objections 
 to the measure, a Letter written by a member of the British 
 Government, was laid before the Chelmsford Meeting 
 The following is aii extract from the Letter, " Smuggling is 
 utterly impossible, 1. Because wheat is never smuggled; 
 much less at such a duty. The smuggler gets 3s. to 5s. for 
 smuggling a pound of silk. He will not smuggle 400 or 
 500 times that weight for less money. 2. How is it possible 
 to land the Wheat on the sea beach (for the Lakes are 
 ♦Seas."* Then whv is not Wheat landed on the sea beach of 
 
38 
 
 England, in parts where there is no coast guard, and where 
 the premium is (J times as large, but if it is to be huiiled in 
 the Ports, Lhcre are Custom Mouse (Jlliceis. '3. Because the 
 whole population is hostile, the 8s. duty is a protective one 
 to them ; and they would be unpaid perpetual watchmen 
 against its evasion," 
 
 The United Stales' law has provided tho lollowing pro- 
 tection against iMogal e.-iportation ol" Flour. All sorts of 
 Flour exported from the United States, must previously be 
 examined by Inspectors, The barrels uiust b^ of certain 
 dimensions, and each barrel is to contain IDv'Jhs of Flour. 
 The Inspector also decides on the quality of the Flour, the 
 first or best sort being branded superfine ; the second ///^<? ; 
 the third//ne middlinfjs ; (he I'od th tii'uldluujs. Such as are 
 not merchantable are iii;irked had, and tlicir exportation 
 is proliibited. The pejjaity for exportin;;- wi'diout inspection 
 is 5 di^llars per barrel ; for alteriisg or counterfeiting brands 
 100 dollars. 
 
 It is also enacted tliat Wheat and Flour from Caiiada, 
 shall only be admitted here under the declaratiu.j and 
 certificates required by the Act of 18 s2, and which are in 
 substance as follows, — 
 
 The owner, proprietor, or shipper, must make a declaration 
 in writing before the Chief Oliic."- c/' Customs, at th(; |)ort 
 of shipment, specifying the quaiit; y of grain or iluur, and 
 that the same is the produce of Ciuiada ; the Ollicer then 
 has to give a certificate of the quantity so declared to be 
 shipped. Before the grain or flour is entered at any port 
 in the United Kingdom, the master of the ship mu.- 1 deliver 
 to the Chief Officer of Customs at that port, a copy of tlie 
 declaration, certified by the Chief Oflicer of Customs at 
 the port of shipment, together with the certificate of the 
 latter with regard to qu amity. I'lie master has i;Iso to make 
 a declaration in writing before the Chief (jfficer at the 
 British port, that the several quantities of grain and flour 
 are the same that are mentioned in the declaration and 
 certificate produced by hirn, without any admixture or 
 addition. The penally fur any faise sfa*ement respecting 
 the place of which the grain or corn is the produce, or 
 respecting the identity of the grain or flour is £100, and 
 forfeiture of the grain or flour. 
 
 On Lord Stanley asserting that there would be no 
 smuggling, Mr. G. Bankes complained that the Ministers 
 made that assertion without sufhcient previous enquiry as 
 to the fact : even so late as the 1st February, 1843, they had 
 no information upon it, as appeared from the dispatch of 
 Lord Stanley to Sir C. Bagot on that day. The question 
 was not, whether there were 1500 miles of frontier— whether 
 
39 
 
 there was more or less facility for landing goods in a secret 
 inaiincr: the question of smuggling did not turn so miu-li 
 upon the illicit landing as upon the frauds of those employed 
 to prevent it. Me believed that if a Committee had been 
 appointed to enquire into the matter ample evidence would 
 h.jve been obtained to show tho facility there would be for 
 smuggling. Mr. Labouchere said it might be for the interest 
 of the Canadian far.iiers to prevent smuggling (though he 
 was not quite sure even of that), but he wished to know 
 whether it would also be for the interest of the corn factors 
 or millers, v.ho were genv'rally Americans or persons con- 
 nected with the United States ? 
 
 It is often asked why should there be any greater quantify 
 of American Wheat poured into Canada from America 
 when there is a duty of 3s. upon it than when it was duty 
 free. This question is in a great measure answered by the 
 following obsprvr .ions. 
 
 iyr. Hubback, in his pamphlet, published in 1843, after 
 touchinij: on the large quanties of Wheat that may be raised 
 in the Western States of America, says " Should it be asked 
 if Wheat can be grown in such quantities in the Western 
 States of America, and at so low a price, how is it that such 
 insignificant i:nportations have hitherto taken place from 
 thence compared with those from other countries i My 
 reply is that the Corn Trade in America being yet in its 
 infancy, is not a distinct branch of business as it is in 
 Europe. In New Orleans there are neither corn merchants 
 nor granaries; shipments of either Wheat or Flour are, there- 
 fore, seldom or never made on American account; and British 
 importers prefer sending tlieir orders to whr-re the trade is 
 thoroughly known, to trusting their shijitnents, especially of 
 so delicate an article as Vv heat, to inexperienced parties." 
 Mr. Buckingham (in his "America" v. 1 p. I(i0)who wasat 
 New York in 18;)8, mentions a ciicumstance which may 
 be taken as a cause for the United States havin^ been for 
 some years not in a situation toexportmuch corn. He says 
 •In the late nmnia for speculation the cultivators oftlie 
 soil, instead of following up their agricultural pursuits, left 
 ofT farming to become speculators in stock, buyers of shares 
 in railroads never begun and canals never opened, as well 
 as purchasers of lots of land on which towns were intended 
 to be built; in which extravaga:it schemes they spent all 
 their time and money ; so that agriculture, the great basis 
 of national wealth and the surest and steadiest security 
 of individual prosperit)/ in these fertile States was so 
 neglected that the country was obliged to import grain 
 
40 
 
 for its own oonsuinption, instead of supplying, as it ongJif 
 to do, from its own surplus, the older countries of Europe. 
 This deficiency of home suj)ply and the vast amount of n rain 
 grown in America distilled into ardent spirits, this finest 
 grain producing' CKunlry on the glohe. was obliged to import 
 its own food. It was stated in tlie New York Papers (hat 
 in the vear 1837, the single port of Baltimore alone rectiived 
 800.000 bushels of Wheat, and 140,000 bushels of rye from 
 Europe." Mc Cidloch says that in the year ending OOth 
 September, 18:37, ;3.f!21,'i>!) bushels of forei<j;ii Wheal were 
 iniported into the United States, of uhic.h 792,(i75 were 
 from En<;land. The cawses thus assigned for the small 
 exportation of corn from the iJnited Stales, are probably 
 as far as they go, I'orrect, but there is reason to believe that 
 the Americans are rousing from their agricultural lethargy, 
 for it is slated by Mc Culloch, that in the year 1840 the 
 United States exported 1,720,860 bushels of Wheat, and 
 1,807,501 barrels of Flour. 13ut we must add that in the 
 next year there uas a decrease, the quantities exported 
 heing only 868,585 bushels of Wheat, and .1,515,817 
 barrels of JFIour. 
 
 Before concluding we will add the following statements 
 from Montreal Market letters*of the exports from that port 
 
 and Quebec, since the Act came into operation. 
 
 Qrs of Wlieal, Biir. of Flour. 
 
 From Montreal, 8tb Nov. 1844 234,076 197,047 
 
 Quebec 26,886 204,868 
 
 Total to 8tb November. 1844 260.962 401,915 
 
 Total to 8th November, 1843 76.802 130,316 
 
 Arrivals at Montreal to 8th November, 1844, by canal 
 and river. 
 
 Bushel"; nf Wheat. Bar. of rioiir. 
 
 Canada 374.088 465,267 
 
 United States 44,9il 112,332 
 
 419,009 577,011 
 Up to the 8th November, 1843 261,486 677,601 
 
 The following prices are quoted. 
 
 Montreal, 9th November, 1844, Fine Canada Flour, 
 24s. to 24s. 6d. per barrel, fine Sour 23s. currency. 
 
 Philadelphia (United States) 23rd November, On 
 Saturday, iiOOO barrels of Flour sold at 4 dollars 25 cents, 
 «Since that 1000 at the same price, and 400 half-barrels at 
 
 ♦ Bell's Weekly Messenjjsr. 
 
41 
 
 Brand)^wiiie, fetched 4 dollars 73 cents, per pair. Sales 
 for city use 4 dollars 25 cents, to 4 dollars 37^ cents. Good 
 extra brands 4 dollars 50 cents, to 5 dollars. Early in the 
 tveek 4000 bushels of Pennsylvania red, <;oo(l and prime, 
 fetched 92 to i)2| cents. Since then there have been sales 
 of 11,000 bns!iels at 87 to 90 cents, from fair to prime red, 
 and 80 to 85 cents, from fair to inferior lii^ht. 
 
 JSw/a/o, (United States) 23rd November. The exports 
 via the canal this month already exceed any monthly 
 shipment this fall. Duriiia^ the week 47,000 'barrels of 
 Flour, and 88,000 bushels of Wheat have gone forward. 
 The whole . .lount cleared since October, is 108,000 
 barrels of Flour, and 315,800 bushels of Wheat, mostly 
 for the European markets. 
 
 New York, (United S-tates) 30th November. Baltimore 
 Wheat 95 to 102 cents. North Carolina 98 cents. Delaware 
 10! to 102. 
 
 New York, 14th December. Western Flour — Genessee 
 4 dollars 75 cents. Michigan and Ohio 4 dollars GSj cents. 
 Southern 5 dollars to 5 dollars 50 cents, 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The Canada Corn Law question is surrounded with 
 difficulties, but the measure certainly is injurious to the 
 British Farmer. In grantinj^ the boon claimed by the 
 Canadians of havino^ their own A^sricultural produce admitted 
 into the United Kin^ulom nearly duty free, the British 
 Government permits the introduction thioi'^,di Canada of 
 United States' Wheat jr-rourid into Flour at a duty of only 
 4s. per quarter, Is. only of which goes to the British Revenue. 
 
 From precediuir returns (pages 27 and 28) it appears that 
 the total importation of Wheat and Wheat F\om from all the 
 British Colonial possessions 111 theyear precedingthe passing 
 of the existing Act wa > only equal to the consumption of 
 England and Wales for I day and It) hours, and that the 
 importation/zow Canada alone has, in the 12 months since 
 the Act came into operation been equal to the consumption 
 of England and Wales for 5 days 19 hours. 
 
 The impoitation from all parts in the 11 months ending 
 5th December, 1844, was equal to the consumption of 
 Fngland and Wales for 22 days. 
 
 If, in the first season, there has been so large an increase 
 we may reasonably anticipate that the stimulus given by the 
 Act. will still further augment the importation troni Canada 
 in succeeding years. 
 
 Under the Act of 1842, Canadian Wheat and Flour 
 €Oidd only come into the United Kingdom under the seal© 
 
42 
 
 of prices and duties given in page 15 but now they can 
 come in at Is. per quarter, without any reference to the 
 prices in this country. The foljowinp: statement clearly 
 shows that the new Act must be injurious to the British 
 Farmer. 
 
 In the year ending 28th December, 184-J, the hiiifhest 
 weekly averai^e price of Wheat in this couijtry, wan 5()s. Gd. 
 per quarter ; therefore if the present scale had been in 
 operation, no Coloniid V« heat or Flour could have come 
 in at less than os. duty. The lowest price: in the vear was 
 45s Id. 
 
 Duly vvoiiM be 
 s. «. alioiil. 
 
 5 weeks the price was at 5(5 and under 57 Us. per qr. 
 15 ditto ditto 55 „ 5(; 4s. 
 
 32 ditto ditto under 55 5s. 
 
 We shall now cojicliide by referrinj:^ to only one other 
 point: viz. the coiislructiou pat on certain words of the 
 Act. Tn the Navi>jation Act (J 'Geo. 4, c. 10{), it is 
 declared that "All mauuiactured <joods shall be deemed to 
 be the produce of the country of which they an^ the man- 
 ufacture." The Act 3 Wni. 4, c. 5i, repeats the declara- 
 tion. 
 
 TheAct of 1843. says that •* IVkeaf and WJual Flour 
 the produce of tiie said Province of Canada" vhall be 
 admitted at Is. duty. The plain common sense meaninaf 
 of this passage is, tliat the Wlieat shall be the produce of 
 Canada, and uader that interpretation of the woids, Canada 
 would be only permitted to send here Wheat <^ro\vn iu the 
 Province, or Flour ground from that Wheat. Thus she 
 might send us all her own Wheat, and purchase of Foreign- 
 ers for her own consumption, but authorities in this country 
 have given a different meanin<^ to the words. When Lord 
 Stanley brought forward the measure in the Commons, his 
 Lordship stated that under the Act above quoted the 
 broad principle was laid down, " That all vianufaclared 
 goods shall be deemed to he the produce of the country 
 of which tliey are the manufacture, but his Lordship 
 added that it had been questioned whether this applied 
 to corn. In 1825 Colonial Wheat was first permitted 
 to be imported at a duty of 5s. per quarter, without 
 reference to the price at home. In 1828, another alteration 
 was made ; and in 1830 the Comptroller of Customs at 
 Liverpool, entertaining a great doubt whether United 
 States' Wheat ground in Canada could be admitted into 
 this country as Canadian produce, applied to the Solicitor 
 of the Customs on the subject, and that Legal Functionary 
 gave his decided opinion that Flour made in Canada from 
 
43 
 
 ! Wheat, the produce of the United States, was to bo deemed 
 
 as the produce of Canada. Lord Stanley also stated that 
 . in the 18th Geo. 3, (1778) it had been decided in the 
 
 j Exchequer that ostrich feathers dressed in France were 
 
 ! to be deemed French [produce for the purpose of duty. 
 
 ' There has been no other legal decision on this important 
 
 : question. 
 
 ' It is much to be regretted that the Agricultural Members 
 
 I did not make a stand upon that point, especially as their 
 
 ' attention was called to it by Lord Stanley in a way that 
 
 I might be considered an invitation to debate it. His Lord- 
 
 ship observed, that it had been questioned whether the 
 ' declaration above alluded to applied to corn. If in the 
 
 I Canada Act the plain common sense interpretation had been 
 
 I put on the words, and it had been declared that no Flour 
 
 •j Sent here from Canada should be deemed Canadian produce, 
 
 unless made from Canadian Wheat, the British Farmer 
 would have had at least the consolation of knowing that 
 J without fraud no United States' Wheat could be brought 
 
 into the United Kingdom at u duty of 4s., unless the price 
 ! of Wheat in this conntry was 70s. 
 
 » The object of the preceding pages has been not so much 
 
 • to give an individual opinion as to state facts, leaving 
 
 I persons therefrom to draw their own conclusions. In the 
 
 j approaching Session of Parliament the question will and 
 
 must be fully discussed, and if it should be ascertained that 
 the fears of the British Farmers are well founded, and that 
 a great Legislative error has been committed, an endeavour 
 ou^* t to be made to correct it, but the correction of that 
 frr'or will be a matter of considerable difliculty, requiring the 
 utmost deliberation and prudence. The pledge of the British 
 Government to the Canadians has been redeemed by the 
 British Legislature, and retraction would now be viewed 
 by the Province with an angry feeling that might lead 
 to most unhappy consequences. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 ^w'>-".^.r\^-»^s./>,/ --^y V *>^^v^ •-» 
 
 1 
 
 1 DUTTON, PlilNTER, CHliLMSFORD