From the foregoing table it appears that the decreafe in the fale of black cattle is about equal to the increase in the fale of sheep, according to the proportion which they bear to each other in point of weight; therefore it is evident that the confumption of thefe articles of food is now nearly the fame as it was forty years ago, which makes us naturally afk, how this can correfpond with the general outcry, that the metropolis requires fuch extraordinary quantities of provifions as to advance the price on one hand, while foreftalling and, engroffing advance it on the other, to the unspeakable diftrefs of the community?

Those who have maintained thefe two pofitions may perceive their miftake by the table in the first inftance; and in refpect to the fecond it is manifeft, that, if the country produced a plenty, this produce must be brought to market; unless we abfurdly fuppofe, that the dealers in provifions are wicked merely for the fake of wickednefs, and deftroy one part of their property to raife the other part on its unavoidable purchafers. For myfelf, however, I always imagine that the value of a commodity is governed by the quantity on fale, and am certain that the more live ftock we bring to Smithfield, the the lower, the rate of butcher's meat must be reduced.

The with-holding cattle from market, or taking them away unfold, is fo apparently hazardous to the owners, that they will feldom attempt either: for in the first place the longer they are detained in the country, after they have been properly fed, the longer the grazier lies

out of his money, befides the expence of keeping them; and what is ftill more material, he runs all the various hazards attendant upon accident and mortality. In the fecond place, let us fuppofe that he ftops them a little fhort of the market, or takes them away from it in expectation of a better price, can we imagine that the worse they grow the more profitably they will fell, or that the owner will keep them near town three or four days at a certain expence, without even a probability of any advantage?

After cattle had been driven. from fifty to one hundred and fifty miles, and on the road have been miferably fupplied even with food, to which they are unaccustomed; after they have been made as fat. as poffible, and then turned out to a long journey, when leaft able to endure the fatigue; after they have been cruelly beaten, and in general lamed in their progrefs to the capital, and thrown into a state which muft fpeedily reduce them, efpecially if they are off their feed, which is frequently the cafe; I fay, after all thefe difadvantages are confidered, is it credible that any man in his fenfes would keep fuch a ftock willingly upon his hands? No.

The very avarice imputed to the owner must induce him to dispose of live ftock inftantly, and render him utterly difinclined to trifle much about terms with a purchafer. In every point of view, therefore, provifions being of a perishable nature, it is, generally fpeaking, impoffible to create an artificial fearcity, except for a very short time; and if the fpring of a real fcarcity fhould be fortunately traced, it be [0] 2

comes

1

comes the duty of every good fubject to exert himself in cutting it off.

Many writers have found great fault with the prefent inode of collecting live flock, and bringing them to market by jobbers; they have alfo found fault with falefmen and carcafe butchers: but in op pofition to thefe cafuifts I muft declare, that I look upon the perfons thus cenfured as very effentially ferviceable to the public: for in ftance, the ftock of graziers or farmers cannot all become fat at the fame time, but when any part is fo, the fooner that part is dif. pofed of the better; therefore the jobbers or drovers either buy or drive fuch ftock as is fit for fale to the market, where the falefman has but the fmall commiffion of one fhilling and fix-pence per bullock, or three-pence per fheep for his trouble in difpofing of them to the carcafe or cutting butcher, and if the latter has not the conveniences

for flaughtering, he may have the bullock flaughtered for four fhillings, and the whole of his produce fairly accounted for. This expence furely cannot materially enhance the price to the confumers.

A gentleman of my acquaintance, who keeps part of his eftate in his own hands in the county of Suffolk, one hundred miles from London, informs me that his black cattle are driven from his own grounds to Smithfield market, and there fold, for which he pays only five fhillings per head, including the whole of their keep and turn, pikes. Can live ftock be conveyed from the breeder to the confumer at a lefs expence? Surely no.

What would the confequence be if graziers, &c. were to bring their

cattle to market themselves, and to charge the expence of their journeys and time to the public? It is too evident to need a reply, Be fides, the very perfons juff before complained of, seem as subject to misfortunes as other men, and in general appear to meet with equal difficulties in procuring a liveli hood. For thefe reasons, and many more which might be urged, it appears to me that the dearnefs of provifions is owing to a real scar city; and therefore, until a greater plenty of the neceffaries of life fhall be produced, or until the present produce be applied much more to wards the fupport of the people, and much lefs towards the maintenance of unneceffary horfes, a reduction of the prices will remain abfolutely impoffible.

FRANCIS MORE. Cheapfide, March 4.

Prices of Grain per Quarter at BearKey and Mark-Lane, for fifica fucceffive Years.

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Wheat. Barley. Oats. Jan. s. s. S. S. 3. s.1 1742 26 to 29 15 to 20 12 to 15 1743 20-23 15-20 13-16 1744 19-21 11 - 13 9-12 1745 18 20 12-15 12 - 16 1746 17-24 10-13 12-14 1747 27-30 8 1748 26-28 13- 14 1749 27 32 17 - 18 14 - 16 1750 24-27 14-17 12-13 1751 24-27 14 17 12-13 1752 20-25 10-13 9-rr 1753 29-35 17-18 10 13 1754 27-33 17-19 12-13 1755 24-26 12 14 10-13 1756 22-26 14-15 12-13-6

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A Table