§ Mr. Blackstonepursuant to notice, asked the right hon. Gentleman the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, whether any wheat had been imported from Wolgast at 20s. duty, and whether that duty had been paid. He understood a quantity of wheat had, within the last week, been imported from the place in question. The hon. Gentleman then read the following paragraph from the New Farmer's Journal:—
A letter from Mr. Thomas Gee, President of the Boston Agricultural Association, dated the 20th ultimo, and published in a provincial contemporary, states the important fact, that some cargoes of the finest quality of wheat, weighing sixty-five pounds per bushel, have lately been imported into Plymouth for consumption, having cost 31s. per quarter free on board at Rostock, with 3s. per quarter freight, and upon which the present duty of 20s. per quarter has been paid on delivery. In the port of London, during the last week, we have had Wolgast wheat, weighing sixty-three pounds per bushel, sold from on board ship at 36s. per quarter, and passed through the Custom-house under the Bonded Corn Grinding Bill, by means of' certificate scrip,' at the rate of 14s. and 15s. instead of 20s. per quarter. What prospect of improved prices have the farmers under such prospects as these
Mr. Gladstonereplied, that within the last week there had been imported into the Thames, 1,750 quarters of foreign wheat, upon 150 quarters of which the duty of 20s a quarter had been paid. The remaining 1,600 quarters were at present in the bonded warehouse.