THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON" FOOD SUPPLIES.

Press, Issue 11564, 22 April 1903, Page 6

THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON" FOOD SUPPLIES.

Tlie question of tlie importation, of food,. '* supplies and raw material in time of war /; has been agitating the publia mind in Eng- J , ■: land for some time past, an*> the Royal! Commission, the appointment of which has ' just been announced, is the outcome of an influential movement recently set on foot to promote inquiry into this important - aspect of national defence. England, as - ; most people are aware, occupies a unique position among the nations, in that she is dependent upon foreign countries and over- ■ sea colonies for the greater portion, not only of her food supplies, but of ths tmr - material required for her inanufaaturing - industries. Tlie problem before the RoyaL Commission is to ascertain as far as pos- -"' sible what would be the effect ot a state '■] of var upon the importation of supplied which are essential to the very existence ot- '-~ the nation,. It is generally agreed that.for . ;• an enemy or combination of enemies* to yj exclude absolutely these suppliss from Eng*- j£ lish ports is impossible. The whole: of- *J the import of food could be carried by, d neutral and, as Mr Balfour pointed $| out the other day, In replying to » dtptt. tation, it is not to be supposed that a- .y\ great exporting country like America would tolerate for an instant the seizure of its. -k corn, in its own ships, as contieiband of .f" war. The real danger to bo faced i& not -Ithe exclusion of corn or other raw ■;.'■■< material, but its price m war-time. The , . sudden general demand paused by th« ov»>' break of a war would assuredly produce, a> rapid rise of prices, calculated to create '■ distress amongst the working population of the country. The question-of price, sot cording to Mr Balfour, k also ultimately ' question of insurance. The Navy, no \. matter what its strength and distribution may be, cannot render the capture of cargo ; ships impossible, and it is indisputable that captures at sea in war-time would have the effect of greatly ?wraTnq«fag the rates of insurance, and consequently the price of commodities. It is said that in ;.. the war against Napoleon the rate of in-f-suranco was never more than s.per cent, ' but conditions have altered ooandenMy J-t during the century that has elapsed linos -> then,, and (the risk of capture by the -'■ modem cruiser is much greater than in ths ' 1. days of the - French privateers. It will % be the duty of the Royal Conuaiasiou ft \\ enquire into this question of insurance: ■.? to compare the modem methods of naval '*;■ warfare with those of a century ago, and ,£ endeavour to ascertain what level i»ur- \ once rates are likely to reach in a war v against another great Power. It Js sot to be supposed that the investigations of : tho Commission can point the remedy te . all tlie dangers arising out of -England's peculiar position. Its chief value in the opinion of the Prime Minister, is that an '- inquiry may suggest lines of action which can mitigate the panic likely to be caused , by a sudden rise in prices upon the oat* break of a war. This, be believe*} is th« greatest danger to be feared. For tbe rest, Mr Balfour expects the result of tin ' Commission's inquiries will be to "allay "some unfounded fears, and show us thai " some difficulties which we have to face , are difficulties which an inherent in «mr "position, and which nothing can wholly, , " remove."