MR CHAMBERLAIN'S SPEECH.

Evening Star, Issue 11892, 21 May 1903, Page 2

MR CHAMBERLAIN'S SPEECH.

TO THK EDITOB. Sir,—-Whatever the outcome of Mr Chamberlain's enunciations may be, a few cogent facts must certainly weigh with him in his aspirations to lead a new party. Half the population of England arc dependent for the maintenance of themselves and their families upon a daily or weekly wage. The chief necessary of life is bread. For 78 per cent, of the supply of wheat England is dependent upon foreign, or at least upon trans-sea countries. England herself only produces one-fifth of the wheat she consumes. The price of food is relative to the purchasing power, and the big loaf is as dear as the little to the man who can afford to buy neither. The very existence of the British Empire depends upon England's ability to replenish her qantinued (which must" follow) depleted stores of food and raw material during war. Ordinarily she has about two weeks' supply. If a war was even spoken of, prices would rush up enormously, bread would quickly be at a famine figure, and the poorest class would be brought to the verge of starvation. Even in peace, as was shown by the Leiter " cornerine;" operations, the Americans can force up the price all over the world 12s to 15s per quarter in a few weeks. Tho United States and Canada provide about threefourths of England's wheat supply. In 1901 food was imported as follows : Living animals for food ... £9,400,000 Articles' of food and drink fduty fieri 162,949,000 Articles of food and drink (dutiable) ... 47,595,000 This enormous amount—£2l9,944,ooo—is hardly realisable, but the figures were compiled by the Custom-house. Confining ourse'vea io wheat: Foreign countries gave £55,429,8-49, British possessions £10,178,084. In hundredweights, 16,854,010, contributed by British possessions as follows:—New Zealand 1,383,100. Canada 6.^91.710. Australian Commonwealth 5,437,700; foreign countries 52.854,000. Even the mind oi a colossus should bow to such gieantic facts. What do they demonstrate? That the centre of gravity of the British race i 3 still in the United Kingdom. The British possessions can only offer her preferential trade with small populations in exchange for preferential trade with 41£ million people. So surely as we live the placing of a duty (England) upon foreign products will end in war.—l am, etc., F.M May 20.