10
right to add that these figures are not quite correct, as a certain proportion of the Canadian supplies are shipped by way of the United States, and are thus returned as foreign supplies, but this correction would not materially affect the above calculations.
We are also told that the supplies of food from our Colonies would rapidly increase if they enjoyed preferential duties. They would indeed need to do so if the British nation were not to die of starvation. The question is whether it is practicable for the supplies to increase so quickly that this result could be avoided. What would be required would be a quadrupling of our colonial supplies within a year or two—a result so miraculous that it may safely be dismissed as impossible. Already Canada is opening up the wheat fields of Manitoba as fast as is practicable, and it is quite possible that in ten years or so they might supply us with the bread we require. This process, however, is already going on as fast as the ground can be broken up and sown. The Manitoban farmers are doing this without preference, and presumably at a good profit. Why, then, should we starve ourselves in order to further enrich them? Similar remarks apply to Canadian and Australian dairy farmers, &c., who make and ship to our free market every pound of produce they can prepare. Besides, it must be recollected that a large portion of the Canadian food supplies at present traverse the United States in bond for shipment from Portland or other American ports. If preferences were given by England, this privilege can be withdrawn in a minute by the order of the President. Possibly the food could then be shipped from Halifax or from other Canadian ports, but, of course, at an extra cost, for it would otherwise not at present be sent from American towns.
Raw Materials.
The next division in the Board of Trade returns con-
