EXPORT OF WHEAT FROM VAN DIEMEN'S LAND TO LONDON.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 90, 25 November 1843, Page 358

EXPORT OF WHEAT FROM VAN DIEMEN'S LAND TO LONDON.

[From the Launceston Advertiser.] '. -'Having had an opportunity of inspecting the account of sales book of a gentleman who was long engaged as a merchant and commission agent in London, in connexion with these colonies, we are entitled to state the charges upon cargoes of wheat from Van Diemen's Land to London, shipped in the year 1835, and other particulars relative to the trade, which may be related as authentic. The wheat was sent in wool vessels, being placed upon a dunnage of bark and the wool The grain generally arrived in excel-" lent condition. The Van Diemen's Land wheat was highly esteemed, was considered equal to the best Dantzic, was cold for seed, and realized the highest prices. One immense advantage of the colonial wheat was, that no weevil ■was ever found in it. The wheat was shipped from Van Diemen's Land in gunny bags, which drew in London more than was paid for them in the colonies — we observed' one account of sales for 900 gunny bags at 3d. each ; but it is not necessary to put the wheat in bags, though it would certainly be better if such can be got. The following is a note of the charges on 100 quarters : — £ t. d. Freight, at Is. 3d. per bushel . 50 0 0 Primage, at 5 per cent . . 2 10 0 Metage from ship, lid. per quarter 3 6 8 Ditto from granary, 6d. . . 2 10 0 Landing charges, Is. Bd. p' quarter 6 5 0 Factor's commission, Is. p' quarter 5 0 0 Customs entries, in and out . . I) 9 0 Merchant's commission, 24 p' cent. 8 0 0 Rent and fire insurance for 1 week 0 3 6 Turning and trimming . . .010 £78 5 2 To this must be added the insurance, which does not appear in the account sales, but say 4os. per cent. 7 0 0 £85 5 2 It will be observed that the port of London and merchants' charges are generally lower than those given above. It is highly probable that, in these times ol competition ana economy, the London charges hare been greatly reduced, and we may therefore safely calculate that, v we formerly stated, the expense of delivering wheat to the purchaser in London, ought not to exceed 2s. per bushel. If sold from the ship's side it will be still less. We have before us an important return relt-

tive to Ihe importation of foreign corn. It consists of answers by British Consuls in Russia, Germany, Italy, and Holland, as to the quantities of grain that could be exported to England annually, supposing the duties were reduced, the prices free on board, and the freight per quarter to England. The amount of wheat that could be exported is stated at 2,222,464 quarters annually ; the prices range from 265. to 568. per quarter, the average being 40s. 6d. ; and the freight is from 2s. to 10s. per quarter, the average 4s. 93d. per quarter ; so that, on an average, the price of foreign grain as landed in London would amount to 455. 33d. To this

must be added the duty, say a difference in of the colonies of 135., making the remunerating price to foreigners in the port of London 58s. 33d., which would yield a handsome profit to growers in Van Diemen's Land.