No. 40 mule yarn, &c. per lb. 0 1 1 1/2 0 1 2 1/2
Iron--Bars, British per ton 7 2 6 8 17 6
Pig, No. 1 Clyde per ton 2 13 3 3 16 0
Lead per ton 18 7 6 8 17 6
Tin per ton 137 0 0 157 0 0
Copper--Sheeting per ton 75 10 0 95 0 0
Wheat (GAZETTE average) per qr. 2 12 0 2 15 8

--and in other cases there is a tendency upwards in price much more
often than there is a tendency downwards.

'This general rise of price must be due either to a diminution in
the supply of the quoted articles, or to an increased demand for
them. In some cases there has no doubt been a short supply. Thus in
wool, the diminution in the home breed of sheep has had a great
effect on the price--

In 1869 the home stock of sheep was 29,538,000
In 1871 27,133,000
Diminution 2,405,000
Equal to 8.1 per cent

and in the case of some other articles there may be a similar cause
operating. But taking the whole mass of the supply of commodities in
this country, as shown by the plain test of the quantities imported,
it has not diminished, but augmented. The returns of the Board of
Trade prove this in the most striking manner, and we give below a
table of some of the important articles. The rise in prices must,
therefore, be due to an increased demand, and the first question is,
to what is that demand due?