The rise in the price of bread is far more interesting to Parisians just now than questions of foreign polities: The price of the four-pound loaf, usually about 65 centimes, is now 85 centimes, or slightly over 13d. per English pound." The French working classes consume such an eno mous proportion of broad in their dietary that the rise has been keenly felt. A mani, for instance, who works ata distance from home and cannot return there for the mid-day meal, usually consumes a pound of bread at four sous, two sous' worth of cheese, and a demiier of wine, price four sous. Now he is either to increase his expenditure on this one meal by ten per cent or else do without n quarter of his staple aliment. An extra sou per pound for brool means real misery in a great many p or families. The worst of it is that the advance is not due to any real shortage but to unscrupuloux American speculators. At this time of the year, when European stocks of grein are at rheic lowest and the new wheat is not yet thrashed, it is, customary for the Americans to put up prices, but this year they have succeeded, by means of alarmist telegrams reporting' damage to the crops in the North-west, in creating a panic, which has undoubtedly put millions of dollars in the pockets of those who were it ths swim. It seems that speculators on this side have had their fingers in the pie, for, a few days ayo, before the advance made itself felt in England, wheat wag over 3, 7d. per cwt. dearer in Paris than in London, after allowing for the import duty. Fortunately, there is every reason to believe that the trouble will be only temporary. In about a fortnight the French crop will be on the market, followed by those from Australia and-Argentine. The government are empowered by law to Teduce or suspend the import duty of 7 franes per quintal (about 110 Ibs.) if they consider the price has reached too high figure. This reduction would give temporary relief, but M. Méline, our protec-fonist Premier, will not grant it. He Eigh prices for their corn while they can. refers to let the French farmers. make
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.