The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-22 00:00:00

entirely concurred in the measure which the noble Ined had
proposed, and he thought also that it WAS meet esecutial that
that concurrence should be universal, and that that concur-
isnee should carry with it to the people • conviction of the
interest which Euglsnd felt in the welfare of Ireland. lie
would not, however, avail himself of that opportunity to
advert to the past proceedings of the house with respect to
this subject, excest t., state that the adoption of such a step
at an earlier p:riod would have gone far to have alleviated
the difficulties which it was not prepared to meet. (Hear.)
The question they had to consider was, were they likely
or not to derive isdvantege from ,he mewure, though not to
a great extent? To the proposition he gave his entire as-
sent, and he could out, in doine so, help expressing hi. opi-
nion, teat the adoption of such a enure', at an antecedent
period, would have been most advantageoue; as at the pre-
sent time the grain of the foreign countries to whom we
looked for supplies, was already engaged by other purchasers'
who were competing fur its possmoiou ; yet it was newt de-
sirable to obtain pmeession of whatever surplus remained
through the suspension of the clasiee, as the continuance of
the duty might divert those supplies from our shores t o other
countries. With regard to the suspension of the navigation
laws this argumeut epelied even with greater force, ass France
had suspended her navigation laws fur the purpose of getting
corn into France; arid, therefore, they hail not the same ad-
vantage with their ship: as they would have had if
France hail not adopted such • cetric. Corn from
America, fur imitance, would be carried to Franco
is American ship., when they were informed in
America that the nos igation laws of France were hu-pended.
In order to put wire-lees oa a footing with foreign countries
the suspension of the navigation laws during Hai, period of
urgent distress, was a measure from which noose would dis-
emit ; but at the same time he reser... d to himself the ques-
tion of any further suspension of those law., or the Drop, nay
of interfering with them on any other occasion hereafter.
lie had only further to express a hope that the measures
which were about to be taken mght be the means of aiding
those supplier of fad which were so essentially necessary
fur the welfare of the country. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. EWA ItT thought the measures which had been pro-
posed ought to here b en taken a long time ago ; and while
, the hon. member fur Dorsetahire declared himself is favour
of a temporary suspension of the corn and navigation laws, he
must say that he should like to see their immediate total repeal.
, The navigation laws, which originated at an unenlightened
period in the reign of Henry the Seventh, had lons been a
burden on commerce, and he was at • loss to know why they
were continued in the present day. (Hear, hear.) He
should like to see another mode of liberating the labour of
the country taken into consideration—namely, by an altera-
tion of the law of settlement, which, in its present state, was
a serious impediment to the labouring dassu. (Hear.)
The CIIANCKLLOIt of the ',XCHEQUEIt wished to
state some of the reasons why the government had not
adopted the measures of r lief which they now proposed at
an earlier period. In October of last year. as well as at the
present time, the price to which corn bed risen was a specu-
lative price; and as soon as it was known that it was the de-
termination of the government nut to open the ports, the
prices immediately ielL (Hear, hear.) By the packet
which arrived from the United States of America at the end
of October, information was received that large quantities of
corn were ready for shipment to this country, and inquiries
were mule of uaerchante in the city and in Liverpool on the
subject, and the government were told by them that a great
number of vessels had gone out to America, attracted by the
high freiehts, and would be likely soon to return laden with
corn. (Rear, hear). He held in his hand a letter from a
gentleman in Liverpool, dated the 14th Jan., stating that
there were then laden with corn, in New York, for Great
Britain and Ireland, no less than 37 vessels of 24,000 tons,
and, in New Orleans, 33 vessels of 19,0(0 tons. In addition
to that, 29 vessels, of 17,000 tons, had just cleared nut from
Liverpool fur America. Therefore, there were 70 vessels
which in all probability would bring home corn from Ame-
rica. There was every reason to suppose that large supplies
would be brought into this country ; but the expectations
held out by the merchants had not been realised, inasmuch
as the supplies bad not come in to the extent expected, al.
though the imports had increased to a very considerable
extent within the last two or three weeks; hut the present
time we were in whst was termed a dead period of the year;
the spring trade. however, would begin before long, when
there would be a much greater demand for shipping; and it
was, therefore, most important to relax the laws affecting the
importation of corn at the present time. The government
also looked to Odessa and Galati ; and as soon a, those ports
were open, vestals os the spot would be enabled to load
earlier than ships which might go out from England, and in
that case the suspension of the navigation limes would be
most beneficial. (Hear, hear.) It must also be remeineered
when on the subject of the anticipated supplies, that, as yet,
not a grain of Indian corn of the crop of 1846 had been re-
ceived, and it was stated to have been the largest crop ever
grown in the United States. Nearly the whole of the crop
of 1814 had been brought into this country ; but the crop of
, 1846 could not be available for importation until last 1)e-
-;t umber, or the present month. The supplies from New
Orleans might be expected to arrive iu two or three weeks ;
but until the internal navigation was open, we could not hope
to get corn from the more central parts of America. (Hear,
hear.) The measures which his noble friend had that night
proposed, would be in time to become subservient to all these
great advantages, in obtaining • large supply of feod—advan-
twee which could not have been gained by an earlier sus-
pension of the corn and navigation laws. (Hear, hear.) He
was anxious to avail himself of that opportunity for the pur-
pow of stating the course which the government had pursued
for providing fur the importation of con to Ireland, the
more especially as so much misapprehension existed on the
subject. At the close of the lain session the government
stated that they would not be importers of corn. If the
government had gone into the market u purchasers to a
urge extent for Ireland, they would have raised the price of
fool to the people in other partiof the kingdom, and it must
be remembered that the poor of Scotland, and of England,
too, were in • state of great distress, and suffering from the
present high price of provisions. (Meer, hear.) The orders
of the government were to buy the corn imported into the
country, always fallowness, but never leadeig, the ma ket.
(Hear, hear.) They had purchased all the Indian corn that
was to be found ; they next bought barley, and then rice ;
and a few days ago, in consequence of the purchase of the
latter article by the London committee and the government,
there was scarcely any more to be obtained. The govern-
ment had purchased altogether upwards of 200,000 quarters
of groin of one sort or another. The total quantity of wheat,
Indian corn, and meal of both sorts, which had been im-
ported into this country by private enterprise, since the pass-
ing of the late corn law, was 3,700,000 qrs. The average con-
sumption of that period in Ireland was 802,000 qrs., and if that
was deducted front the quantity brought in—assuming that
the failure of the potato crop left only two months' supply,
there would be enough left to support upwards of eight mil-
lions and a half of people for four months. (Hear, hear,
hear.) A less quantity of con by 1,500,000 quarters had
been imported from Ireland this year than in preceding
years. The finer flour from the corn so imported was con-
sumed in England, whilst the coarser was sent to Ireland;
and he had been informed that in December, 33 vessels wire
loading with Hour at Liverpool for Ireland. (Hear, hear.)
The government had thought it advisable to leave the grind.
tug of corn in Ireland to private enterprise ; but ever since
the beginning of the autumn they had employed the Ad-
miralty mills, at Plymouth and Portsmouth in grinding
corn to send to the depids in Ireland; and they had also
taken large mills at Rntherhithe, and at another place on
the river, for the same purpose. (Hear, hear.) As had
before been explained, the government had now 28 depots in
Ireland, including a reserved one in Dublin. It was certainly
advisable, so long as the people could maintain themselves
from their own re-ourccs, that they should do so, and there-
fore great caution was necessary in opening these depots,
because the moment the government appeared to interfere,
private efforts ceased, and, in some casts, the opening of
food depots, by elesing private stores, tended rather to
aggravate than to mitigate the distress. (Hear, hear.) It
was understood that up to about Christmas there would be a
supply of food, and at that time orders were given to open
the depot, whenever it might be necessary. (Hear, hear.)
If the people of Ireland would have to buy their food in
, future, as had been stated, it Was most desirable that
rectal] suppliers of food should be encouraged to esta-
blish themselves in the country, and the govern-
ment had acted on this view of the question as
respected them. When it was stated that no means had
I been taken to relieve the people, it must have been forgotten
that nearly half a million of men were now employed on the
public works, who earned wages ene ugh to maintain them-
selves and their families. (Hear.) The government had
also been told that they had taken no steps to relieve the
aged and infirm out of the workhouse. The government
had throughout the sutumn given money to the relief cont.
minus, who alone could supply the necessities of that class
of persons; and although they had been instructed to sell
their food at cost price, they had been told, when the mer-
man became 1eve1..., to give it away. It would also appear by
I a letter from the Commissariat Relief-office, on Dec. 3, that
, the regulations of the Government authorised gratui-
tous relief out of the funds of which the Lord Lieutenant
had the control, to the aged and infirm poor, when the
workhouses were full, to be aided, when necessary, by do-
nations from the government. (Hear, hear.) A report from
Mr. Inglis, dated Skibbereen, 21st December, stated that he
had met the inhabitants of the district with a similar sum to
that which they had subscribed, and which would enable
them to open places for supplying the people with soup
for three months, and he had promised that he would
solicit the government to give a further sum equivalent to
that which might be further subscribed. (Hear.) From a
report as to the mortality at Skibbereen, it would appear
that it had been confined to a class of persons whom it was
impossible to relieve except by local committees. There
were a great number of persons in Ireland, who lived in a
state of mendicancy, and the moment the supply of potatoess.
failed, they were without the means of subsistence ; and no
matter what the price of corn might be, they existed
on charity. It was that description of persons
amongst whom there had been ao much mortality.
On the 30th of December, Sir ltandolph Routh wrote
to Clue, and also to the county Leitrim, desiring
to have food given to the infirm. On a sub-
sequent occasion he wrote from Skibbereen, saying
that two mill. in the neighbourhood were at work, and that
the government depot was open. Thus, from the 3rd of
December, the system of giving food gratuitously to the in-
firm was in operation. And in the autumn there were depots
open for the supply of food. In Kilmore, in the neighbour-
hood of Skibbereen, there was an active committee which
got their own supplies an long as they could, and when they
were not able to do so any longer, the government sent them
supplise. He wished the gentry throughout Ireland would
exert themselves in the same manner. Instead of looking at
the meeting which was held in Dublin with apprehension,
. he hailed it as an important circumstance, because he hoped
they would now exert themselves in their own localities,with-
oat which, it was impossible that anything effective could be
done by government. It was impossible for government to
. become relieving officers, or to undertake the distribution of
food throughout Ireland. That could only be done by local
1 estate. The government was willing to give liberal aid, and