The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-28 00:00:00

IRISH POOR RELIEF.

SECOND REPORT OF Till: co m missroyEßs,
Relief Commission-office, Dublin, May 15,1847.
Moy it please your Lordships—We beg,,, leave to
submit a second monthly report of our proceedings
under the Temporary Relief Act, 10 Vic., cap 7.
One thousand two hundred and forty-eight elec-
toral divisions are under the direct operation of the,
Act, and many others have means remaining which
enable them to hold back; many, however, still re-
quire an organised system of relief, and we feel con-
siderable disappointment that this progress should
have been so slow, seeing no good reason why the
measure might not by this time have been in full ac-
tivity all over the country. The means were, to the
best of our belief, within the reach of all the local
bodies, through whose agency it was to be worked,
and without whose assistance nothing could be done ;
but delays have arisen in many parts from the great
disinclination which seems to be gradually arising
against the commencement of an extensive system of
out-door relief, and a vague impression of other more
favourite systems of meeting the difficulties.
Some committees have certainly worked with zeal
and ability, and are proceeding to carry out th
measure with charitable feelings, united to the firm-
ness necessary to prevent its degenerating into abuse.
Others are equally well disposed, but experience
difficulties which they cannot find means to overcome
without inconvenient delay.
Some are negligent from an aversion to this first
essay of an out-door provision, as above mentioned,
or from a desire to force on a continuance of the
system of public works as the general means of relief;
some from animosities and dissensions among them-
selves ; and others from a want of willingness and
energy to undertake the task.
In addition to these causes there his been,-in many
districts, an assumed excuse afforded,for deferring the
necessary proceedings under the Act, by the circum-
stance of old committees or parties having sufficient
funds remaining in hand to provide for the most
urgent wants of the moment.
So long as hopes were entertained that, by the
delay of the requisite preparations, the continuance of
the expenditure on the public works could be enforced,
on the plea that those works were to remain in acti-
vity till the other measure should be ready, a great
negligence was observed in many districts ; and it
has been only by the determination shown in a con-
siderable reduction of the works, that a certain degree
of activity has at length been produced.
This has been the only means in our power of sti-
mulating the Committees to exertion, except by re-
monstrances through the medium of our inspectors.
Amidst the awful extent of distress that prevails
generally over the country, and with extreme inten-
sity in the west, and in parts of the interior, much
alleviation has been afforded by the benevolent efforts
of individuals, and of associations, and even by the
active sympathy of foreign countries.
The public works provided for a very large number
of distressed persons, but as the extent of the calamity
was gradually developed, together with the necessity
for providing for the wants of millions of unfortunate
beings, all of these means having been found totally
insufficient, and the Legislature has deemed it neces-
sary to meet the emergency, by an arrangement as
proposed by this Act, for the seeking out of every
distressed individual.
We make this statement to show the enormous
arrangement that is dependent on this commission,
the great demands that arrangement must necessarily
involve, and the real difficulties that must arise in its
establishment, particularly when so much opposed to
the desire and feelings of so many of those on whose
assistance we are dependent for carrying it out, and
who are only reluctantly led to lend that assistance
because no other means remain for saving numbers
from absolute starvation.
In the development of this great temporary reli.-1
operation, we are met by many objections to our le-
gulations, by assumed difficulties, and by remon-
-trances against the effects of the act itself ; with the
latter of course, we have nothing to do, except to show
that such effects, whether good or bad, are inheren.
in the measure, and not arising from our adeninistra.
lion of it.
The first and most reasonable complaint brough
forward is, that it will have the result of feeding vas
numbers of able-bodied men, who will be kept in idle.
ness.

We are hardly bound to explain why the insuffi-
ciency and enormous expense of a public work sys-
tem have precluded the continued application of that
remedy for this inconvenience; but we point out the
anxiety of Government for the promotion of legitimate
public works, and for the encouragement of private
works, and we urge the importance of all proprietors,
farmers, and of individuals in general, affording as
much employment as may be in their power.
It must be confessed that, notwithstanding every
effort that can be made, there will still remain a vast
multitude of able labourers to be fed without employ-
ment, and suggestions have been offered as to the
propriety of establishing some useful labour in return
for the rations ; but they all tend rather, to the ad-
vantage of effecting that object than to the means by
which it could be accomplished. We concur in the
principle, but consider that the result can be only
very partially attained. This we have endeavoured
to explain in our circular of the 22d of April.
Demands continue to be strongly urged upon us to
admit of the administration of relief in aid of wages
on the plea that a man cannot support a large family
on his wages, although all above fifteen years of age
are allowed to be distinctly entered on the lists.
The principle we have laid down has been so com-
pletely understood and established in England, that it
is only necessary to advert to it, in order to explain,
that, even under the present circumstances of Ireland,
there is nothing peculiar to justify its relaxation; on
the contrary, we consider that it is essential to avoid
at this moment the introduction of a system which
we are satisfied is in its nature pernicious, and calcu-
lated to add considerably to the future embarrass..
ments of the country.
Independent of the encouragement that would be
given by this provision from a public fund to early
marriages and their natural result, large families,
without any prospective means for their support, it is
not apparently perceived that the same argument
would be equally available for the partial support of
small families, or of the single labourer, and that
wages would be no longer regulated by the 'rdinary
competition of supply and demand, but would become
absolutely at the caprice of the employer.
If any deviation were made from this regulation
at the present commencement of out. door relief, it
would be found extremely difficult to rectify it here-
after! and we should be accused, and with justice, of
having been the means of inflicting a very serious
permanent injury on the community.
Dissatisfaction has been expressed from many parts
at the inadequacy of the amount c.f ration that we
have defined as the scale for distribution. Under the
present dearth it would be impossible to afford relief
to the degree that every charitable person would de
sire; it must be reduced to what is strictly neces-
sary; and we have the authority of the Central Berard
d
scale,ofthat Health,
it reasonable, to whom
re
aswehbale, uveandahemritthtved!nirproP°4e
circumstances
of the case-

We find it difficult in many di4tricts to obtain the
establishment of soup kitchens, as the medium in
part of relief. Dry meal is universally greatly pre-
ferred, and, it is feared, chiefly on account of the
opening it affords for abuses, and many Committees,
yielding to this popular feeling, or to avoid increased
trouble, insist on its use.
Other injurious deviations from our regulations are
also frequently pressed upon us ; and it may be
deemed a matter of surprise that persons who appear
to have the greatest dread of the introduction of fir.-
measure of out-door relief, should, in many case,,,
advocate proceedings that would greatly add to its
evils.

A. very difficult question has been repeatedly sub-
mitted to us, viz., the extent of holding in land, or of
property in stock, &c., that should disentitle a per-
son to gratuitous relief. We consider that this
can with reason only be dealt with according t-
each individual case. Abstractedly it nsay be thought
that the possession of any property should preclude
person from being considered destitute ; but, inde-
pendently of the cruelty of this principle, it becomes
a question of policy whether a man should be drivel)
to permanent destitution, when, by some temporary
relief afforded him, he might hereafter, by such re-
served means, be enabled to gain an independent live-
lihood.

The substitution under the Act of relief by food
for that by public works, as hitherto afforded, is ex
tremely unpopular with all classes. There is a natural
prejudice in favour of the useful effect that must, in
certain degree, be produced by the latter, and for
money payments ; while the very great abuses t•.
which the system gave rise are overlooked, as are
also
the demoralising effect of the semblance of labour f
full amount of wages, and the itnpossibilit by°l.
Y
means of meeting the extent of
measure
ee moef r g
relief,e nc
are
The public works, as a
course of rapid reduction, as the new
we believe
efoiorcuesdairnraton
goepreitiitosnof; measureth eJ. d
thaendßoard of Works are effect-
ing this object with firmness, combined with due
consideration for the circumstances of each locality,
so as not to press on the distressed population more
than is absolutely necessary to stimulate the
relief
committees to proceed with the means of distributing
food under our Act.
It is anxiously hoped, that a large mass
community, now absolutely requiring food, will
gradually be absorbed by the prosecution of such
the legitimate bps
works as can be recommended on b
of the
of commer:surate public utility, with a duo arnouct
of work for the expenditure, by undertakings, by
public companies, boards, and by the efforts of indi-
vidual proprietors to establish as much labour as shall
be in their power.

The Legislature has been led by the circumstanei s
of the times to deem it absolutely expedient to pro•

vide for the present distress by the searching measure
of unproductive out-door relief.
As commissioners for carrying out this measure,
our efforts are earnestl3 engaged in the. endeavour to
avoid the permanent evils to which it must be liable ;
but it is manifest that, while we indicate the means
I by which, to the best of our judgment, this object is
to be effected, the interests of the country are in the
hands of the local bisdies and of local influences, in
whom alone the power exists to bring it to the most
favourable results of which it is susceptible.
While some are aware that such is the ease, and
are making laudable efforts to carry their districte
through the existing calamity as rapidly and with as
little mischief as possible, we regret to sav that there
are others so short sighted, so indolent, or so perverse,
as to leave events to take their course, and conse-
quently to allow of mal-practices 'which they might
prevent, or even connive at them for the purpose of
self-advantage.
We accompany our report with the circular orders
we have issued since our last.
We have the honour to be, my Lords, your most
obedient humble servants,
J. F. BURGOYNE. D. M•GREcou.
T. N. REDINGTON. R. J. Roura.
E. T. B. TWISLETON. HARRY D. Jonas.
To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners
of her Majesty's Treasury, &c. &c.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

........_
PORTSMOUTH, MAY 26.—Yesterday evening Colonel
Campbell, Deputy-Lieutenant of the county of Hants,
entertained the Conde de Montemolin, the Duke de
Medina Sidonia, his Excellency the Marquis de Villa-
franca, Colonel Merry, General Montenegro, Captain
BarloW,ll.E., Captain Pasco, R. N.,, Major and Mrs.
HarveY, Captain and Mrs. Conway Gordon,. Captain
Stawiarski, Dr. Rolph, and "other distinguished per-
sonages, at a grand banquet at his mansion, Northend,
Kingston.
This morning the Count and his suite attended a
solemn mass at the Catholic chapel, Gosport, where the
remains of his mother are deposited. The service was
performed by the Rev. Ramon Doria, his Highness's
chaplaia. After service the distinguished party were
present at the inspection of the 42d Highlanders, in
Colewort barracks in this citadel, in their full Highland
costume; thence the distinguished party, accompanied
by Captain Pasco, of the Victory, proceeded to the vic-
tualling establishment, Clarence-yard, and thence to
Hasler Hospital, which establishments, under the com-
mand of Sir Edward Parry, afforded much gratification
to the party.
This afternoon the 43d Light Infantry, under com-
mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Forlong, K.H., were in-
spected in review order on Southsea-common, by Major-
General Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, G.C.H., in order
Ito gratify these distinguished foreigners; the manner in
which this most efficient regiment went through the
various manoeuvres incidental to field operations excited
the admiration of the immense assemblage congregated
to witness them; and, in the words of Lord Frederick
Fitzclarence, when he last inspected them, "left nothing
to be desired."
The Admiral-in-Chief's barge attended upon the
august party in all their peregrinations afloat, under the
guidance of Captain Pasco, of the Victory. They re-
turned to town this afternoon by an express train on the
South-Western Reilway.
The Hecate steam.,loop, Commander West, arrived
at Spithead last evening from the west coast of Africa
station. The Commodore, in the Penelope, arrived at
Whydah on the 12-h of March, and gave the Hecate her
orders to proceed home on tne ,ame day; she accord-
ingly left fir Fernando Po for coals, which having pro-
cured, she left on the 22d, takine the Waterwitch, 2,
Commander 'F. F. Birch, in tow cl,ar of the i,land, she
being bound to Kabenda to fail in with the Commodore,
having on board one of the chi. fs of the Bunny, who
had seized English propertk. on board a merchant
vessel's boat; the culprit was th refute taken in the
WaterwitA fir the di :piss .1 of the Comm ,dory, The
Hecate arrived at Sierra Leone on the ufternoon of the
14th of April undrr sa I ow). flaying shipped suffi-
cient coal to take her to the G iinlea, she lett on the
• vening of the 17th of April, and screed there en the
21st, completed fuel Fine. left on the 28tti for Goree,
where she arrived on the 30th, 1. ft in the afternoon of
the Ist instint, and arrived at Tene:iffe on tr.e 9th„ and
left, after coaling, on the 14th for Spithead. All the
officers who left England in the Hecate have returned
;n her with the exception of Mr. Fox, the master,
whose death we recorded some months since. The
Hecate has been in commission since December, 1843,
and was employed on the coast of Ireland, under Com-
mander J. P. Bower, until 1845, when that officer was
promoted. Commander West then succeeded to the
appointment, and she left England on the 23d of June,
1845, for tho coast of Africa. She has made three
captures during her slave trade suppression service; one
was shared with the Prometheus, and one of the others
had 549 slaves on board. When she left the station,
the coast and squadron were healthy, but the slave trade
was thriving. It is estimatsd that the number of
cargoes successfully landed forms a striking contrast in
amount to the number of prizes made by the cruizers.
The Grampus, 50, Captain Martin, the Juno, 26,
Captain Blake, and the Spy brigantine, Commander
Woolridge, were in the bay at Otaheite in the beginning
of February last—all well; also the French Urania,
60; two other 50's, two brigs, two schooners, a steam-
sloop, and some transports. The Juno was taking in
stores and completing provisions for six months from a
transport which arrived from Valparaiso on the 11th of
January. Our letter says, " The French have several
forts commanding the approaches to the town, and
watch-houses and towers built on hills at the back of
the town to prevent surprise ; they are still fortifying
the place. The soldiers have charge of one end of the
town, and a number of seamen the other : they expect
1,200 soldiers to reinforce them hourly. Some of the
tribes have marched in and submitted to the French.
David Thomas, the gunner's mate, who ran from the
Vindictive, is strongly posted in the mountains with
about 1,500 men ; he watches the French so closely that
they dare not venture out of the reach of the guns ; his
men frequently fall upon the guards in the night at the
watehhouses and massacre them. In the beginning of
December last, 400 French troops marched out to attack
him ; in one skirmish they (the French) lost fifty men,
and David so harassed them that very few lived to
return. They intend to attack him again when
the reinforcements arrive. The French are
training and arming the tribes who have sub-
mitted; they are fine men, most of them exceeding
six feet in stature. I think the French will soon be
sorry for putting too much confidence in them. They
(the French) have effered a very large reward to any
one who shall take or kill Thomas, who has about 20
more Englishmen with him, and frequently comes into
the town in disguise, but the French do not know him.
They have lost an immense number of men since they
have been here ; one vessi 1, the Urattie, has lost 400.
Provisions are very scarce and dear ; the only fresh
neat to be get is a tew sue,ll pigs and fowls ; there are
'Jolty actinic in the isl :nd, but the French cannot get
at them, for they have only possession of as much of the
island as their shins can fire over, and when th. ir 1,I?00
men arrive to reinforce them, I think they will soon eat
them-elves out of this. A Fr- nch ..fficer said the other
day, $ This is a second Algeria ;it has cost us more teen
and money than it ever w.ii be worth."
The labourers in her Majesty's doekyard petitioned
l
the Admiralty last week r.r an increase of their se g
d. which has been f.,r 7i,an) years only 12s. Their
l,ci
stipend. which
h eve b,-en gra i, u,ly pleased to grata their
request, and have increased it to 14s. a wei k until
Angus, nnct, in consideration of th, high prices of pro-
visions.
Tne Joseph Stnes convict ship, haviiie taken on
b ,ard prisoners at Cowes, came re *-,piliead last niat.
The Hecate steam sloop. Vortiteut,ch.r West, is elenz.
+i,-le the jetty, receivire the store=s which she i; to take
to Woolwich, wi;h which site will leave this evening or
o-m,brrew morning.
The Clarence victuellinfe establishment stopped making;
relief" bread last night by Government order.
The following are more detailed particulars of the
capture of the Penelnpe's three prizes :—On the 17th of
March she fell in with the Flying Fish, in chase of a
-laver which she had been after four days and nights.
the (Penelope) joined the chase, and continued all night.
On
hbeuttretnhhereelrole
On the following morning she sep.irated. The h
The Penelope tired at her.erhuat. the
Seen about tight o'clo•
and then vsehe hove to ; sh a
to ; the shot went over
l h. .
she threw nothing overboard was a magnificeet sallerho,u
It on the mznirngdidofneothtase
hleBatvi hi;
gh she had put seven shot
eblu:inrwdetrhdkinshgerdooew.reenrw:
fine vessel of 100 tons, with a
She was a
over-
board rtdh e Ffoiry
k only about 2 feet
,11 inches high for 300 slaves
(t4toechroblelghs:hweedr mupaolnus.adtil,
ahnedgootonfrethslei
at Kabenda, which she left on the 22d for Congo ~
ingusF,is.kasna._t
ell
28th
he r 0
fa and
March fil l filled
and,
where she arrived on the 23d in the afternoon. About
tanks. kmsi.l miles
s Sobffe Congoh,ft L olj
made for St. Helena. On the 30th saw a sail, chased:
and came up with her in about three
hours ;found herd
to be the schooner Felteidadawith
312 slaves on boar „
mostly women and children, 17' , men in irons, a sick and
miserable looking mass. On the 4th of April, about
one, P•sr., she fell in with another vessel, and came up
with her at sunset, After a hard chase, she having thrown
everything overboard. She was the Joanita, named
after her captain ; she was :from Rio, empty, bound to
the coast fitted for slaves, a fast sailer, which they think
no sailing vessel would ever have captured.
At Kabenda tho Commodore inspected- the Lorne,
Bittern, Heroine, Sealark, and Lily ; all. well. The
Penelope remained at St. Helena on the 12th of April;
all well.
WOOLWICH, MAY 26.—The Driver steani.sloop, Cap_
tain C. 0. Hayes, Cciiimtinden was paid off yesterday at
Woolwich, on her return from the East Indies and China
station.
The Atholl troop-ship, Master Commander Pearn,
was paid wages in advance to day at Woolwich, and
will embark two companies of the Royal Artillery,
under orders for Ceylon, to relieve the two companie a
at that station.
The Ampti In steam-frigate, CNA .in Woodford J.
Williams, is still at Greenhithe.

THE FALL IN CORN.—That important functionat.y
the bellrnan, way again called on : motning to an-
nounce to tho town a pieco of nows of less questional)le
character than his I,st week's proclamation :—" Oh y es,
oh yes, oh yes ions ! Great tact ! Chimp
bread and flour ! L Mark-lane, Monday. hien,
women, and children, inhabiting Bury Sr. Edmund's ,are
with great joy informed T th, re was a lar,re arrival of
w:ieat and flour in the London market yesterday. and
tn2t who:-.t was Cs. to 8, pr quarter cheaper, a.id flour
ss. per sack lower, with sae. God save thy Queen
and the free traders."—Bury Post.