The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-15 00:00:00

RELIEF OF DISTRESS (IRELAND).
Tao larg, blue books have just been laid before both
Houses of Pa.liament, by command of her Majesty,
containing correspondence (from July, 1846, to January,
1847) relative to the measures adopted for the relief of
the distress in Ireland. One of these ♦olumes includes
peculiarly the commissariat series, and the other the
fisheries series. The following are extracts from some
of the more interesting and important of the numerous
documents contained in these volumes. Sir R. Routh,
writing to Mr. Trevelyan, from the Castle, Dublin, Jan.
14, gives these particulars with respect to what has been
done in relation to remedial measures :
In submitting to the Lords Commissioners of her
Majesty's Treasury a brief statement of .the present
duties, it is necessary to make some reference to those
of the preceding season.
On that occasion it will be recollected that the chief
depot was at Cork, which was supplied direct from the
United States, and the following depots were dependent
for their supplies on that of Cork :—Dundalk, Dublin,
Waterford, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Longford,
Banagher.
There were, besides, some minor constabulary depots
established for some immediate exigency, but which
rarely contained more than five to ten tons of meal.
In the present season it was thought fit to leave the
east, the north, and the south coast, comprising the
space between Londonderry and Skibbereen to the exer-
cise of private enterprise, for which the commissariat
arraagements of the preceding year had prepared it, but
the Government undertook the supply of the west coast,
which is hardly yet accessible to trade in any degree
sufficient for its supply.
With this object the following depots have been
established :
County Donegal—Dunfanaghy, Bunbeg, Gweedore
Bay, Burton-port, Killibeggs, where there is also a
floating depot, and both in connexion with the mills at
Mountcharles.
County Sligo—Sligo. •
County Mayo—Ballina, Belmullet, Achill Island, with
two depots, Westport.
County Galway—Clifden, Galway.
County Clare—Kilrusli, Clare Castle.
County Limerick—Tarbert, Madagascar floating
depot.
County Kerry—Dingle, Cahirceveen.
County Cork—Castletown (Berehaven), Long Island,
Skibbereen.
Dublin—Entrepot for supplying Banagher and Long-
ford, on the Shannon.
It is also intended, before the close of the month, to es-
tablish a depot at Corg, in the hilly country, on the bor-
ders of counties Mayo and Galway ; on Lough-corrib
and Lough-mask.
As the season advances, some temporary constabulary
depots may become necessary, but from the increased
difficulty of account, occasioned by these minor stations,
and for other substantial reasons, it is not contemplated
to increase this number more than can be avoided.
Our sales have commenced this year in December,
which we were enabled to postpone during the last
season until the 20th May.
The labour and responsibility before me is one of much
greater magnitude and importance.
The high prices which provisions of all kinds have
reached have made it incumbent on me to relieve this
❑navoidable accompaniment of the present distress by
encouraging, as much as I am able, the establishment of
soup kitchens, which has also the advantage of bringing
o our aid the active assistance and benevolence of the

other sex.
With this view I have caused all the best recipes I
could procure to be embodied in a small pamphlet, which
I enclose.
These soup establishments have been well received
throughout the country, and we are using our best ex-
ertions to extend them.
I lay betore you a copy of the instructions to com-
mittees for the present year, and I have much pleasure
in acquainting you that an increased readiness to sub-
scribe has already become visible, and their Lordships
will perceive by my estimate the increased activity which
I expect to be given to this source of relief.
And now. Sir, I must not conceal from you the great
natural difficulties which stand in the way of our ultimate
success in this undertaking.
The Baltic, the Black Sea, the American canals are
closed against us, and it will require all our foresight.
and all the co-operation of the public, to secure the pas-
sage of the people through the winter.
I speak of this co-operation with some anxious appre-
hensions, for we must expect the demands will increase;
and I am not without fear that some of the committees
may relax their exertions amidst the labour, the ex-
pense, and, not unfrequently, the disappointments which
surround them; nevertheless, it is not to be denied that
it is only by the continuance of these exertions, by the
liberality of the proprietors, and by the endurance of the
peasantry, that this great disaster can be overcome.
It would be fortunate if this important truth could be
brought home to every man's conviction, for the reliance
which is placed in the power of Government to effect
everything exercises a most dangerous influence on all
private exertion.
I know not if any step could be taken to encourage
this general co-operation from all classes in this great
question, which is one of food and human life ; and
there is reason to fear, from their present tendency, that
prices may rise until the spring supplies shall be received.
I hope to derive much assistance from the inspecting
officers, and their communications with the committees,
and I attach the more importance to this measure now,
as these local bodies have hitherto given their chief at-
tention to preparations for the employment of the people,
which must now be shared by the most active exertions
for their subsistence.
The committees last season amounted to 648, of which
484 had funds, on which Government grants were given.
This includes the whole season up to the end of August,
and many of these grants were given at a late period.
This season the committees (still in progress) number
930, and will probably reach 1,000, but as yet only 174
have received grants.
The price last year of oatmeal ruled from 151. to 17/.
10s. per ton in June and July, and it is now, in January,
at 25/.
Indian corn was not generally in the market, but one
holder, for a short period in April and May, sold at 111.
and 121.; the Government price, however, was 10/. per
ton ; the price now is 171. 10s. for whole corn, and 191.
for the meal, and, in some situations, as high as 221. and
241.; whole wheaten meal 201.
The potato failure last year was not so remarkable
for unusual deficiency as for the disease which so exten-
sively affected the plant, and rendered it generally unfit
for food ; still the people continued to cat potatoes in
some localities until April.
This season the early crop was very much diseased,
and the late or people's crop never came to maturity.
There. were few places where any continued to serve
as food beyond November, and in many they were con-
sumed in October.
'I hus the character of the present calamity is in-
tini.ely more alarming than the last ; it extends with
little or no mitigation over the whole country, and
comprises a loss of food equal at least to ten millions
sterling.
There are parts in Donegal which escaped the di"•
ease of last year, where there are no resident gentry,
and where their paeans of purchase must be soon ex-
hausted, and being, for the most part composed of rural
districts, not collected into towns or villages, the soup
establishments are not adapted or applicable to their
In the south-western parts of Kerry and Cork the
distress is not less imminent, and has indeed com-
menced first, but the proprietors are more wealthy, and.
notwithstanding the sufferings of all kinds by which
they have been surrounded, much may be accomplished
for their relief by order, economy, and exertion, and
I have reason to hope that this improvement is com-
mencing.
I lay before you the last returns of the Commissariat
depots, and the present state of the subscriptions, and
of the Government donations given in their aid.
If is unnecessary for me to enlarge on the advantage
of granting these donations in aid only of a local fund,
as it obtains for us an interest in the economy of its
management, which no other system could be expected
to secure.
The liberality of her Majesty's Government in offer-
ing a donation equal to the amount subscribed, that is,
pound for pound where the workhouse is full, with a dis-
cretion even to exceed this sum in cases of great and ac-
knowledged distress, is making a deep impression on the
public as it becomes known, and I receive expressions
from all quarters of their sense of this generous consi-
deration.
The annexed general recapitulation of supplies will ho
regarded with interest:—
General recapitulation of supplies provided by Go-
vernment in aid of the relief operations in Ireland and
Scotland, since the 15th of August, 1846:—
Remains in the several depots in Ireland TONS.
on the above date
Purchases since made through the agency
of Mr. Ericksen
Meal ground at Malta and other supplies
provided by the Commissariat at that
4477 14
station
83 2-3
uhpiapgliesstfourreiasisahteDd
Ordnance
riscuit delivered from the 558 2-3
rvaolrls-inic toutiatlh-
efrpotmfortdheanNda
Stores in Ireland ....... • ...............

Total 43,6541
five quarters to the ton, are equal
to 218,274 quarters.
Which, calculating

MILLBANK PRISON.

The report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire
into the management of Milbank Prison, and instruc-
tions and orders issued by the Secretary of State to
the prison authorities, in consequence thereof, have just
been printed and issued, having been laid before the
flou-e of Commoi s. command, in pursuance of their
tvicirvsi of Junuarx 20.

The Commissioners appointed were the Earl of
Chichoster, Lord Sevtuour, and Mr. B. Escott. The
latter disagreed with portions of the general report,
and, therefore, the Noble Lords alone drew up and
signed the document from which the following are ex-
tracts

We, your Majesty's Commissioners, appointed to in-
quire
into the conduct and management of your Ma-
3esty's prison and gaol at Milbank, and of the prisoners
therein confined, and into certain allegations of Edward
Baker, late a warder in that prison, and also into the
conduct of the governor, deputy-governor, and other
officers of the said prison, humbly beg leave to report,
that we directed our attention in the first instance to
various allegations contained in two petitions presented
to the House of Commons, on the 15th of June and the
sth of August, 1846.
ThesepeeitiOns seriously impugned the character and
conduct of the Governor of Dliilbank Prison ; and co f,..
sequuntly imputed to the inspector, under whose super-
intendence the government of this prison is placed, s