The Sun.
London, England, 1823-11-06 00:00:00

THE LATE DISTRESS IN IRELAND.

The Committee who last year so laudably and
successfully conducted the Subscription, for
,the
Relief of the distressed Districts in Iceland, have
just published a Report of the whole, of their pro-
ceedings, which spews the effectual application
that was made of the funds in their hands to the

desired object of them. Our readers will be
gratified by the perusal of the following extract
from this Report

" After mature consideration, they wore of opinion, that

they could not better apply the surplus funds, than by devot.
ing them chiefly to the encouragement of a manufacture, not

wholly unknown to the South of Ireland, and particularly well
adapted to improve the habits and condition of the peasantry.
" The manufacture which the Committee found it expedient
to recommend was that of the coarser kind of linens, which had
already been partially introduced into the South of Ireland by
the Irish Government. This could not, in the smallest degree,
interfere with the trade in the finer linens, so extensively and
beneficially established in the North of Ireland.

" The resolution directing the appropriation of this large
grant, includes the manufacture of wool, in order to afford an
opportunity for the application of a portion of the fund to that
useful branch of domestic industry, where local circumstances
may may render it suitable. On the western coasts of Ireland, the
poverty of the inhabitants, and the prevailing humidity of the
climate, render this domestic manufacture an object worthy of
especial and constant attention.
" Having appropriated 40,000/. to the ten counties on an
estimated proportion, it was determined to confide the execu-
tion of this important measure of relief to the resident Gentle.
men of each county, without whose zealous and active co-
operation no plan whatever could be permanently successful.
" Trustees were accordingly chosen for each county, who
were, recinested to associate for the purpose of carrying these
objects into effect. To these Trustees was confided the
management of the funds, and the appointment of District
Committees, for the purpose of conducting the details of the
business under their own immediate superintendence. A
Board of Directors was also appointed in London, to whom the
, Trustees are to make annual returns of the administration of
this grant.

" It will be seen by these regulations, and by the several
resolutions annexed to this Report, that the money so appro.
priated, is to be advanced, on security, upon the reproductive
principle of the Charitable Loan Societies already established
with success in various parts of Ireland ; the loans to be made
to a limited extent, in the materials and implements of menu.
facture only, and to be repayable, by instalments, within a
certain period. As far as the Committee are at present enabled
to f9rm a judgment, they may fairly anticipate the most bent.
ficial results from this endeavour to establish on behalf 9f the
poorer classes, a system of regular and profitable employment.
Some interval of time however must elapse, before the experi,
ment can be fully tried, and before the plan can receive the
improvements And advantages to be derived only from practice
and experience.

" Independently of the grants made to the Committees and ;
other public bodies, the abundant generosity of the British pub:
lic has enabled the Committee to extend some assistance for ,
the special relief and protection of the distressed female pea-
santrY and their children. In the distribution of this relief,
several Ladies of distinguished humanity undertook personally
to superintend the distribution of flax and wool, receiving
bask the yarn, anti disposing of the produce of their labour, 4o
as to enable the poor to continue this beneficial course of cm-
ployment.
°iThe returns made to the Committee by these public spi.
rited individuals, evince the most economical and careful ap-
idication of the funds entrusted to them. A narrative of the
proceedings of a Lady in the County of. Mayo, reported in the
appendix, affords the most gratifying evidence of the excellent
effects resulting from her laudable attentions to the pcior in her
neighbourhood.
" Among the proposals for giving employment to the female
poor; aplan for introducing a new kind of straw plat manufac-
ture Into. Ireland, was deemed worthy of attention. The Coin-
mittee were induced to give encouragement to this species of
industry, by a knowledge of the effect produced by a somewhat
similar experimentamong the inhabitants of the Orkney Islands.
There is every reason to hope that it will become a produCtive
source of, profitable employment. . The attempt is. now mak-
ing in the neighbourhood o. Cahir, in the county of Tipperary,
under the immediate observation and assistance of the charitable
association of that town. . • •
" In justice to the people for whose relief these funds have
been administered, the Committee have great satisfaction in
stating, that the bounty, of the British public was distinctly
declined, when it became no longer necessary for the relief of
urgent distress. A strict account was rendered of the balance
• remaining in the hands of the respective Cornmitteew to whom
the funds had been entrusted.
" This circumstance, together with the large surplus which
the Committee were enabled to devote to the permanent im-
provement of those districts, affords honourable proof, not
only that the leading Atte of the subscription` has been ac-
complished, but that the funds have not been wasted in et-
travagant or interested objects, The records of the Commit-
tee abound with the warmest expressions of gratitude for this
timely relief. Impressed with the conviction that the Irish
people will give substantial proofs of this, their character-
istic quality, the Committee may be allowed to express their
firm belief, that among the many good effects produced by
this great subscription, independently of its main pur-
pose, it will be found to have softened many' prejUdices, to
have promoted feelings of mutual kindness and confidence,
and to have strengthened the bond of .union between the two
countries. . • • ,
" The records of the Committee contain also numerous
proofs of the manly and patient fortitude with which the ex.
tremities of' distress were sustained, and many striking' in-
stances in which this spirit induced the peasantry to con..
ceal the real extent of their sufferings. It may reasonably
be hoped, that in consequence of the increased and kindly
intercourse between them- and the natural guardians of their
welfare, and of their experience of the humane and ge-
nerous sympathy of the British public in. their condition,
impressions will have been made on the Irish peasantry. fa.
vourahle to their future employment and their future trap.
quillity,
When the Committee were on the point of closing their
proceedings, a very considerable remittance was received in
this country from Calcutta, accompanied by the gratifying in-
formation, that subacriptions had been entered into at the dif. ,
ferent Presidencies and dependencies Of India. •
" The British public will perceive, with careful satisfaction,
assurance,
1) at
or P asr
receive eivrerothis
that not only their fellow subjects in the- East have most
generously proved their sympathy in the distress of Ireland;
but that the. Natives of every rank and degree, have liberally
clorenitarnibduittedw the
trulyill be same beneficentconsolatory
that the interest felt fur their sufferings is not more ardent nor
more general in England than it is in the most
distant parts of
the empire.
" Part of this latter remittance has been placedat the dis
posal of two Societies formed in Loudon, the object of
which
is to promote the industrious thelrish employment of
peasan-
try. To one of these Societies, which directs it
the improvement of the habits and condition of attention to
the sum of 2,6001. has been appropriated. the Irish poor,
etstab e formation of the
lished a short time previously to the formation us
Society
was
London Committee, and it is the object of this as well as of a
former grant of one thousad five hundred
sphere of its useful exertions, and to pounds, to enlarge the
nent existence. T ando the British secure for it a perms.
Ladies Society,
patronised- by the female branches of
whose attention is exclusively directed the Royal Family,
!mak peasantry, a grant of 50001 to the welfare of the
vote of 1,500/.) has also been made inlaidn addition to a previous
the judicious application of which
their Report, the Committee c , explained in &tail by
gratifying results. cannot but anticipate the most
he more urgent and immediate distress having been hap.
pily relieved before the Arr va of thts
India, the Committee, in a great contribution from
to them best calculated to p ying it to objects which appear
evil,
have
the
satisfaction
to
oreyent a recurrence 'of the same
filling the intentions and wishes
believe, that they are strictly ful-
of all the subscribers."
JOHN SMITH, Chairman.