The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-09 00:00:00

THE POTATO DISEASE.

The following is a copy of the report of the Commissioners
appointed by the Government to inquire into the extent of
the disease in the potato crop in Ireland, extracts from which
were read by Sir Robert Peel, in his speech on the 22d ult.,
and which has been laid on the table of the House of Com-
mons by Sir J. Graham, at the request of Mr. Newdegate :
" London, Nov. 15, 1845.
"Sir,—With reference to the conversation we had the
honour to hold with you to-day at the Home-office, and
your wish that our individual opinions as to the extent of the
potato disease should be dommunicated in writing, we have
the honour to make the following statement :
" During our stay in Ireland, we carefully examined such
official papers as were transmitted to us from the Castle; we
consulted persons acquainted with the facts of the disease ;
we visited the district lying between Dublin and Drogheda,
and inspected various potato fields and stores in the counties
of Dublin, Louth, Meath, Westmeath, and part of Kildare.
Judging from the evidence thus collected, and from what
we have seen of the progress of the disease in England, we
can come to no other conclusion than that one-half of the
potato crop of Ireland is either destroyed or remains in a
state unfit for the food of man. We, moreover, feel it our
duty to apprise you that we fear this to be a low estimate.
"-It is, doubtless, true that in some places a much larger
proportion of the crop is apparently safe ; but, on the other
hand, there are districts where it is not too much to say that
the crop is lost. For example, we may mention a large field
at Skerries, where not more than one potato in twenty was
found by us in a state which would admit of preservation ;
and aaotbea near Oldbridge, in which, from the want of skill
in the owner, all appeared to be perishing in the pits; and
we have proof that these are not rare examples.
" We would even add, melancholy as the picture is, that in
all proability the late rainy weather has rendered the mis-
chief yet greaten!
" Of the remaining half thus assumed to be capable of pre-
servation, there can be no doubt that the principal part may
be relied upon as food for the ensuing winter, provided the
methods of storing which we have indicated are followed.
But, considering the means, or rather want of means on the
part of the Irish peasant, the wetness of the climate, the
disputes between landlord and tenant, and perhaps the de-
spair or other feelings of the poor cultivators, we dare not
venture to hope that our plans, simple as they are, will be
fully carried out; and in the meanwhile more of the crop
will disappear.
" It is also necessary to direct your attention to the quan-
tity of seed potatoes which must be reserved for the coming
year, if the cultivation of the land is to be persevered in
We can state that en an average one-eighth of a crop is re-
quired fur planting the same quantity of ground; so that, in
fact, only thre-eights of the crop can, in our view, be at this
moment assumed to be available as food.
_ _

" There is an opinion that *pen the whole the potato crop
is this year a very large one. We regret to add that we
have been unable to obtain any proof of this. On the con-
trary, we have seen that the crop was small, and we have
it in evidence that it is below the average; but we have also
seen it to be heavy, and we, therefore, conclude that it may
perhaps be an average crop.
" We are not sufficiently acquainted with the habits of the
Irish peasantry to be able to state at what time the want of
food from the failure of their potatoes may be first expected.
—We have the honour to remain, Sir, your most faithful
servants,

" JOHN LINDLEY,
" LYON PLAYFAIR.
" The Right Hon. Sir J. Graham, M.P., &c."

THE LATE EXTRAORDINARY
VERDICT.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—If it will not be encroaching on your valuable space,
will you allow me, through the medium of your journal, to
ask two questions of those enlightened jurymen, who dis-
played so much judgment and humanity in the case of the
unparallelled monster, Captain Johnstone?
The first point on which I should like to be informed is,
whether a man's drinking to excess, with a view to embolden
him to commit some atrocious doed, is a sufficient plea for
insanity? If so, I should advise all murderers, ere they
proceed to their awful task, to take to drinking a day or two
beforehand, when they will undergo a mock ceremony, called
a trial, and be acquitted on the ground of insanity.
Why was Tapping hung, who shot his sweetheart in a fit
of jealousy, which amounts to nothing less than temporary
insanity?
The second question I would ask is, whether they took
their own views of the case or those of the counsel for the de-
fendant? It would seem they were entirely guided by the
latter. Thus the primary object of juries has been frus-
trated. Your humble and obedient servant,
. JUSTITIA.

EADVENTISIMENT.j—Deafness andDefeetiveVision
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Conductors, when fixed in the cavity et the ears, are not un-
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Royal Society and Royal Insti:ution of Great Britain. The
newly-invented Spectacles, inawdiately they are placed before
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Glasses, Microscopes, &c. Caution—. Messrs. S. and B. Solo-
mons, Opticians, arc not in any way en ected with a person
of the same name in their immediate neigi:bourhood, nor in any
part of the country. To prevent mistakes, be cautious, and
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FLAX GROWING IN IRELAND.—The committe of the
Society for the Promotion and Improvement of the Growth
of Flax in Ireland, met at Belfast on the 28th ult., when a
most favourable report of the progress of 'the society in in-
troducing the growth of flax into the south-west and centre
of Ireland was read. The secretary stated that agriculturists
of the acciety had visited districts in the counties of Kil-
kenny, Cork, Kerry, Mayo, Roscommon, Longford, Leitrim,
King's and Queen's County, and Westmeath. In all these
they had selected land for flax, and their report was highly
favourable as to the quality of the soil and the growth of the
crop. A. letter was also read from an English flax grower,
Mr. Warne, of Tirmingham, Norfolk, in,wbich it was stated
that, owing to the abundant employment to women and chil-
dren created by the growing and preparing of flax, there
were now no poor-rates in his parish.
DUFFIELD.—We are informed that immediately upon
Sir Robert Peel's financial statement becoming known, orders
were speedily issued from both the firms at Helper for all the
hands then on strike to return to work, which accordingly
has been complied with in this town, the men having gone
in at their former prices. So great is the scarcity of hands
that the bellman has actually been sent round for the purpose
Of ISQlidting WQrklnOno.24Tottingham Review,