The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-15 00:00:00

DANGER OF FAMINE.

Dupuis Nov. 13.—The following is the letter addressed
by Lord DUBLIN,
as Chairman of the Mansion-house Com-
mittee, to Sir R. Peel, and the Right Hon. Baronet's reply :
" Mansion-house, Dawson-street,
7th November, 1845.
" Sir,—As Chairman of a Committee consisting of highly
respectable gentlemen of all classes of political and religious
opinions, appointed at a recent public meeting of the citizens
of Dublin, the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor in the chair,
it devolves upon me, as a public duty, to address you as re-
sponsible adviser of our most gracious Sovereign, and which
I do with unfeigned respect, and in the most anxious man-
ner, to call for your fullest:and most immediate considera-
tion to the preaent afflicting and most dangerous state of
the people of Ireland. We can assure you that our infor-
mation is both accurate and extensive; that it reaches over
all parts of Ireland, and is derived from sources altogether
unaffected by any political party motive whatsoever. Be
assured, Sir, we tell you but the simple truth when we inform
you that the danger of famine is immediate and pressing, and
if not averted by the activity of man and the blessing of a
merciful Providence, must result in a pestilence of the most
frightful nature.
" We do solemnly assure you of our perfect knowledge
that the destruction of the potato crop is extremely ex-
tensive, with some slight mitigation in particular localities;
but as a general calamity is extending to all the provinces
and counties of Ireland—nor does the evil rest here—for
day after day the disease is extending. Quantities of pota-
toes apparently in the most healthy state one day are
found, on the ensuing, partially, if not entirely, unfit for
human er even animal food. The disease is in its nature
expansive, and it is to our knowledge daily and hourly
expanding; nor is there any rational evidence to show that
that this wide-spreading rottenness will find any other limit
than hi the destruction of the entire potato crop. We
do not intend Toll any disrespect, quite the contrary; but
we do wish to impress upon your mind the awful responsi-
bility which, as her Majesty's principal adviser, you incur
if your Government hesitates to adopt the most speedy and
extensive possible modes of alleviating the impending cala-
mity. Whilst you hesitate, if hesitate you shall, the people
of Ireland are about to perish in countless numbers. May
we respectfully refer you to Lord Devon's report of last
session, where you will find, or, indeed, whence we take
for granted you are already informed, that the Irish agricul-
tural labourers and their families are calculated to amount
to more than four millions of human beings, whose only food
is the potatoes—whose only drink is water—whose houses
are pervious to the rain—to whom a bed or blanket is a
luxury almost unknown, and who are more wretched than
any other people in Europe. We respectfully call your at-
tention to the fact that the foregoing description of the state
of the Irish peasantry was published long before there was or
could be the least suspicion of the most afflicting visitation
of Providence in the destruction of the present crop. If then
such was the condition of a large portion of the Irish people
even in favourable harvests, you will in your humanity
easily judge what must be the horrors of their situation if
the approaching famine be allowed to envelope the entire
population.
"We implore of you, Sir, not to allow yourself to be
persuaded that we exaggerate the horrors or certainty of the
approaching famine; we have no motive under Heaven of
misleading or misinforming you, and even if we had you may
believe we are utterly incapable of acting on such a motive;
our only object is to impress on your mind what we know
to be the fact, that famine and pestilence are at our door,
and can be averted only by the most extensive and active
precautions. The season for receiving supplies of foreign
food is rapidly terminating, the northern ports of Europe,
as also the ports of the British American colonies, as well
as of the Northern American States, will soon be closed,
until it will be too late to receive supplies from these
countries. Other foreign countries—afflicted by a similar
calamity—have already been before us in the market, and
are daily enhancing the price of those supplies, which our
Government might otherwise calculate on. The lives of the
people of Ireland are in the bands of your Government, if you
determine not to take immediate precautions, we are unable
to contemplate the extent of the horrible consequences re-
sulting from the destruction of the people's food, and from the
neglect of the protection of Government. We are incapable
of using any language that could be construed into dictation,
but we respectfully declare it to be our conviction that it is
the imperative duty of the Government to adopt some or all
of the following measures, together with such others as that
Government may deem advisable to meet the impending
evil:—

" 1. The opening of the ports of Ireland for all kinds of
human food, free of duty.
"2. The closing the ports of Ireland against the exporta-
tion of oats, either ground or whole.
" 3. That the consumption of oats by cavalry regiments in
Ireland be diminished as much as it possibly can with safety
to the public service.
"4. That the distillation from grain be suspended in
Ireland, due precaution being taken to prevent illicit dis-
tillation.

" 5. That there be immediately raised money, by way of
loan, to the extent of one million and a half at the least, and
chargeable upon Irish resources—such as the department of
Woods and Forests, &c. ; and that the amount of such loan
be applied, in the first instance, to the increasing the quantity,
and decreasing the price, of food in Ireland.
" 6. That we earnestly recommend the forming of granaries
in each of the poor-law unions, and other localities through-
out Ireland, so as to bring food within the reach of all its
inhabitants. . .

"7. That we also earnestly recommend the setting the
people to work without any delay, by urging on and assist-
ing the construction of railways, and also in works of drain-
age, as recommended by Government commissioners, and
other works of general or local utility.
" I have the honour to be Sir,
" Your obedient servant,
"CLONCURRY."
" Whitehall, Nov. 10, 1845.
"My Lord,—l have the honour to acknowledge the re•
ceipt of the communication of the 7th November, which
bears your Lordship's signature, earnestly calling the atten-
tion of her Majesty's Government to the calamity with which
Ireland is threatened by the failure, through disease, of the
potato crop, and suggesting for the consideration of the
Government the following measures :
" 1. The opening of the ports of Ireland for all kinds of
human food, free of duty.
"42. The closing of the ports of Ireland against the ex-
portation of oats, either ground or whole.
" 3. That the consumption of oats by cavalry regiments
in Ireland be [diminished as much as it possibly can with
safety to the public service.
'' 4. That the distillation from grain be suspended in Ire-
land, due precaution being taken to prevent illicit distillation.
"'5. That there be immediately raised money, by way of
loan, to the extent of one-and-a- half million at the least, and
chargeable upon Irish resources, such as the department of
Woods and Forests, &c., and the amount of such loan be ap-
plied in the first instance to the increasing the quantity and
decreasing the price of food in Ireland.
" 6. The forming of granaries in each of the poor-law
unions and other localities throughout Ireland, so as to bring
food within the reach of all its inhabitants. _ _

" 7. The setting the people to work without any delay,
by urging on and assisting in the construction of railways,
and also in the works of drainage, as recommended by the
Government Commissioners, and other works of general or
local utility.
" I give full credit to the assurance that in making this
communication, your Lordship and those who are parties to
it are influenced by no other motive than the desire to aid
the Government in the efforts which they are making to
avert or mitigate the impending eviL
" I shall without delay submit this, as I have submitted
all other representations which have reached me on this
painful subject, to my col'eagues in the service of her
Majesty.
" Although considerations of public policy and of public
duty prevent me from entering, in this acknowledgment of
your Lordship's communication, into a discussion in respect
to the advantage of the • particular measures recommended
for immediate adoption, yet I beg so assure your Lordship
that the whole subject is occupying the unremitting Eaten-
! tion- of her Majesty's confidential advisers.—l have the
honour to be, my Lord, your most obedient servant,
" ROBERT PEEL.
" The Lord Cloncurry."

POST-OFFICE REGULATION WITH REFERENCE TO
THE TRANSMISSION OF NEWSPAPERS.—Considerable misap-
prehension has for some time existed with reference to the
following point in the practice of the Post-office—the right
of newsvendors, and the public' generally-, to write the name
of the sender, or the initials of such party, in addition to the
address of the person to whom such newspaper is intended
to be delivered. It has been thought by many persons that
it is perfectly legal to do so, and the practice to a considerable
degree has been pursued, to the delay of the body of mails and
the annoyance of the authorities, as well as the vexation of
the public, whose papers have consequently been charged
with postage, according to their weight. Vendors and others,
however, may now be aware that such practice is contrary to
the regulation of the Post-office ; but as a most valuable con-
cession, on the part of the Postmaster General, has been made
in favour of the bona fide newspaper dealer (that of the right
to have his name and address printed upon the cover), the
following letter, from the assistant-secretary of the Post-office
to a newspaper agent, is subjoined, by which it will be per
ceived that the question is now set at rest by official autho.
rity:—

" General Post-office, Nov. 13, 1845.

" Sir,—l beg to inform you that the enclosed newspaper
cannot be forwarded without full-letter postage, in conse-
quence of your name and address being written upon the
cover. I beg to add that newsvendors are allowed to have
their names and addresses printed on the covers of news-
papers, but that they are not permitted to write them. I
am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" THOMAS LAWRENCE, Assistant Secretary.

" Mr. William Lawrence, 12, Great Trinity-lane, City

General O'Brien, whose name has been previously
mentioned in this paper, and extracts from whose pamphlet
upon the affairs of the River Plate and the conduct of Roses
have been placed before our readers, has now left this country
for Monte Video. It is but due to this Gallant Officer to
state that he was in this country a most indefatigable agent.
By his means and exertions numerous petitions were pre-
sented to Parliament on the commerce of the River Plate;
and in his interviews with the Foreign-office here, as well as
in France, he was incessant in urging upon the Governments
of both countries the necessity for the interference that has
now taken place.— Times.
OBSERVATION OF SUNDAY IN D I SPENSA RIES.—

Yesterday forenoon Mr. Wakley, M.P., held an inquest, at
the Friend-at-Hand, Colonnade-mews, Russell- square, on the
body of John Herridge, aged sixty-seven, a boot-maker.
The deceased died almost suddenly on Sunday evening last,
and his wife called in a private surgeon, though she would
rather have consulted Mr. Lloyd, of a neighbouring dispen-
sary, who had formerly treated deceased successfully; but
she could not do so, as the dispensary, she said, was closed to
patients on Sundays. The Coroner was surprised at this,
and could scarcely credit a proceeding which could be only
justified by the cessation of illness on Sundays. A juror con-
firmed the statement, and said that certain dispensaries
afforded relief only on six days in the week, and rested on
the Sabbath. Veidictr•," Atural death.*