Star.
London, England, 1831-06-13 00:00:00

kA.W.VE IV JRELAXD.

Extracts from very teernt Letters from the scene of Famine
and Distrers in Ireland, forwarded to the Western Com.
mitre fur the relief of the Irish Poor :
(From the Rev. W. B. Stoney.)

" Glebe House, Newport, Mayo, June 6, 1831.

" The famine Is beyond description dreadful here. The
sights and sounds of woe arc heart-rending. Though I have
expended in loans near 81.101. since the first of April, the
greater part of which is borrowed money, it seems as if the
want of fond increased in proportion to the efforts to give re-
lief. Hundreds have by it been saved from death. Provi.
lions are rising in price, on account of the great demand•
The people in parts of the interior of the country prevented
our can from coining with oatmeal, fearing a scarcity them-
selves from the constant drain. Several from twenty to
twenty-five miles distant on the sea-coast were here to-day,
scarcely able to walk from hunger and fatigue; their hag-
gard looks and cries of despair would melt the hardest limn.
Some had to be revived with cordials and bread to prevent
death. I believe this is the most extensive district and
most distressed part of Ireland. 1 offer up in my Church
the prayer appointed in our Liturgy for a time of famine."
(From Mr. Dombrain, Inspector-General of the Coast
Guard.)

" County Mayo, Bellmullet, Sunday, June 5, 1831.

" The price of potatoes, two months ago, was only 24.
per cwt. the worst description are now, with difficulty,
to be had at 4s. 2d ; oatmeal has risen from 13L in the
Hollins market, to 191. and we have two months of the
worst and most trying to come. Here the distress is
as great as in Donegal, anti, I feel convinced that,
do what you can, many, very many; must die from
actual starvation before food can arrive. The inclosed is •
copy of an Official Report made to me by the Inspecting
. . .

. -
Commissioner here, and In addition be has assured me that
a number of cattle having died from disease, they were, after
their skins bad been taken off, buried under ground, but
such was the state of the poor for want of food that they
actually dug them up and eat them."

" Bellmullet, Ist June, 1831.

" I feel it my duty to Inform you (with reference to the
dreadful dearth of provision in Err's) of a circumstance which
occurred on Monday last. A shoal of porpoises having ap-
peared in Bly-bay, they were chased by the boats of the Lee
cruiser, and five of them driven on shore under Bingham
Castle, and killed by Owen Parry, Coast Blockade, who in-
tended to have them cut up for the blubber ; but the pea-
santry haring observed the destruction of the finny tribe,
they rushed in hundreds to the beach, with pots and kettles,
and in a very short time greedily devoured every particle of
them (except the bones). I do most painfully submit,:it but
too truly exhibits the state of the all-but-famishing popula-
tion daily (indeed I may add hourly) mote apparent. And
I respectfully beg to observe, that unless supplies are forth-
with abundantly sent it, all the potato crops will be destroyed,
as the peasantry will from necessity tear them up before they
are half grown, and cause a greater dearth next year."