, 1880-04-10
The Castle, Dubli n, March s.

MY GEAR Lord Msy0r,-Agaln l write
to acknowledge with deep gratitude your
weekly remittance of E2, 900. accompanied
as it is with a kind letter, iull OF sympathy
In our lsboura and OF wise advice as to
our proceedings, / never was more thank
full for your weekly contribution. for. in
our desire to grant the urgent request of
our local committees, and in view of the
increasing value of potato seed of good
quality, we have ventured to enter into a
second contract for a further supply of
champion seed potatoes, involving an sd-
ditional outlay Of 100000, this making
the total outlay for seed by this committee
100000. These transactions very consid.
erably reduced our balance available for
supplies of food, and yet | must own that
every week confirms me in the opinion
that if we wish to confer q lasting benefit
to the distressed localities and profit by
the experience of former seasons of dearth,
we must continue our supplies until q
period late 10 the coming summer.
"Distress is not yet diminishing general.
ly. 10 some parts it is increasing, and no
relief can be expected from public works
yet. In fact, it is the opinion of ell sensi.
Bile persons that it would be ruinous to
allow the small farmers to work on them
till their w land is prepared and sown.
| repeat, therefore, ! believe this to be the
most critical period of the year, and thus
it was that after our expenditure as regards
seed l felt somewhat uneasy until your
Lordship's weekly remittance, some large
sums from India, aud numerous church
offertoriea, for which W. are very grateful,
came to hand.
THE condition Of Donegal es specially
engages our attention. II will require a
great deal of assistance for nearly six
months and regular supplies 10 order to
avert starvation. The normal condition of
the peasant OF the coast OF Donegal is, at
best, u precarious existence. Hanging on
the verge of starvation, and clingiDg to his
iron.bound and sterile soil, he seems indeed
10 the words Of the poet, to say
WtLand of my sires, what mortal hand
"1Can e'er unite the tilial band
THAT knits me to thy rugged strandP
He goes yearly to Scotland at autumn
time and helps with the lngatherlog OF the
harvest, and brings back from &5, 9l0, to
els, which keeps him and hs family In
winter after his scanty crop OF potatoes
has come to an end. The failure OF The
harvest this year. the bad times In Scot.
land and the North of England, deprived
him of his profits, and he returned pennI'
less, and but for the relief funds must have
persisted. l could say much more, butt
will not weary your Lordship with a long
err letter. We feel much indebted to Ma
ior Gaskell, Mr.. Fletcher. the Hon. A. Tai
bot, and Mr.. Deane, who have done adj
mirable service by visiting our local CON-
mittees and reporting on the state OF the
country generally. 10 the meantime our
central committee is working steadily and
unweariedly. communicating with ouf nu-
merous local committees, and provioiog'
besides seed. clothing and blankets tor mem
women, and children, supplying breakfasts
to schools Of all denominations through the
agency of these local committees ; and 90
we shall continue confident in the M
bounded charity OF the English nation,
whish we are convinced would, if necessary,
double the large sum already subscribed,
and thus supported, our fund like the
widows cruise of oil, will not fail.
81 have The honour to be your Lord
ships faithfully.