The Irish CrisisTrevelyan, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
History
The Irish Crisis
Trevelyan, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
Ireland -- Economic conditions; Ireland -- History -- 1837-1901; Ireland -- History -- Famine, 1845-1852
In 1831 another failure of the potato crop occurred in the counties
of Galway, Mayo, and Donegal, upon which another meeting was held in
the City of London, and one committee was established at the Mansion
House, and another at the West End. Great exertions were made to raise
subscriptions; a bazaar was held at the Hanover Square Rooms by many
of the ladies of the nobility, presided over by the Queen in person;
and there was a ball at Drury Lane Theatre, which was honoured by
the presence of the King and Queen. The whole amount collected was
74,410ℓ.; and besides this 40,000ℓ. was granted by Parliament, part of
which was expended on relief works, and part in the actual distribution
of food. Besides these London Committees, two other Committees were
formed at Dublin, through one of which (the Mansion House Committee[8])
8,569ℓ. was collected, and through the other (the Sackville Street
Committee) 21,526ℓ.
In each of the years 1835, 1836, and 1837, the potato crop failed
in one or other of the districts in the West of Ireland, and sums
amounting in the aggregate to 7,572ℓ. were expended from Civil
Contingencies in relieving the distress thereby occasioned, to which
was added the sum of 4,306ℓ. remaining from the English and Irish
subscriptions of 1831.
In 1839 another failure occurred; and in all the Western and Midland
Counties, the average price of potatoes in July and August was 7d. a
stone, and of oatmeal 18s. or 19s. a cwt.; the former double, and the
latter one-third more than the usual price at that time of the year.
On this occasion Captain Chads, R.N., was deputed by the Government
to assist the landlords in employing the destitute in constructing
roads and other useful public works; and it appears from a report
addressed by him to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, dated the 22nd
of August, 1839, that 5,441ℓ. was expended in this way, of which
1840ℓ. was contributed by the Government, besides 1478ℓ. disbursed
through other channels. Towards the conclusion of his report Captain
Chads made the following remarks:--“A recurrence of these seasons of
distress, which have been almost periodical hitherto, must, I fear,
be necessarily expected, so long as the present condition of the poor
continues, and whilst they subsist on that species of food, which in
a year of plenty cannot be stored up for the next, which may be one
of scarcity. A very great alleviation, however, of this evil is most
confidently expected from the Poor Law now being established. I have
conversed on this subject with persons of every class of society, from
one end of the country to the other, and it is universally regarded
as the promise of a great blessing:--to the poor by inducing more
provident and industrious habits; and by making it the interest of the
landlords to give them employment; and to all other classes, comfort
and contentment, from the knowledge that the really distressed are
provided for, and that the country is generally improving by the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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