[139]. Sir John Burgoyne was the chairman of this commission, and Mr. Twisleton the poor-law commissioner was a member. The other members were Mr. Redington the first under secretary, and Col. Jones and Col. M'Gregor the heads of the board of works and the constabulary.
[140]. The best form in which cooked food could be given was “stirabout,” made of Indian meal and rice steamed. It is sufficiently solid to be easily carried away by the recipients. The pound ration thus prepared swelled by the absorption of water to between 3 and 4 pounds.
[141]. The price of Indian corn in the middle of February was 19l. per ton, at the end of March it was 13l., and by the end of August it had fallen to 7l. 10s. per ton. The quantity of corn imported into Ireland in the first six months of 1847 was 2,849,508 tons.
[142]. See ‘The Irish Crisis.’ See also the Reports of the Irish relief commissioners, which give full information on this interesting but distressing subject.
[143]. See the author’s first Report, p. 167 ante.
[144]. See ‘The Irish Crisis,’ p. 110.
[145]. The present Lord Overstone, then Mr. Jones Loyd, was chairman of the acting committee of the association, and Mr. Thomas Baring was the vice-chairman.
[146]. See ‘History of the Scotch Poor Law,’ p. 202.
[147]. In fact the amount applied to these objects by the association exceeded 500,000l., upwards of 130,000l. having been obtained by the sale of provisions and seed-corn in Ireland, and interest accruing on the money contributed.
[148]. See Report of the British Association for the Relief of extreme Distress in Ireland and Scotland, 1st January 1849.