But it was not the government alone that contributed to the relief of the Irish people in this trying emergency.|Private subscriptions.| Individual subscriptions were poured forth from all parts of the British empire. Associations were formed, local committees were appointed, all were active in sympathy and benevolent efforts for the relief of Irish distress. The chief organ for receiving and dispensing these various contributions was “The British Association,”[[145]] which collected subscriptions to the amount of 269,302l., and to which was likewise committed the proceeds of two royal letters inviting contributions, amounting to 200,738l., making together no less than 470,041l., one-sixth of which was apportioned to Scotland,[[146]] and the remainder to Ireland.[[147]] Then there was the “Society of Friends” who collected 168,000l., which was distributed almost entirely in provisions, whilst a great number of persons in all parts of England acted independently of any association, but all directing their efforts to the same benevolent object.
The British Association.
In administering the funds placed at its disposal, the committee of the British Association acted concurrently with the government and the Poor-Law authorities, each of whom bore testimony to its great usefulness. It determined at the outset “That all grants should be in food, and not in money;” and “That no grant should be placed at the disposal of any individual for private distribution.” The committee conclude their Report to the subscribers by declaring, that although evils of greater or less degree must attend every system of gratuitous relief, they are confident that any evils which may have accompanied the application of this fund, will have been far more than counterbalanced by the benefits which have been conferred upon their starving fellow-countrymen. “If ill desert has sometimes participated in this bounty, a vast amount of human misery and suffering has (it is said) been relieved.”[[148]]
The foregoing account of proceedings by the government and by individuals for relieving the distress which prevailed in Ireland during the years 1846 and 1847, through the failure of the potato-crops, has been continued down beyond the date of the ninth Report in order to keep the subject together, and to obviate the necessity of again recurring to it. These proceedings form no part of the Poor Law administration, and are only so far connected with it as being directed to the relief of distress, and as having been latterly carried on very much in accordance with recognised Poor Law principles, and moreover to a considerable extent with the aid of the Poor Law machinery. We will now return to the detail of proceedings during the twelve months preceding the 1st of May 1847, as given in the commissioners’ ninth Report.
Amount of expenditure, and numbers relieved.
All the workhouses had been opened for the relief of poor, and every union had made a rate, so that the law might now be said to be in operation throughout Ireland. The amount of expenditure for the year ending 31st December 1846 was 435,001l., and the number of persons then receiving relief in the several workhouses was 94,437, which exceeds by 52,369 the number in the preceding year, and the expenditure is greater by 118,975l. The entire number of persons relieved during the year was 243,933.
All the unions being now in operation, and their accounts being made up and audited half-yearly on the 25th March and 29th September, it is intended hereafter to substitute the latter dates for the return which has hitherto been made up on the 1st of January, at which time no perfectly authentic account of the expenditure could be obtained, owing to its not corresponding with either of the audit periods. This therefore is the last occasion on which that statement will be given; and it may here be convenient to exhibit in a tabular form its progress from the commencement, as shown in the several annual Reports—
| The year ended December 31st. | Number of unions in operation. | Expenditure during the year. | Number in the workhouses on December 31st. | Total number of persons relieved during the year. |
| 1840 | 4 | £ 37,057 | 5,648 | 10,910 |
| 1841 | 37 | 110,278 | 15,246 | 31,108 |
| 1842 | 92 | 281,233 | 31,572 | 87,604 |
| 1843 | 106 | 244,374 | 35,515 | 87,898 |
| 1844 | 113 | 271,334 | 39,175 | 105,358 |
| 1845 | 123 | 316,026 | 42,068 | 114,205 |
| 1846 | 130 | 435,001 | 94,437 | 243,933 |
Reappearance of the potato disease in the autumn of 1846.
“The potato disease” having as before stated again appeared at the end of July (1846), letters were addressed to the boards of guardians requiring full information as to the state of the crop in the several electoral divisions. Early in September replies were received, which left no doubt as to the almost total destruction of the crop that had everywhere taken place, and the commissioners had anxiously to consider in what manner the poor-law could be made operative in mitigation of the distress which must inevitably ensue. Relief from the poor-rates being limited to accommodation in workhouses, it was manifest that such relief would be insufficient for meeting the present calamity, “and that the comprehensive remedial measures adopted by government in the establishment of a general system of public works, and the organization of relief committees, were to be looked to as the principal means.” |Measures taken by the commissioners.| The commissioners nevertheless considered that it was imperatively necessary to use all the powers provided by the law on this occasion, and they addressed letters to the several boards of guardians, drawing their attention to the probability of a great increase of distress, and requesting them “to be prepared to make the utmost use of the means of relief which the law placed at their command.” They were urged to look to the state of their contracts for provisions and other supplies, and to their stocks of bedding and clothing, and to base their financial and other estimates on the assumption that the whole accommodation in the workhouse would be required, probably for a considerable time. These recommendations were very generally acted upon. The total rates made in the months of September, October, November and December, amounted to 232,251l., and much activity was manifested in the collection of the rates, as well as in providing the necessary supplies.