Chapter XIII

The Irish Relief Act, 10th Vic., c. 7--Rapid expansion of Public
Works--They fail to sustain the people--Clauses of the new Relief
Act--Relief Committees--Their duties--Union rating. Principal clergy
members of Relief Committees--Duties of Government
Inspectors--Finance Committees--Numbers on Public Works in February,
1847--Monthly outlay--Parliament gives authority to borrow
£8,000,000--Reduction Of labourers on Public Works--Task work
condemned--Rules drawn up by new Relief Commissioners--Rations to be
allowed--Definition of soup--First Report of
Commissioners--Remonstrances--Quantity of stationery used--Cooked
food recommended--Monsieur Soyer comes to Ireland--His coming
heralded by the London Journals--His soup--Jealousy--M. Jacquet on
Soyer--The _Lancet_ on him--Professor Aldridge, M.D., on Soyer's
soup--Sir Henry Marsh on it--M. Soyer's model soup kitchen--A "gala
day"--Ireland M. Soyer's "difficulty"--Last appearance!--Description
of his "Model Soup Kitchen" (_Note_)--Reclamation of waste
lands--Quantity reclaimable--Sir Robert Kane's view--Mr. Fagan on
Reclamation--Mr. Poulette Scrope on the Irish question--Unreclaimed
land in Mayo--The Dean of Killala--Commissary General Hewetson on
reclamation and over-population--Opposition to reclamation--No
reason given for it--Sir R. Griffith on it--Mr. Fetherstone a
reclaimer of bog--Reclamation of bog in England--Second Report of
Relief Commissioners--Relief Works closed too rapidly--The twenty
per cent. rule--Mr. Labouchere's reply to Smith O'Brien--Letter from
Colonel Jones--The Premier's promise--The Claremorris
deanery--Effect of the dismissals in various parts of the
country--Soup kitchens attacked--Third Report of the Relief
Commissioners--Questions from Inspectors--O'Connell's last
illness--His attempt to reach Rome--His death--His
character--Remaining Reports of the Relief Commissioners--The
Accountant's department--Number of rations--Money spent, 420