of food, their lordships “desire that it may be fully understood that even at those places at which Government depots will be established for the sale of food, the depots will not be opened while food can be obtained by the people from private dealers, at reasonable prices; and that even when the depots are opened, the meal will, if possible, be sold at such prices as will allow of the private trader selling at the same price, with a reasonable profit."[123] The rule to allow private dealers to sell at a reasonable profit, excellent in itself, required an amount of supervision which it did not receive, and in consequence, the starving poor were often obliged to pay unjustly exorbitant prices for their food supplies.  Commissary-General Hewetson, writing from Limerick on 30th December, 1846, says:  “Last quotations from Cork:  Indian corn, L17 5s. per ton, ex ship; Limerick:  corn not in the market; Indian meal, L18 10s. to L19 per ton.  Demand excessive.  Looking to the quotations in the United States markets, these are really famine prices, the corn (direct consignment from the States) not standing the consignee more than L9 or L10 per ton.  The commander of an American ship, the ‘Isabella,’ lately with a direct consignment from New York to a house in this city, makes no scruple, in his trips in the public steamers up and down the river, to speak of the enormous profits the English and Irish houses are making by their dealings with the States.  One house in Cork alone, it is affirmed, will clear L40,000 by corn speculation; and the leading firm here will, I should say, go near to L80,000, as they are now weekly turning out from 700 to 900 tons of different sorts of meal....  I sometimes am inclined to think houses give large prices for cargoes imported for a market, to keep them up; it is an uncharitable thought, but really there is so much cupidity abroad, and the wretched people suffering so intensely from the high prices of food, augmented by every party through whose hands it passes before it reaches them, it is quite disheartening to look upon."[124]

The Government further determined not to send any orders for supplies of food to foreign countries, as was done by Sir Robert Peel, in the case of the cargo of India meal; and their depots would be only established in those western and north-western districts, where, owing to the previous almost universal cultivation of the potato (or rather owing perhaps to its universal use), no trade in corn for local consumption existed.

The system of relief thus provided was extensive and expansive enough, as it laid the entire soil of Ireland under contribution.  Whether or not the country would, in the long run, be able to pay for it all, the Government acted well in making the landlords understand and feel their responsibilities in such a terrible crisis.  But they should not have stopped there.  Those who had mortgages on Irish estates, and their name was legion, should have been compelled