On Saturday, the 29th of December, there was a violent storm in Dublin, which did much damage to the shipping in the river; and the cruiser, “Man of War,” which was at the North Bull, being in great danger, “cut her cables, and ran up between the walls as far as Sir John’s Key,[20] where,” adds the chronicler, “she now lies frozen up."[21] Another curious incident is recorded which proves the intensity of the frost at this time:  the pressgang was very busy on the river catching sailors to man the navy for the war with Spain, and under the above date we are informed that more than one hundred pressed men walked on shore on the ice with several of the crews; but, it is added, “they gave their honour they would return."[22]

The frost continued about eight or nine weeks, during which all employment ceased; the potato crop was destroyed, and the mills being frozen up no corn could be ground.  The effect on the population was general and immediate.  In the middle of January the destitution was so great, that subscriptions to relieve the people were set on foot in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Clonmel, Wexford, and other places.  Some landlords distributed money and food to their starving tenants; but, I am sorry to have to say, that the number of such cases on record is very limited.[23] There was no general combined effort to meet the calamity, the Government taking no action whatever, except that the Lord Lieutenant (the Duke of Devonshire) gave to the starving citizens of Dublin L150 in two donations, and forbade, by proclamation, the exportation of grain, meal, bread, etc., except to England, “apprehending,” says his Excellency, “that the exportation of corn will be bad for the kingdom during this extreme season.”  Later on in the Famine, and when about two hundred thousand of the people had died of hunger and pestilence, there was another proclamation ordering a general fast for the success of his Majesty’s arms against the King of Spain!  But the fasting does not seem to have had much effect; Admiral Vernon, commander of the fleet at the seat of war in the West Indies, took Portobello, but had to give it up again; he attacked Carthagena with all his forces, was repulsed, and so the war ended.

To add to the miseries of the people there was a great drought all the winter and spring.[24] A person writing from the West on the 15th of April, says:  “There has not been one day’s rain in Connaught these two months.”  The price of provisions continued to rise.  Wheat, quoted towards the end of January in the Dublin market at L2 1s. 6d. the quarter, reached L2 15s. 6d. in April, L3 14s. in June, and L3 16s. 6d. in August.  About the end of May there was a very formidable bread riot in the city.  Several hundred persons banded themselves together, and, proceeding to the bakers’ shops and meal stores, took the bread and meal into the streets, and sold them to the poor at low prices.  Some gave the proceeds