[293] “The Irish in America,” by John Francis Maguire, p. 186.

[294] “Report of Commissioners of Emigration for the State of New York,” quoted by Mr. Maguire.

[295] Dr. Stratten in “Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal.”

[296] Twelve months’ residence in Ireland during the Famine and the Public Works:  by William Henry Smith, C.E., late conducting engineer of Public Works, p. 92.

[297] Report p. 27.  Halliday pamphlets, vol. 1990.

[298] Report, pp. 29, 30.

[299] Report, pp. 33, 34.

[300] Ib., pp. 54, 55.

[301] Ib., p. 73.

[302] The report of the Emigration Commissioners for 1873 [just issued 28th October, 1874] gives the following facts.  In the course of last year 310,612 emigrants sailed from the ports of the United Kingdom, being a larger number than in any year since 1854.  Of these, 123,343 were English, 83,692 Irish, 21,310 Scotch, 72,198 Foreigners, who had merely touched at British ports, and 10,929 whose nationality was not ascertained.  The remittances of Irish Emigrants to their friends at home were as usual very large, the total sum being, according to the information within reach of the Commissioners, L724,040.  This includes the remittances of both the United States and Canada.  Of this sum L341,722 came in the shape of prepaid passages, more than sufficient, says the Report, to defray the cost of steerage passages at L6 6s. each for the 83,692 Irish who emigrated within the year. Thirty-first General Report of the Emigration Commissioners, p. 4.

CHAPTER XV.

The Soup-kitchen Act—­The harvest of 1847—­Out-door Relief Act—­Great extension of out-door relief—­Number relieved—­Parliamentary papers—­Perplexing—­Misleading—­Sums voted—­Sums expended—­Sums remitted—­Total Treasury advances under various Acts—­Total remissions—­Sum actually given as a free gift to meet the Famine—­Charitable Associations—­Sums collected and disbursed by them—­Two Queen’s Letters—­Amount raised by them—­Assisting distressed Unions—­Feeding and clothing school children—­Feeling about the Irish Famine in America—­Meetings throughout the Union—­Subscriptions—­Money—­Food—­Number of Ships sent to Ireland with Provisions—­Freight of Provisions—­Ships of War—­The “Jamestown” and “Macedonian”—­Various Theories about the Blight—­The Religious Theory—­Peculiar—­Quotations—­Rev. Hugh M’Neill—­Charles Dickens—­The Catholic Cantons of Switzerland—­Belgium—­France—­The Rhenish Provinces—­Proselytism—­Various causes for Conversions assigned—­The late Archbishop Whately’s Opinions—­His Convert—­He rejects the idea that Converts were bought—­Statement of the late Archdeacon O’Sullivan—­Dr. Forbes on the Conversions in the West—­Mr. M’Carthy Downing’s Letter—­The Subscription of L1,000—­Baron Dowse—­Conclusion.

The Temporary Relief Act, popularly known as the Soup-kitchen