Theresa, My understanding is that there was an earlier potato famine in the 1820's. The British took every advantage of the crops failing by forcing the Irish to leave. Bill -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Theresa Green" <[email protected]> > > > Thanks for this, its very interesting. In my strange mode of thought, I > believed the potato famine was a devastating one-off that occurred > during the 1840s.... I know I'm showing my ignorance here but - Does > anyone know if there were several potato famines? Did the crops fail > regularly? What did they eat before the potato? > > Thanks again. > Theresa > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf Of Alison Kilpatrick > Sent: 02 July 2008 09:02 > To: [email protected] > Subject: News extracts: July 2, 1822: Cause of the famine in Ireland > > Transcribed from the 2 July 1822 edition of The Strabane Morning > Post, by permission of The British Library: > > Cause of the Famine in Ireland. > The immediate cause of the periodical famines of Ireland, is the use > of the potato as the staple article of food. A quantity of land will > support a much greater number of persons on potatoes than on wheaten > bread; and if the potato, in other respects, formed as good a staple > article of bread as food, its supporting a greater population would be a > decided advantage. But the potato, considered as the staple article of > the food of the people, is, in all other respects, less eligible than > bread. The potato crop is much more precarious than that of wheat; > potatoes from their bulk, cannot be so easily transported, so as to > equalize the supply of food throughout the several districts of the > country, and, from their perishable nature, the superabundant supply of > one season cannot be carried forward to meet the deficiencies of > another. There is another most important particular in which the potato > is considered as the staple article of food, is inferior to wheaten > bread. When bread forms the main article of food, the customary wages of > common labour will be regulated by the customary price of wheat, and > when any deficiency in the supply of wheat occurs, the people can resort > to some cheaper article as a temporary substitute. But when potatoes > form the main article of food, and when, in consequence, the customary > wages of labour are regulated by the customary price of potatoes, then, > when a deficiency of crop occurs, there remains no cheaper substitute to > supply their place. A people fed upon potatoes, live upon the verge of > famine--they are absolutely without resource, and the occasional > deficiencies in the seasons, which, were their customary subsistence > more costly, would only deprive them of some of their comforts, now > plunge them in all the miseries of want. > By order of the Marquis of Wellesley, a circular has been > distributed through the different counties of Ireland, addressed to > intelligent and practicable men, and proposing a set of queries with a > view to ascertain the probable extent of the potato crop of this season, > as compared with that of the preceding years, and also to learn the > latest period, at which potatoes may be safely planted, as well as the > difference of produce between the early and late planting. This measure, > among a multitude of others, demonstrates how minutely and sedulously > his excellency revolves the best interests of the country, and the > comfort of the population. > > =================== > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in > the subject and the body of the message