e Commissary-General Coffin, who will remain on full pay, with a
view to his being employed hereafter, as the occasion may require.

It has been fully established by the experience of the late operations,
that the ports on the northern, eastern, and southern coasts, from
Londonderry to Cork, and those parts of the interior which are
ordinarily supplied from them, may safely be left to the foresight and
enterprise of private merchants; and it will only be necessary to the
government, so far as this part of Ireland is concerned, to take
effectual precautions that the supplies introduced by private traders
from abroad are properly protected, both while they are in transit and
when they are stored for future consumption; and for this purpose their
Lordships rely upon the Lord Lieutenant making every necessary
arrangement in communication with the Commander of the Forces in
Ireland, and the Inspector-General of the Constabulary Force.

Acting on this principle, their Lordships have directed that the
supplies of food now in store should be concentrated without delay at
the following depots:--

In the interior--Longford, Banagher.

On the coast--Limerick, Galway, Westport, Sligo.

And Commissary-General Hewetson has been instructed to take immediate
steps for the transfer of the quantity remaining in store in the depot
at Cork to Limerick, in the charge.

Subordinate depots will be established, under the charge of the
constabulary, at other places on the western coast, as the necessity for
taking such a step may become apparent.

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_.

The Relief Commission ceased on the 15th ultimo, since which period
Commissary-General Sir Randolph Routh has continued to transact such
business as required immediate attention; and, considering the
experience which has been acquired by that officer, and his well-proved
ability for the task, their Lordships are of opinion that the duties
confided to the Relief Commission during the late operations may with
great public advantage be entrusted to Sir R