was rising rapidly in price.

During the last days of October two very desponding reports were made to
the Premier by Dr. Playfair, in the latter of which he says that Dr.
Lindley was after making a tour of the potato shops of the city; that he
had examined the potatoes, "carefully picked as good," and warranted to
be sound, and that he had found "nineteen bad for fourteen good."

The first Cabinet Council assembled at the Premier's house on the 31st
of October, on which occasion he read for his colleagues all the
information received either by himself or the Home Secretary, after
which the sitting was adjourned until next day, November the 1st, when
he put his views before them in the shape of an elaborate memorandum. He
begins by calling their attention to the great probability of a famine
in Ireland consequent upon the potato blight. The evil, he thinks, may
be much greater than the reports would lead them to anticipate, but
whether it is or is not, the Cabinet cannot exclude from its
consideration "the contingency of a great calamity." He tells them that
he has sent eminent men of science to Ireland to examine and report on
the question; that they are proceeding cautiously, but will suggest at
the earliest period the simplest and most practical remedies which
their inquiries and scientific knowledge may enable them to offer.
Inquiries have also been addressed to the consular agents in different
parts of Europe as to the available supply of potatoes for the purpose
of seed. The noticeable fact in this, the first portion of the
memorandum, is, that the Premier keeps his Cabinet in ignorance of the
private reports made to himself by the "scientific men," assuring him
that half the potato crop in Ireland had ceased to be fit for the food
of man. Sir Robert next proceeds to discuss measures of relief to meet
the danger. His first suggestion is a commission to be appointed by the
Lord Lieutenant to inquire into the mode of giving relief, the head of
the Board of Works to be a member of the Commission. The Commissioners
are to see how money can be advanced, and employment given, and also how
remote outlying districts can be relieved, where no employment exists;
the power of calling this Commission into existence to be immediately
given to the Lord Lieutenant, who could nominate its members after
consulting with others, or immediately if he thought it necessary. In
the third and last part of his memorandum the Premier come