The Earl of Darnleythought it necessary again to call the attention of ministers to the distressed state of the people in many parts of Ireland, in consequence of the scarcity of provisions. Unless some remedy was speedily applied, the most serious consequences were to be apprehended. Riots, it was known, had already taken place in some quarters, in consequence of the distress of the people, and the fact was, that unless some remdy was promptly applied, there would be absolute want in some districts, where the existing scarcity was aggravated by the difficulty of transporting provisions. He was not aware of the information upon which ministers had acted, in refusing to suspend the distillation in Ireland, but he should feel it his duty on an early day to move for that information. They, it seemed, were of opinion that the distillation had gone on so far during the present season, that what remained of grain would be of no consequence to the general supply, or not fit for human food. If he could at all 906 rely upon his information, though the distillery had consumed a great deal, he had reason to believe that one third of the oats intended for that purpose were still available for human sustenance. The calculation was, that the annual consumption of spirits in Ireland was 4,500,000 gallons. A barrel of oats used to produce eight gallons, but he believed, owing to the inferior quality of the oats this season, a barrel would not produce more than six gallons; this would give 750,000 barrels, one third of which would be 250,000 barrels. If this quantity were immediately made available for human sustenance, he was satisfied it would have a most beneficial effect upon the people of Ireland, by immediately tending to relieve them from that dreadful pressure under which they were now struggling.
The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, that this subject had occupied and was now occupying the most anxious attention of his majesty's ministers. He was decidedly of opinion that the suspension of the distilleries would only tend to increase illicit distillation, and not in the smallest degree add to the food of the people. The distress felt in some parts of Ireland arose from the difficulties that existed in transporting provisions from a quarter where there was plenty to one where there was a scarcity. There was certainly no deficiency of supply in the united kingdom, taking it as a whole, and there was no doubt that the present high prices would draw into our ports whatever further supply was wanted. Under these circumstances the greatest caution was necessarily required, because the interfering with such a subject frequently did more harm than good. No exertion, however, should be wanting on the part of his majesty's ministers to remedy the evil.