where," adds the chronicler, "she now lies frozen up."[21] Another
curious incident is recorded which proves the intensity of the frost at
this time: the pressgang was very busy on the river catching sailors to
man the navy for the war with Spain, and under the above date we are
informed that more than one hundred pressed men walked on shore on the
ice with several of the crews; but, it is added, "they gave their honour
they would return."[22]

The frost continued about eight or nine weeks, during which all
employment ceased; the potato crop was destroyed, and the mills being
frozen up no corn could be ground. The effect on the population was
general and immediate. In the middle of January the destitution was so
great, that subscriptions to relieve the people were set on foot in
Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Clonmel, Wexford, and other places.
Some landlords distributed money and food to their starving tenants;
but, I am sorry to have to say, that the number of such cases on record
is very limited.[23] There was no general combined effort to meet the
calamity, the Government taking no action whatever, except that the Lord
Lieutenant (the Duke of Devonshire) gave to the starving citizens of
Dublin £150 in two donations, and forbade, by proclamation, the
exportation of grain, meal, bread, etc., _except to England_,
"apprehending," says his Excellency, "that the exportation of corn will
be bad for the kingdom during this extreme season." Later on in the
Famine, and when about two hundred thousand of the people had died of
hunger and pestilence, there was another proclamation ordering a
_general fast_ for the success of his Majesty's arms against the King of
Spain! But the fasting does not seem to have had much effect; Admiral
Vernon, commander of the fleet at the seat of war in the West Indies,
took Portobello, but had to give it up again; he attacked Carthagena
with all his forces, was repulsed, and so the war ended.