Welcome to the July edition of "The Coastguard Cutter".
 

Enjoy,
Tony.

The Duke of Edinburgh [back to us] greeting Captain Potter of the 'Constellation'

There were many famines in Ireland in the nineteenth century. The most significant one was in 1845/6. The lessons learnt during this famine were put to use in later years. The most spectacular and best documented involvement of the Coastguards in relief operations along the western sea-board came in 1879/80. By then the Coastguard was under the control of the Admiralty and effectively an integral part of the Royal Navy which greatly facilitated co-operation between the Royal Navy cruisers offshore, the small boats operating close inshore and the shore stations.

All the elements of the Coastguard were involved in distributing relief on behalf of the Dublin Mansion House Fund, the Duchess of Marlborough Fund and the generous donations of food and clothing from America. The operation culminated in the distribution of the relief brought by the U.S. Frigate 'Constellation' to Cork Harbour in April 1880 which was supervised and co-ordinated by the Duke of Edinburgh who was then in command of the Naval ships on the West coast. Rear Admiral The Duke of Edinburgh was a son of Queen Victoria, and in Mid-April and with his ships repaired to Cork to meet the U.S. frigate bearing badly needed supplies.

On 20th.February 1880, the House of Representatives in Washington authorised the dispatch of a vessel with food and other supplies collected in the U.S. to relieve the distress in Ireland. The frigate 'Constellation' was made ready with the guns and other non-essential fixtures removed to allow the maximum cargo. She left New York on March 30th. with over 500 tons of provisions and clothing which had been donated mostly by residents of New York as part of the fund organised by the New York Herald newspaper:- 1,346 barrels of potatoes, 675 barrels of flour, 1,144 barrels of corn meal. 150 barrels of oatmeal, 59 cases of canned meats and 7 packages of clothing and shoes.

The ship anchored off Haulbowline in Cork Harbour on April 19th. where she was met by the Duke of Edinburgh and his flotilla of cruisers. Early on Saturday His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh accompanied by his staff and and the Commanders of the ships in which the cargo of the 'Constellation' will be transhipped, waited on Captain Potter, on board the 'Constellation', and thanked him for the generous gift which his vessel contained for the starving people.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin addressing the Captain said the bonds of sympathy between America and Ireland were very numerous; and the Irish people will never forget the many evidences of good will that the United States had from time to time manifested towards their country.

The 'Imogene' proceeded on Saturday evening for Skibbereen and other western ports, where she will distribute 55 barrels of potatoes, 55 barrels of corn-meal, 30 barrels of flour, and 10 barrels of oatmeal. On her return she will reload for Donegal. The 'Hawk' goes to the North of Donegal and the islands off that coast. The 'Goshawk' will proceed to Sligo, the 'Amelia' to North-West Mayo and the 'Bruiser' to west Galway. The 'Orwell' will load for the islands off the Galway coast, and the 'Valorous' will take part of the provisions to South-Cork. His Royal Highness the duke of Edinburgh will proceed in the 'Lively' round the west coast.

The 'Constellation' is a fine-war frigate of 1,800 tons, 180ft.in length. The crew numbers 100 men, all told, although to work the ship properly a crew of nearly 300 men would be necessary.