30 AUGUST 1890, Page 2

The wet autumn threatens Ireland with another rather serious potato

famine. The disease was serious in the poorer soils when the last report was given to the Land Commission on August 16th, and since then we have had a fortnight more of cold and wet. Even if September should turn out as favourably as anybody can hope, the potato-disease will spoil a great part of the crops in the West of Ireland ; and if September turns out as badly as August, there may be a very serious catastrophe indeed. Whatever the result, we hope that Unionists will compete with Home-rulers in their efforts to alleviate the force of the calamity, and to show the Irish some of the practical uses of a living union with England.