"It does seem extraordinarily obvious that England could have done more, and more sensible things,"
Richard;
There really is no question regarding Britain's culpability in it's behaviour turning a natural disaster into a catastrophe on the scale that it was - even that nice Mr Blur apologised for Britain's part in bringing about so many deaths, on the 150th anniversary, back in 1995
What has never been discussed is whether British policy was deliberate, or whether it was the same neglect Britain displayed towards its colonies, coupled with the innate racism towards the Irish; articulated by their appointed representative, Trevelyan.
Before this thread started, I was inclined to believe it was the latter; now I'm pretty well convinced that if there wasn't method in Britain's madness, they would never have appointed somebody holding the Views Trevalyan did - why should a religious fanatic lift a finger to interfere with "God's divine punishment"?   
Much of the same hatred has been reflected here by those attempting to get Britain off the hook.
Jim Carroll