The number of passengers that were booked at the different places on the Shannon in the Company's boats during 1846 was 21,871. The sum of £55,000 was issued by the Treasury during 1846 for improving the Shannon navigation.

The fisheries are now receiving some attention, and Government granted in 1846 £51,687 for their encouragement. The West coast of Ireland abounds in varieties of the finest fish in the world, and would be a great source of wealth if ordinary industry were manifested. The vessels of all kinds, and the number of men, employed in the Irish fisheries since 1836, were—

At p. 142 the accumulation in the Irish Savings Banks are given for a series of years. Latterly endeavours have been made to weaken the confidence of the people in these provident institutions; but the balances on the 20th November for the past three years in each province stood thus—

The number of depositors and amount of their deposits were in

The total deposits up to 20th May, 1847, in the Irish Savings

Banks were £9,534,522.

The Loan Funds, which were established in Ireland in 1837, to assist the industrious classes with small sums of money at a low rate of interest, also indicate progress.

The yearly increasing sums of money transmitted by postoffice orders in Ireland testify that there is an augmentation of the available means of the middle and working classes.

D

1840 198,133 1842 593,543 1844 789,753 1846 1,131,197

The Stamp Duty received on Legacies, and Probates and Administrations, at two periods, shows the increase of property: (see pages 147 and 148.)

Probate &

Legacy.

Admin.

Stock transferred from England to Ireland from 1838 to 1848 was
Ditto from Ireland to England

Difference

ditto

£

13,945,742

6,193,879

7,751,863

The annuities for terms of years transferred from England to Ireland in the above years were £214,512, and vice versa only £14. The Long Annuities from England to Ireland £46,020, and vice versa only £457. These facts prove the accumulation of funded property in Ireland.

The Grand Jury cess, or presentments for the general use of each county or barony, shew the increased value of landed property in Ireland. They have been augmented since the Union from about £200,000 a year to £1,150,000 a year.

There is no proof of increasing poverty on examining the number of debtors

There is a wider distribution as well as an augmentation of property manifested by the increasing number of the middle classes, who are acquiring the elective franchise.

The seventh chapter, p. 200, contains ample details of the remarkable extension of education in Ireland. The "National Education Schools" were commenced in 1833 with 789 schools, 107,042 pupils, and with a parliamentary grant of £25,000. This grant has been yearly increased, and amounted in 1846 to £100,000, which provides 3,637 schools for 456,410 pupils of all religious denominations. Not more than one-seventh of the children are Protestants, and therefore the benefit is mainly for the children of the Roman Catholic poor. The secular education is kept quite distinct from religious instruction.

There are workhouse schools, gaol schools, agricultural schools for both sexes, and model schools for teachers. Evening and Sunday schools are also extensive and well attended.

The Sunday schools have been rapidly increasing, and stood thus 1st January, 1847.

The "Church Education Society," instituted in 1839, for in

struction on Church of England principles, is wholly supported by voluntary contributions, and stood thus in 1839 and 1846 :

Of the 96,815 scholars in 1846, 29,691 were children of Roman Catholic parents, and 12,832 of Protestant Dissenters.

By Act 8 & 9 Vic. c. 66, the Imperial Parliament authorised the grant of £100,000, to build three new colleges in Ireland, for all classes of the people, and £21,000 a-year for salaries to Professors, &c. Nineteen hundred pounds are voted annually by Parliament to the "Royal Belfast Academical Institution."

The total GRANTS by the State in aid of Religion in the United Kingdom.

In this, as in every other instance, Ireland has received grants from the public revenues at least equal to those made to England and Scotland.

By the Act 8 & 9 Vic. c. 25, £30,000 was authorised by the Imperial Parliament to be vested in trustees for the improvement of the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth, and £6,000 a-year for salaries to the President and Professor of the college; which, in addition to the above £8,000, constitutes an income of £14,000 a-year. The Protestant college (Trinity College) receives no support whatever from the revenues of the State.