400 



IRELAND. 



only since 1841 ; in 1871 the percentage was 

 17-3 ; those who write as well as read ad- 

 vanced from 28 per cent, in 1841 to 33 per 

 cent, in 1851, and 41 per cent, in 1861, being 

 an increase between 1851 and 1861 of 8 per 

 cent., and between 1841 and 1861 of 13 per 

 cent. In 1871 the percentage was 49, being an 



increase between 1861 and 1871 of 8 per cent., 

 and between 1841 and 1871 of as much as 21 

 per cent. 



The number of educational establishments, 

 primary and superior, and the number and re- 

 ligious profession of pupils and students, in 1861 

 and 1871, are shown by the following table: 



The number of the Irish-speaking population 

 is rapidly decreasing, as will be seen from the 

 following table : 



The country is represented in the Imperial 

 Parliament by 28 imperial peers and 103 com- 

 moners. Of the latter class, 64 represent 32 

 counties; 2 Dublin University; 12 the cities 

 and towns of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Water- 

 ford, Belfast, and Gal way; and 25 the bor- 

 oughs. By an act passed in 1854, occupiers 

 of any tenements, rated in the last poor-rate 

 at a net annual value of 12 and upward, are 

 entitled to vote in elections for counties, also 

 owners of certain estates of the rated net an- 

 nual value of 5. By the same act, occupiers 

 in boroughs, rated in the last poor-rate at 8 

 and upward, were entitled to vote, subject to 

 certain limitations. An act passed in 1868 

 reduced the 8 occupation to a rating of any 

 amount more than 4, and introduced a new 

 franchise, giving the right of voting to any 

 lodger who had occupied, as sole tenant, for the 

 twelve months preceding the 20th of July in 

 any year, the same lodgings (being part of one 

 and the same dwelling-house) of a clear yearly 

 value, if let unfurnished, of 10 and upward. 

 The polling at contested elections in counties, 

 cities, and boroughs, is now for one day only. 

 The number of electors on the register are 170,- 

 693 for counties, and 57,290 for cities and bor- 

 oughs, exclusive of 3,548 for Dublin Univers- 

 ity. 



The large majority of the population belongs 



to the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman 

 Catholic population numbered, in 1871, 4,141,- 

 933, while the Episcopalians 683,295, the Pres- 

 byterians 503,461, the Methodists 41,815, the 

 Independents 4,485, the Baptists 4,643, the So- 

 ciety of Friends 3,834, the Jews 258. The 

 Eoman Catholics constituted 96 '2 per cent, of 

 the population in Connaught, 93*7 per. cent, in 

 Monster, 85*4 per cent, in Leinster, but only 

 48-9 per cent, in Ulster. In all Ireland they 

 were 76'7 per cent, of the population, against 

 77'7 per cent, in 1861. Among the 103 Rep- 

 resentatives of Ireland in the House of Com- 

 mons, 55 were Roman Catholics. Among the 

 185 Irish Peers, there are 12 Roman Catholics. 

 There is no Roman Catholic among the 28 

 Representative Peers for Ireland. 



The Poor law came into operation in 1838, 

 but none of the workhouses were opened for 

 the admission of paupers till 1840. Notwith- 

 standing the constant flow of emigration, the 

 number of paupers relieved, both in the work- 

 houses and out of them, was larger in 1879 

 than in any previous year. The number of 

 paupers relieved in 1879, continuously or suc- 

 cessively, was as follows : 



In the workhouses 304,826 



Out of the workhouses 86,426 



Total relieved 391,252 



The total Poor Relief Expenditure amounted 

 to 847,955. 



In 1870, the Irish Government obtained re- 

 turns of the names of proprietors, and area 

 and valuation of all properties in the several 

 counties of Ireland, held in "fee," in "per- 

 petuity," or on "long leases at chief rents," 

 classified according to area, but omitting cities 

 and towns. The total number of agricultural 

 holdings was ascertained to be 608,964, and 

 the rural population 4,286,019. From these 

 returns the following details are given: 



