S94 IRELAND 



originally formulated would have increased the area to 33,166 acres and would have embraced 

 large tracts of rural land, the object of the promoters being to give effect to the provisions 

 of the Town Planning Act. The original scheme was practically endorsed by the House of 

 Commons Committee, but it was curtailed to the extent indicated when it came before the 

 Committee of the House of Lords. Greater Glasgow now includes the adjacent burghs of 

 Govan and Partick and portions of the county areas of Lanark and Renfrew. The places 

 absorbed, however, are all populous, and the density of the population in the extended city 

 is only slightly less, being 52.8 per acre against 60.4; and it is still largely in excess of .the other 

 large cities of the kingdom. The valuation has been greatly increased. The latest valuation 

 for the smaller area was 6,000,000 and the extension of boundaries is estimated to increase 

 this by about 2,000,000. Under the Boundaries Act, however, it is stipulated that no 

 increase of rates can be imposed on the places annexed, until the lapse of five years, so that 

 during that period the cost of improvements will fall upon the ratepayers within the old city 

 boundaries. Dunfermline has also extended her boundaries to include Rosyth, and an 

 elaborate scheme of extension is at present under consideration by Dundee. 



Poor Law. The number of poor in receipt of relief in 1911 was 73,642, and 40,370 de- 

 pendents, and the burden of local rates which steadily advances, having increased during a 

 period of 15 years by 1/5. 4d. or 48.9 per cent is chiefly due to the increase of the poor rate, 

 education and sanitation. The latest available returns, 1911, shows the total amount paid 

 on local taxation to be 1,286,396. The most recent development in the relief of the poor 

 is under the Unemployed Workmen's Act of 1905. The total population of the areas in 

 which distress committees are engaged is 1,989,951, being 41.81 per cent of the population of 

 Scotland. The total receipts from all sources from operations under the act amounted in 

 1911 to 29,182 which includes 14,300 from the Parliamentary Grant, 5737 from the 

 rates, 2254 from voluntary contributions and 6315 from the work performed by the un- 

 employed. The expenditure was 29,701. 



Religion. Presbyterianism continues the dominant faith in Scotland, but recent years 

 have witnessed a considerable growth of the Roman Catholic community, and of the Scottish 

 Episcopal Church. Latest returns give the membership of the Church of Scotland (1687 

 Churches) at 706,653; United Free Church (1,620 Churches) 501,573: Free Church (150 

 Congregations) 60,000: Episcopal Church (338 charges) 52,029. The Roman Catholic 

 Church has 398 Churches, Chapels and Stations, 550 Priests, and the Roman Catholic 

 community is estimated at 1,000,000. Politically, Scotland has never manifested any 

 aggressive desire for national self government, and she has undoubtedly benefited materially 

 from the Union with England. There have been frequent attempts to stimulate interest 

 in "Home Rule for Scotland," but they have proved abortive, owing to the apathy of the 

 people. In another sense, however, there has been within recent years an undoubted revival 

 of national sentiment, reflected in the widespread interest now taken in Scottish customs, 

 language, and literature. It has found expression in the establishment of a Scottish Chair 

 in the University of Glasgow, to further which project a Scottish Exhibition was held in the 

 city in 1911, resulting in a surplus of 20,000, which, with other contributions, has enabled 

 the foundation of a Chair of Scottish History and Literature. And, although there cannot 

 be said to exist a national demand for "Home Rule" in the form of a National Parliament, 

 there is, as indicated, widespread dissatisfaction with the present conduct of national ad- 

 ministration. The creation of the Scottish Office under a Secretary for Scotland has rather 

 added to the confusion, and among all sections of the community, irrespective of party, 

 there is a strong feeling that the Scottish department should be situated in Edinburgh, and 

 under the control of a national administrative council. (DONALD MUIR.) 



IRELAND 1 



The material prosperity of Ireland reached a higher point in 1912 than at any period 

 during the past century. It is true that, according to the census returns published in 

 1911, the population is still declining, but prosperity cannot be reckoned in terms of 

 population alone. The population of Ireland, as given in these returns, which refer to 

 the middle of 1910, is 4,381,951. (Details are furnished in Tables A and B.) During 

 1911 the marriages registered in Ireland numbered 23,473, the births 101,758, and the 

 deaths 72,475. The marriage rate was 5.37 per thousand of the estimated population, 

 an increase of 0.32 on the preceding year; the birth rate was 23.3 per thousand, the same 

 as the preceding year; and the death rate was 16.6 per thousand, 0.5 below the rate of the 

 preceding year. Since the census of 1901 the population has decreased by 76,824, or 

 1.7 per cent. This is the smallest decrease known since the institution of the census. 

 Not only the decrease, but the rate of decrease is rapidly slackening. The decrease is 

 very unevenly distributed over the four provinces 36,966 in Connaught, 43,103 in 

 Munster, 7499 in Leinster, and 4254 in Ulster. There is a large growth in the population 



1 See E. B. xiv, 742 et seq., and articles on the various counties and towns. 



