CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



common in the south than to find that the land 

 had been in the occupancy of the same families 

 from time immemorial, without lease or contract 

 of any kind. The discontent in Ireland continued 

 unabated till the imperial government interfered, 

 and settled the question, in so far as practicable, 

 by the passing of the Act of 1870 above referred 

 to. The Land Act of 1881 was still more favour- 

 able to tenant-farmers. It established land 

 courts throughout the country for fixing 'judicial' 

 rents, to remain unaltered for fifteen years at a 



time ; limited the possibility of evictions to the 

 non-fulfilment of certain conditions ; recognised 

 the tenant's right to sell his tenancy ; and made 

 provision for advancing money to tenants wishing; 

 to buy their holdings. 



In 1884 the number of separate holdings in. 

 Ireland was 565,254, being 2471 less than in the 

 previous year. The following table shews the 

 number of holdings, and the entire extent of land 

 under each class of landholders, and the division. 

 of land, from the returns in 1872 : 



TOTAL VALUE OF PRINCIPAL CROPS. 



l86 3 29,474,583 



"64 31,415,922 



1865 29,687,703 



1870 34,961,042 



1883 31,137,837 



lg 84 28,544,794 



Live-stock. Number and value of horses, cattle, 



sheep, and pigs in Ireland in 1872 : 532,146 horses, 

 value, .4,831,368; 4,142,400 cattle, 35,623,882; 

 4,482,053 sheep, ,8,292,571 ; 1,042,244 pigs,. 

 2,990,614. Total value of cattle, sheep, and pigs 

 in 1885, 63,512,277. 



Fisheries. In her fisheries, Ireland possesses a 

 mine of almost inexhaustible wealth, but, strange- 

 to say, it is almost wholly neglected. 



NUMBER OF VESSELS AND BOATS, MEN AND BOYS, EMPLOYED IN THE DEEP-SEA AND' 

 COAST FISHING FROM l88o TO 1884. 



Under the Act 26 and 27 Viet. c. 114 (1863), special 

 Commissioners for Irish Salmon-fisheries were 

 appointed. In their first Report, they say : ' We 

 do not think we exaggerate the value of the 

 salmon-fisheries when we estimate them as being 

 worth over .400,000 a year.' For the develop- 

 ment of this branch of industry, they earnestly 

 recommend government loans to the fishermen 

 for the repair and purchase of boats and gear, 

 without which assistance, they say, ' fishing indus- 

 try will nearly expire on half the coast.' 



The herring-fishery is prosecuted chiefly on the 

 east coast of Ireland, by a fleet of about 2000 

 vessels, from Cornwall, Scotland, and the Irish 

 coast. The success of the fishings fluctuates from 

 year to year. Thus, in 1877, a value of over 



262 



350,000 was realised by the herring-fishery at 

 10 stations ; in 1879, ^ was under 124,000 ; and 

 in 1881, only ^63,850. The total value of salmon, 

 herrings, mackerel, and cod exported to England 

 in 1884, amounted to 820,093. The oyster- 

 fisheries are declining. Nearly everywhere ther 

 has been over-dredging ; and lately an attemp 

 has been made to stock the used-up beds wit 

 French oysters. 



Manufactures. Ireland is not, and never 

 been, a manufacturing country. Its unsettle 

 turbulent state, and the general dependence of the 

 population on land, have hitherto formed insuper- 

 able obstacles to trie formation of great manufac 

 turing establishments in most parts of the coun- 

 try ; whilst the want of coal, capital, and skilfu" 



