34 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



of communication great roads, that I can remember 

 being called military roads, and such they really were, 

 made after 1798, open the country. 



Eead any engineer's report within the last seven 

 years of any bridges or river drainage or waterworks. 

 There is sure to be a statement that special provision 

 is necessary because the floods come down now so 

 much quicker in consequence of the improved land- 

 drainage on the upper streams and feeders. Some 

 one must have done this drainage. If the landlords, 

 it proves that they are at work for good. If the 

 tenants, it proves there must be many tenants who, 

 somehow or other, are not afraid of their improve- 

 ments being taken advantage of by landlords. 



Consider, also, what is proved by the character 

 and conduct of the police. All Irishmen, mostly 

 Roman Catholics, but by the union of firm discipline 

 and fair dealing perfectly efficient and trustworthy. 



Look, on the other hand, at the drawbacks there 

 have been to the progress of the country. Agitation 

 for emancipation till 1829. Then tithe war till 1835. 

 Then O'Connell's rent and repeal agitation till 1844. 

 Then Smith O'Brien's foolery till 1848; and, lastly, 

 the still greater foolery of Fenianism in the past 

 three years. 



The fifteen years from 1850 till 1865 was the only 

 period of moderate quiet Ireland has had since 1798, 

 and that was just the period of greatest improvement 

 of all classes. Men forget that it takes generations, 



