286 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



I will end by repeating again that a thorough in- 

 vestigation of circumstances and facts is what is most 

 required in every part of this subject, not in priori 

 arguments from what any one thinks likely. 



I have a few last words still to say on this subject. 

 I wish to draw attention to Lord Salisbury's speech, 

 on June 21, in the House of Lords, on the Bill for 

 giving tenants for life further powers to charge 

 against their successors the value of improvements 

 made on the estate. Lord Salisbury asserts that, if 

 settlements were abolished, an increase of mortgages, 

 not of sales, would be the result that owners in fee 

 would never sell part of their land to make improve- 

 ments. If they wished to raise money for improve- 

 ments, they would always do it by mortgage. And 

 he asks the very pertinent question, whether land 

 thus in debt would not be as badly or worse off than 

 land in settlement ? 



Is there not good reason for saying that the idea 

 that owners in fee will sell part of their land in order 

 to improve the rest, is a pure fiction ? 



Again asking for facts, it may fairly be requested 

 that some instances of owners in fee who have sold 

 part of their land in order to improve the rest may 

 be given. Can they give half a dozen such cases, 

 where draining, for instance (which pays so well and 

 surely), has been thus effected ? Can they give any 

 one such case ? 



If the view adverse to settlements was sound, 



