30 ON THE STATE OP IRELAND. [BOOK I. 



CHAPTER I. 



OF LANDLORDS AND THEIR TENANTS. 



ACCORDING to the published official statements of the po- 

 pulation, the total superficies of Ireland contains 17,182,763 

 English statute acres : 



Leinster 4,270,213 



Munster 5,210,472 



Ulster ....... 4,041,627 



Connaught 3,660,451 



Total . 17,182,763 acres 



of which about one-fourth is uncultivated. As the Catholics 

 have only since 1788 been allowed to hold lands, the dif- 

 ference of religion, say the witnesses, is one of the causes 

 which hinder the landowners from residing on their 

 estates. Many of them go to England, and this is the 

 reason why more capital passes from Ireland to England 

 than formerly. 



When a forty shillings 5 rent was sufficient to constitute 

 an elector, the landowners subdivided their farms, in 

 order to multiply these electors ; but now that the qua- 

 lification is raised to 10/., they would be very glad to re- 

 sume the lands, in order to consolidate them, and thus to 

 increase their political influence ; they cannot, however, 

 expel the small farmers before their leases are expired. 



All the witnesses agree in saying that the lands are let 

 at exorbitant prices, and the bad effect of this is not con- 

 fined to the peasants ; for the landowner, believing himself 

 richer than he really is, is induced to engage in greater 



