SECT. II.] RESULTS OF THE INQUIRY. 225 



Wished for the purpose of setting vast numbers of unem- 

 ployed persons to work within them, and of so providing 

 for such persons and their families. Now we cannot es- 

 timate the number of persons in Ireland out of work and 

 in distress during thirty weeks of the year at less than 

 585,000, nor the number of persons dependent upon them 

 at less than 1,800,000, making in the whole 2,385,000. 



This, therefore, is about the number for which it would 

 be necessary to provide accommodation in workhouses, if 

 all who required relief were there to be relieved ; and we 

 consider it morally, indeed physically, impossible so to 

 provide for such a multitude, or even to attempt it with 

 safety. 



The cost of supporting the whole 2,385,000 for thirty 

 weeks annually would be something more than 5,000,000 

 a year ; whereas the gross rental of Ireland (exclusive of 

 towns) is estimated at less than 10,000,000 a year ; the 

 net income of the landlords at less than 6,000,000 ; and 

 the public revenue is only about 4,000,000. 



We do not, however, think that such an amount of 

 expense as we have mentioned would in point of fact be 

 icurred ; on the contrary, our conviction is, that the able- 

 lied in general, and their families, would endure any 

 misery rather than make a workhouse their domicile. 

 Now if we thought that employment could be had, pro- 

 vided due efforts were made to procure it, the general 

 repugnance to a workhouse would be a reason for recom- 

 mending that mode of relief; for assistance could be af- 

 forded through it to the few that might from time to time 

 fall into distress, and yet no temptation be offered to idle- 

 ness or improvidence ; but we see that the labouring class 

 are eager for work, that work there is not for them, and 



Q 



