64 ECONOMIC DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION. 



THE ECONOMIC DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION 



IN IRELAND, 



[*^* In the year 1886 Mr. Charles Booth, the well-known Economist and Statisti- 

 cian, read a paper before the Royal Statistical Society of London on " The Occupations 

 of the People of the tfnitcd Kingdom ^ The section of that paper devoted to the analysis 

 of the economic distribution of the people of Ireland is given below as being at once an 

 authoritative and able review of the industrial positioji of this countiy. The figures for 

 i8gi 7vere prepared by Mr. Booth for the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into 

 the Financial Relations between Great Britain and Ireland. — Editor.] 



The following are Mr. Booth's observations in reference to Ireland : — 



The picture of the industrial development of England since 1851, and her 

 apparent position in 1881, is, on the whole, one which may be regarded with 

 satisfaction. Nor could any changes since 1881 seriously affect this result. 

 Every Hne of it shows vitality and an innate power of meeting changes of 

 circumstances, which seems to give promise of continued prosperity. 



The growth of the population of Scotland (6^, 9^, and 1 1 % per cent, 

 for the three decades, 1851-1881) has been slower than that of England 

 (12, 13, and 14 j^ per cent.), and the proportions engaged in each main 

 division of industry are somewhat different, but the points of similarity are 

 much more noticeable than the points of difference. . . . We see a similar 

 falling-off in the proportion connected with agriculture, a similar constancy 

 in those connected with building and manufacture, and a similar increase 

 under other heads. 



The figures show that the two countries share each other's fortune, and 

 make the union of feeling between them easy to understand. 



But it is far different with the sister island. 



If the picture given of the condition of agriculture in England and Scot- 

 land is gloomy, that of the whole condition of Ireland is much more so, and 

 needs a treatment far more exhaustive than, can here be pretended to. 



In adopting the method already employed for England and Scotland, it 

 must be remembered that, in place of increasing, the whole population has 

 decreased. The amount of this decrease from 1841 to 1881 is three mil- 

 lions out of eight millions of persons, and is made up as follows : — - 



From 1 841 to 1 85 1, ... ... 1,623,000 



1851 to 1861, 



1861 to 1871, 



„ 1871 to 1881, 



753,ooo[ ^ 



386,000 h'OoO'Ooo 



238,000 



The general picture at each period stands as under: 1841 is taken as the 

 starting-point, because it is necessary to begin from before the famine of 



• *The preceding increase of population had been : — 



From 1821 to 1831, .. .. 965,000 



From 1831 to 1841, . . . 408,000 



