ECONOMIC DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION. 71 



branch, shows itself, of course, mainly in the labourers and farm servants, 

 which have fallen from 1,326,000 in 1841, to 329,000 in 1881, or 75.2 per 

 cent. The decrease in farmers, from 471,000 to 442,000, is only 6.2. The 

 figures in regard to those engaged about animals, which show a large de- 

 crease, are fallacious, because a great number of persons who were in the 

 earlier census classed as herds, have in 1881 been counted with farm 

 servants, which would tend to make the truth as to the farm servants even 

 worse than appears. 



Fishing and Mining are small industries in Ireland. The former has 

 increased from 9,000 to 11,000, or from 0.2 per cent, to 0.5 per cent, of the 

 employed population ; mining has fluctuated considerably at each decade, 

 but ultimately shows a slight falling off in bulk. In per-centage, however, 

 il has risen from 0.2 per cent, to 0.4 per cent. 



In 1 841 there were 72,000 persons occupied in Building; in 1881 there 

 were but 56,000 ; nevertheless the per-centage to the total employed popula- 

 tion has increased by 0.4 per cent. 



The total employed in Manufacture has dropped from 989,000 to 379,00a 

 (or 61.7 per cent.), and the per-centage to the whole occupied population 

 from 27.3 per cent, to 16 per cent. Machinery and tool making employ a; 

 very much smaller proportion of workers than do these trades in England 

 3Jid Scotland, but the numbers have risen slightly, and now form 0.2 per 

 cent of the employed. The way in which Ireland has failed to share in the 

 growing prosperity of the other portions of the kingdom is, however, strik- 

 ingly exemplified in these trades, for whilst the great development of 

 machinery during the last 40 years has enabled England and Scotland 

 combined to add nearly 200,000 to their number of workers in this branch,. 

 Ireland during the same period has found a new opening in this direction- 

 for barely 1,000 persons. This will be found to throw a cross hght on our 

 next point (textile fabrics), where more strongly than elsewhere we find 

 the evidence of industrial decay. 



It appears that in 1 841, 696,000 persons were enumerated as employed 

 in textile and dyeing industries. Since then the decline has been startling, 

 to 424,000 in 1851, 275,000 in 1861, 218,000 in 1871, and finally to 130,000 

 in 1881. In the meantime England, starting with only 604,000 in 1841, has 

 progressed to 962,000 in 1881. These figures include spinning, and it is to 

 the loss of this hand industry, which passed to English machinery, that the 

 reduction is largely to be traced. There is no body of women similar to 

 the Irish spinners to be found in the English returns of 1841, though there is 

 a large number of women weavers who fall away later. It may be that 

 domestic spinning existed in England and was not returned at all ; or it may 

 be that a larger share of this industry fell to Ireland. At any rate, we have 

 the singular fact that in 1841 Ireland returns more workers in this section 

 (textiles) than England, but in 1881 not one-seventh of the number. If the 

 spinning industry was spread over the country, and an aid to every family 

 whose men only were needed on the land, it would go some way to explain 

 a wreck of prosperity. 



The figures for textile manufacture show a very general decline, to which 

 even flax and linen cannot be considered exceptions. 



