26 



REPORT OF THE SCOTTISH COMMISSION 



expenses in connection with land sales were prohibitive. In 1881, 

 agricultural depression liad commenced. The Irish landlord thought 

 that it would pass away, and he was disinclined to sell, par- 

 ticularly in view of the fact that he could not then sell to 

 advantage. Moreover, most of the land in Ireland was entailed. 

 If the landlord had sold, the money would have had to be invested 

 in trustees' securities, and these would liave brought a much less, 

 return than the rents of the property. The tenant, on the other 

 hand, was dishiclined to buy, because he believed that his rent 

 would be reduced under the 1881 Act, and he preferred to wait 

 until the reduction took place and then buy, on the basis- 

 of tUe rediuied rental. Besides, the Iris4i tenant was often 



TAKING NOTES AT GLASNEVIN 



unable to raise the necessary fourth with which to purchase. In 

 order to get out of this difficulty, the Land Act of 1885 was 

 passed, by which, as already mentioned, the whole of the money 

 was advanced to the tenant for the purpose of purchasing his 

 holding. Inasmuch as the tenant could become proprietor, as we 

 have already pointed out, by paying 32 per cent, less than con- 

 tinuing his tenancy, he was naturally more inclined to purchase ; 

 but there were still lacking the necessary inducements to the 

 landlord. Notwithstanding this, under the 1885 Act and under 

 the 1888 Act, which did little more than increase the amount 

 voted for land purchase from £5,000,000 to £10,000,000, 25,367 

 tenants purchased, and £9,992,536 was advanced. The landlords 

 who sold were presumably either well-to-do landlords, who could 

 afford to lose money to get out of the turmoil of Irish life, or 

 absentee landlords whose estates were heavily mortgaged. The 



