180 FREE TRANSFER OF LAND. 



not enough of private capital and energy to develop 

 the natural resources of the country, which hitherto have 

 been " cabined, cribbed, confined " in all that relates to 

 the ownership and improvement of land. 



The following statement 4 '" will show more clearly, at 

 a glance, some of the liabilities to which the locking up 

 of the land has led : — 



For the four counties of Limerick, Clare, Gal way, and Mayo, 



the annual rental of the land is £1,671,410 



Annual tithe rent charge, . £81,384 



Expenditure on poor for last year, 639,305 



Grand-jury presentments, . 167,816 



Labour-rate repayable annually for 



10 years, . , . 99,517 



Relief loans, do., 23,237 



£1,011,359 



I have already shown that the enormous increase of 

 the rates is driving tenants of capital out of the coun- 

 try, and that eventually the whole burden may fall upon 

 the rental ; and if to this be added the annual liabilities 

 of proprietors for encumbrances of every kind, to private 

 mortgagees, whether left to them by their predecessors 

 or created by themselves, we cannot wonder at the pre- 

 sent bankrupt state of so many Irish proprietors. 



We must therefore keep steadily before us the limited 

 interests of landlords in their estates, (whether under 

 entails t or encumbrances,) as undoubtedly the master 



* For particulars, see Appendix, Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 6. 



■f "As to landlords allowing the tenants for improvements upon the 

 farms, that would be a most desirable thing ; but there is one step before 

 that, to enable landlords to do it. Most of us are tenants for life in this 

 country." — Evidence of T. S. Lindsay, Esq., land proprietor, before Devon 

 Commission. 486. Q. 287. 



* Estates through Ireland generally are so entailed that the immediate 

 occupier cannot, or will not, expend money in the improvement of the 

 estate."— Arthur Baker. Esq., Solicitor and Agent. 1068. Q. 25. 



