314 IRELAND. 



the city of Cork, and one for each of the thirty -two most considera* 

 ble cities, towns, and boroughs, are the number of representatives 

 of Ireland in the house of commons of the parliament of the united 

 kingdom. * 



It is also provided by these articles " that for the space of twenty 

 years after the union shall take place, the contribution of Great Britain 

 and Ireland respectively, towards the expenditure of the united king- 

 dom in each year, shall be defrayed in the proportion of fifteen parts 

 for Great Britain, and two parts for Ireland," this proportion, at the 

 expiration of that time, to be subject to revision and regulation from 

 other considerations. 



The laws of Ireland differ very little from those of England ; for, 

 after the conquest of Ireland by king Henry II, the laws of England 

 were received and sworn to by the Irish nation, assembled at the 

 council of Lismore : and by subsequent particular acts made in Ire- 

 land, the statutes in force in England have been adopted, and deci- 

 sions in common law have been taken as precedents ; so that the laws 

 of the two countries are nearly the same : there are however some 

 minute variations. 



For the regular distribution of justice, there are in Ireland four 

 terms held annually for the decision of causes ; and four courts of 

 justice ; the chancery, king's-bench, common-pleas, and exchequer. 

 The high sheriffs of the several counties were formerly chosen by 

 the people, but are now nominated by the lord-lieutenant. 



Revenue. ...In Ireland the public revenue arises from hereditary 

 and temporary duties, of which the king is the trustee, for applying 

 it to particular purposes : but there is, besides this, a private revenue 

 aiising from the ancient demesne lands, from forfeitures for trea- 

 son and felony, prisage of wines, light-house duties, and a small part 

 of the casual revenue, not granted by parliament ; and in this the 

 crown has the same unlimited property that a subject has in his own 

 freehold. 



The revenue of Ireland amounts at present to 2,800,000/; but that 

 the expenditure considerably exceeds that sum, is manifest from the 

 magnitude of the public debt of that country ; which, according to the 

 statement of Mr. Foster, the Irish member in the house of commons, 

 amounted in 1800 to 25 millions sterling, and at present (1804) is 52 

 millions and a half. To pay the interest of this debt, several new 

 taxes have lately been imposed. 



Military force.. ..In consequence of the late rebellion, and the 

 threats of a French invasion, a veiy considerable military force is 

 now kept up in Ireland ; consisting of regular troops and militia from 

 England, Irish militia, and yeomanry. In the year 1800, the force 

 maintained in Ireland consisted of 45,839 regulars, 27,104 militia, 

 and 53,557 yeomanry; making in the whole 126,500 men in arms. 



Order of St. Patrick. ...This order was instituted Februry 5, 

 and the installation of the first knights was performed on the 1 7th of 

 March, 1783. It consists of the sovereign and fifteen other knights' 

 companions. The lord-lieutenants of Ireland for the time being offi- 

 ciate as grand masters of the order, and the archbishop of Armagh 

 is the prelate, the archbishop of Dublin the chancellor, and the dean 

 of St. Patrick the register of the order. The knights aisg installed 

 in the cathedral of St. Patrick, Dublin. Their robes are splendid, 

 and the badge is three crowns united together on a cross, with the 



