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his unwearied diligence and great powers of administration, is the 

 saying which grew to be proverbial, not only in Ireland bat beyond it, 

 that whatever the changes of Lord-Lieutenants and Chief Secretaries 

 — and he served with some excellent ones — Ireland was always really 

 governed by " Larcom and the Police." It may be questioned 

 whether it was ever better governed. The meaning, of the expression 

 was this : — Ireland had a long breathing-time from the troubles which 

 had so often marred her prosperity ; religions and political differences 

 were restrained by the strong hand from disturbing the peace ; and 

 the grievances which were inseparable from such a past history were 

 mitigated by the general sense entertained of the perfect fair dealing 

 which prevailed at head-quarters. 



This, at any rate, was the interpretation put upon his services by 

 those best able to judge. On his resignation, Addresses, accompanying 

 splendid gifts in plate, were presented to him by the leading noble- 

 men, gentry, magistrates, and scientific men of Ireland ; and the 

 following sentences may be quoted : — 



" Under six successive administrations, you have discharged the 

 duties of your office with credit to yourself and with advantage to the 

 country, with exemplary diligence and fidelity, for the preservation of 

 social order, and the promotion of national prosperity. 



" We also desire to express our grateful appreciation of the earnest 

 and efficient manner in which for a period of forty years and upwards 

 you have laboured in different departments of the public service to 

 make known and turn to good account the national resources, to 

 advance science and literature, and collect materials for the elucida- 

 tion of the ancient history of Ireland." 



It will be gathered frorn the sketch of Sir Thomas Larcom's life 

 here presented, that he was too busily occupied in administrative 

 labours to leave behind him any extensive contributions to literature. 

 He was rather the instigator and pioneer of scientific research, the 

 founder or co-founder of scientific Societies, the dispenser of assistance 

 to them from his position in the Government. But, besides the 

 volumes of the "Irish Ordnance Survey," which have been mentioned 

 as chiefly compiled by him, his edition of Sir William Petty's famous 

 " Down Survey," is a work of merit ; and he contributed several 

 articles to the "Aide Memoire," as well as very interesting and better- 

 known memoirs of his friends Drummond and Portlock to the " Pro- 

 fessional Papers of the Royal Engineers." 



Sir John George Shaw-Lefevre, K.C.B., was the second son of 

 Charles Shaw-Lefevre, Esq., of Heckfield Place, Hants, for many 

 years Member for Reading ; the eldest son, at an early age, became 

 Member for the County of Hants, and filled the office of Speaker of 



