RELATIVE NUMBERS OF PROTESTANTS AND ROMAN CATHOLICS IN ULSTER.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR'] SIR,—In your article of February 27th on " Lord R. Churchill in Belfast," the following statement is made :—" Ulster is not Protestant, as is so often asserted, the Catholics of the province slightly outnumbering their rivals." The figures I quote below, taken from Thom's " Official Directory for 1886," will show that you are mistaken, and that, on the contrary, the Protestants outnumber the Roman Catholics in Ulster, and that their majority is apparently increasing :— RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONS. Returning them-
Province. Catholics. es.
1871 1881 Ulster 897,230 833,566
selves Church of Ireland, Irish Church, and Protestant Episcopalians.
1871 1881 393,268 379,402
Presbyterians
and Methodists.
1871 1881 507,632 486,454
All other Persuasions
1871 1881 35,040 43,250
Jews.
1871 1881 58 82
It would seem, then, that the number of Irish Churchmen, Presbyterians, and Methodists was 900,900 in 1871; of Roman Catholics, 897,230; Protestant majority, 3,670. In 1881, the numbers were respectively 865,857 and 833,566; Protestant majority, 32,291. If you add those returned as " all other persuasions," which comprise the Independents, Baptists, Friends, and other Protestant denominations, the numbers will be : —Non-Catholics, 935,940; Catholics, 897,230, for 1871 ; majority of non-Catholics, 38,710. And for 1881, non-Catholics, 909,106; Catholics, 833,566; majority of non-Catholics, 75,540, Between 1871 and 1881, the Roman Catholic population decreased by 63,664; the non-Catholics by 26,834.—I am, Sir,
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