LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE DEPOPULATION OF IRELAND.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—Are Sir Henry James's statistics as to the comparative number of houses in Ireland in 1841 and at present entirely satisfactory ? Do they point to any very great improvement in the rural districts of the country ?
His argument is practically this :—‘ Since 1841, the "good houses" have increased in number from 306,000 to 488,000; while the "bad houses " have diminished from 1,024,000 to 424,000. Hence there has been a vast improvement in the physical condition of the country.' On this I would observe :— (1.) That the first category includes all houses in Ireland with five rooms or upwards, and therefore includes all the houses built for the middle and upper classes in and near Dublin, Belfast, &c., in the last forty-eight years.
(2.) That very few Irish farmers live in houses of this description.
(3.) That of the houses,which have diminished in numbers, one whole class (those of from two to four rooms) cannot fairly be called "bad." The great mass of the Irish tenantry live, in rude comfort, in houses of this character. Their diminution in number (from 533,000 to 384,000) cannot there- fore be looked upon as anything but an unmitigated evil.
(4.) That although it was inevitable that the hovels (of one room) should be diminished in number by the progress of civilisation, it is unsatisfactory to think that this was effected not by enlarging and improving them, but by sweeping them entirely away.
There were in 1841 491,000 of them : there are now 40,000.
What has become of the 451,000 families thus deprived of-their homes? A certain number, no doubt, have risen to respectable positions in America and England. But have not many thousands sunk into a wretchedness and degradation in our great cities which they never would have been exposed to at home ?
On the whole, I cannot help tracing to the violent dis- turbance of these two last classes of occupiers from their homes, many of the social evils which now afflict Ireland.—I
am, Sir, tic., C. T. REDINGTON. National Liberal Club, December 18th.
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