The Irish banking statistics for 1895 are perhaps the most
satisfactory ever recorded. They show that the private &- posits and cash balances in the Irish joint-stock banks stood in December last at 239,008,000, being an increase of 21,401,000 over the corresponding period of last year. The estimated balance in the Post Office Savings Bank amounted to 25,603,000, being an increase of C626,000. The figures are, we believe, in both cases the highest ever known. The accumulation of small savings in Post Office and Trustee banks showed a very large increase daring the year. The railway receipts for the year were also the highest on record. But since these figures belong to a decreasing or stationary, rather than to an increasing, population, it is clear that the increased individual prosperity in Ireland must be very great indeed. The truth is, Ireland only wants to be let alone to attain a thoroughly sound economic condition.
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