IRISH RAILROADS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
Westminster, 31st May 1938. 81ft—I think it of moment to direct your attention in a very few words to the subject of Railroads in behind ; than which, whether we regard them as a means for employing the destitute poor of that eountry, or of bringing its acknowledged resources into profitable action, perhaps no other more impel.- tint or effectual can be adduced. You cannot be ignorant of the extraordinary delay which occurred in laying the Report of the Commission on Railroads in eland before Parliament. That Commission, as you will probably remember, was appointed during the session of 1836, upon the motion of the Marquis of LANS* DOWSE, himself a great Irish landowner, and deeply interested in the question. Early in the session of 1837, the Commission presented a short report, in which they made sonic boast of the value of the labours they conceived themselves to have performed, anti promised that those labours should finally terminate in the then following month of May. We are now, however, at the end of the month of May of another year, and still without the Report. I submit upon this re. cital of facts, that these 'Commissioners are not actuated by a proper sensed the obligation they lie under to Parliament soil the public; and, judging by the past, I am forced to fear that another year is very likely to pass before thee accomplish a task upon which depends the expenditure of a very large capital, where it is acknowledged on all hands to be more wanted than in any part of her Majesty's dominions. There is another point connected with this subject which may deserve atten- tion. The public was assured that the Commission was to be an ucpaid one. The:Marquis of LANSDOWNE used explicit language on that point in the House of Lords : nevertheless, I have heard it asset ted that the Commissioners drew 13,000/. last year, and 9,000/. this year on account of expenses. Nor is this all. The Secretary, by way of compliment for working gratuitously, was wads a Mayor early in 11537 : is it not time to press for the consideration for which this promotion was given, and to insist upon something actual—something really done, to show that the proceedings of this uswalaried Commission are really worth the large suns the country is reported to be paying fur .aem? I cannot but avail myself of this opportunity to express my opinion, that while the Report from the Commission remained a desideratum, it was rather imprudent to make the gentlemen charged with its heaviest duties working members of another busy Commission. I mean the one for improving the Shannon; upon which Colonel BUKGOGNE and Major Hearty JONES have been devoting considerable time and attention; which, however well-bestowed in one respect, were due, I apprehend, to the earlier appointment. Those gen. tlemen may be very competent persons to say how the navigation of the Shan- non should be improved; but having been previously bound to tell us which of the various projected lines of railroad in Ireland were the fittest to be made, they ought to have discharged themselves of that duty before they undertook another. In this view of the case, I must add, that the Government making the appointment, and the gentlemen taking it, seem to be equally blameable. RAILROADS, J.
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