INDEX.

LONDON: PRINTED BY W. CLOWES & SONS, STAMFORD STREET, AND CHARING CROSS.

Footnotes

[1]. See the ‘Liber Munerum publicorum Hibernie,’ the first and following chapters on the Establishments of Ireland, supplementary to the History of England, by Rowley Lascelles, of the Middle Temple, printed by authority in 1824. This work has been chiefly relied upon for historical reference. It bears evidence of great research, and is on every account entitled to much weight in the conflicting testimonies with regard to the early events of Irish history.

[2]. See ‘The Handbook of Architecture,’ a recent publication in which the ingenious author supports this conclusion by showing the similarity of the religious buildings erected in the East and in Ireland, which in both differ materially from what is seen in Italy and the other countries of Europe.

[3]. In ten years Ireland is said to have cost Elizabeth the immense sum of 3,400,000l. See ‘History of the English Poor Law,’ vol. i. p. 205.

[4]. See Spenser’s View of the State of Ireland, written in 1596, vol. viii. of his works, printed in octavo in 1805.

[5]. These are taken from the census returns of the respective periods.

[6]. The citations hereafter made, are taken from ‘The Statutes at Large, passed in the Parliament held in Ireland’—published by authority in thirteen volumes folio, in 1786.

[7]. That is every town within the English pale.

[8]. The average price of wheat in Mark-lane for the week ending on the 10th of November, was 83s. 8d. per qr. For the week ending on Nov. 15, 1851 the price per quarter was 36s. 4d.; and for the week ending Nov. 13, 1852 the price per quarter was 39s. 11d.

[9]. So called after Sir Edward Poynings, who was lord deputy in Ireland during a great part of Henry’s reign, and in the earlier part of that of his successor. The lord deputy is described as “the active scourge of all insurgents,” and it was latterly said of him that “he might call all Ireland his own.” See Liber Munerum, book ii. cap. 1. Mr. Lascelles gives 1494 as the year in which this Act was passed. In the Statutes at Large it bears the date of 1495.

[10]. See ‘History of the English Poor Law,’ vol. i. pages 100 and 110. 11th Henry 7th, cap. 2, and 6th Henry 8th, cap. 3.

[11]. See post, p. [51].

[12]. Ante, p. [22].

[13]. See ‘History of the English Poor Law,’ vol. i. pp. 115, 171, 233 and 234.

[14]. A parallel to the “pulling off the wool from living sheep,” may even now be witnessed all over the west of Ireland, in the plucking off the feathers from the living geese, a process that must be attended with great pain, and under the cruel infliction of which many of the poor geese perish.

[15]. See ante, p. [7].

[16]. Ante, p. [6].

[17]. See ‘History of the English Poor Law,’ vol. i. pp. 302, 372, 373 and 385.

[18]. Ante, p. [24].

[19]. Ante, p. [34].

[20]. Ante, p. [35].

[21]. See ‘History of the English Poor Law,’ vol. i. p. 183.

[22]. This limitation was afterwards removed by the 25th George 3rd, cap. 48, which allowed of children being apprenticed for any term, provided it did not exceed the age of 21 for a male and 18 for a female.

[23]. Ante, pp. 22 and 28.

[24]. Ante, p. 25.

[25]. See Arthur Young’s Tour in Ireland in the years 1776-77-78 and brought down to 1779. 2 vols. 8vo. Published in 1780.

[26]. See 10th and 11th Charles 1st, caps. 15 and 17, ante page [32].

[27]. See table at pages 11 and 12 ante.

[28]. See British Statute 39th and 40th Geo. 3rd, c. 67, and Irish Statute 40th Geo. 3rd, c. 38.

[29]. Ante, p. [51].

[30]. Ante, p. [79].

[31]. Ante, p. [45].

[32]. The grants were made annually, and these years are selected as indicating the average amount. The whole is abstracted from a return made to parliament in 1828, and from Warburton Whitlaw and Walsh’s History of Dublin, published in 1818.

[33]. Ante, pp. 35 and 45.

[34]. “Every child presented at the gate, or placed in the cradle, was immediately received, and taken to the infant nursery by a person appointed for that purpose.” See Warburton Whitlaw and Walsh’s History of Dublin.

[35]. See Parliamentary Return No. 2, ordered to be printed 21st March 1828.

[36]. Ante, p. [76].

[37]. Mr. Spring Rice, now Lord Monteagle, was the chairman of this committee.

[38]. Ante, p. [80].

[39]. See table, ante pp. [11] and [12].

[40]. Mr. Spring Rice (now Lord Monteagle) was also the chairman of this committee.

[41]. Dr. Doyle, the Roman catholic Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, whose evidence is entitled to the utmost consideration on this and every other question connected with the state of Ireland.

[42]. Ante, p. [38].

[43]. Ante, p. [51].

[44]. There was an infirmary in every county excepting Waterford, where the peculiar provisions of a local Act had prevented one being erected.

[45]. Namely 5th George 3rd, cap. 20; 45th George 3rd, cap. 111; and 47th George 3rd, cap. 50.

[46]. Ante, p. [77].

[47]. Ante, pp. [78] and [86].

[48]. Ante, p. [73]. The chapter is by mistake stated in the Report to be 91.

[49]. Of this committee Mr. Vesey Fitzgerald was chairman.

[50]. Ante, p. [79].

[51]. Ante, pp. [51], [74], and [77].

[52]. Dr. Doyle in his evidence[evidence] before the committee, stated that the poor were almost exclusively supported by the middle classes; and that “although these form a class not over numerous, and subject to great pressure, still of the million and a half or two millions now expended to support the Irish poor, nearly the entire falls upon the farmers and the other industrious classes.”

[53]. The committee consisted of twenty-one members, and Sir John Newport was the chairman.

[54]. This Report was signed by three bishops, the provost, and several other distinguished clerical and lay members of the established church.

[55]. Afterwards Lord Stanley, and now Earl of Derby.

[56]. This society, originally founded in 1811 under the designation of “The Society for promoting the Education of the Poor in Ireland,” was managed by gentlemen of various religious persuasions, on the principle of promoting the establishment and assisting in the support of schools, in which the appointment of governors and teachers, and the admission of scholars should be uninfluenced by religious distinctions, and in which the Bible and Testament, without note or comment should be read, excluding catechisms and books of religious controversy. In 1814-15 a grant of 6,980l. Irish currency, for the above objects, was made to this society, which removed its establishment to Kildare-street, and thence took the name of “The Kildare-street Society;” and annual grants were continued subsequently, varying from 10,000l. in 1821, to 25,000l. in 1830, the number of pupils within that period increasing from 36,637 to 132,530.

[57]. Ante, p. [108].

[58]. The commissioners were, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Murray (the Roman catholic Archbishop), Rev. Charles Vignoles, Richard More O'Farrall Esq., Rev. James Carlisle, Fenton Hort Esq., John Corrie Esq., James Naper Esq. and William Battie Wrightson Esq. The Right Hon. A. R. Blake was subsequently added to the commission.

[59]. See the seven heads of inquiry set out, ante page [119].

[60]. Ante, pp. 95 to 108.

[61]. Ante, p. [77].

[62]. Ante, pp. 51, 74, and 77.

[63]. To partake of meat at these seasons is enjoined upon all the members of the Roman catholic church.

[64]. The entire of the paragraph quoted would not bear out the interpretation here put upon it.

[65]. Ante, pp. 77 and 78.

[66]. The duties here proposed to be performed by the officers of health, are similar to what are required from the relieving officer under the amended Poor Law in England.

[67]. These were Dr. Vignoles, J. W. S. Naper Esq., and Lord Killeen.

[68]. The commissioners who signed this schedule of reasons are, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Murray the Roman catholic archbishop, Rev. Mr. Carlisle, Mr. F. Hort, Mr. John Corrie, Mr. W. B. Wrightson, the Right Hon. A. R. Blake, and Mr. J. J. Bicheno. The two latter had been subsequently added to the original commission.

[69]. See ‘History of the Scotch Poor Law.’ The number of parishes assessed to the relief of the poor in Scotland in 1855, was 700, and the number unassessed, in which the relief is raised by voluntary contributions, was 183. The latter are continually diminishing, and will probably ere long cease altogether.

[70]. Now Sir George Cornewall Lewis Bart., and Chancellor of the Exchequer.

[71]. Ante p. 129.

[72]. The present Earl of Carlisle, then Secretary for Ireland, and now Lord Lieutenant.

[73]. Whether the number of persons in distress and requiring relief during thirty weeks in every year, amounted to 2,385,000, as estimated by the commissioners, may admit of question; but there can be no doubt that much distress prevailed, and that occasionally it was exceedingly severe.

[74]. In Scotland the rate is divided equally between the landlord and tenant.

[75]. The author’s Report was presented to the house at the same time.

[76]. Then secretary of state for the home department, and leader in the house of commons.

[77]. The Report was accompanied by appendices containing important evidence on several of the points to which it referred; and in particular a communication from Mr. Stanley, on the extent of destitution among the poorer classes in Ireland, in which he shows that the estimate of the inquiry commissioners was founded on erroneous data.

[78]. The following estimate was prepared during the progress of the bill, and was printed by order of the house of lords.

Assuming that there will be a hundred unions, each having a workhouse capable of accommodating 800 persons, the paid officers, with their respective salaries in each union, may be stated as follows:—

Clerk of the unionfrom£60to80
Master and mistress of the workhouse 60”80
Chaplains 50”80
Medical officers and medicines 100”150
Auditor 20”30
Returning officer 10”20
Collector 50”70
Schoolmaster and schoolmistress 50”80
Porter and assistant-porter 20”30
Other assistants in the workhouse and union, say 30 30
£450to650

For the hundred unions, this would give a total expenditure in salaries of from 45,000l. to 65,000l. per annum; or say 55,000l. on an average.

In addition to the above, it may be further assumed, that on an average throughout the year the workhouses will be three parts full, and that the total cost of maintenance clothing bedding wear and tear &c., will amount to 1s. 6d. per head per week, which is equal to 3l. 18s., or say 4l. per head per annum; this will give an expenditure of 240,000l. per annum for maintenance &c., in the hundred unions: which added to the 55,000l. for salaries, will make a total charge of 295,000l. annually for the relief of the destitute, under the provisions of the bill.

The money for building the workhouses is to be advanced by government, free of interest for ten years; and is to be repaid by annual instalments of five per cent. The cost of the workhouses has been stated at 700,000l., but assuming it to amount to 1,000,000l., this would impose an additional charge of 50,000l. annually for the first twenty years (exclusive of the interest after the first ten years on the then residue of the principal), which, added to the above, makes an aggregate charge of 345,000l. per annum.—G. N.

[79]. It was laid on the table of both houses on the assembling of parliament.

[80]. Ante, pp. 137 to 146.

[81]. The Report was printed, and laid before parliament.

[82]. Now Sir James Kay Shuttleworth, Bart.

[83]. This quotation is from a journal which I had kept of the proceedings with regard to the Irish Poor Law, from the commencement of my connexion with the question in August 1836, and which has been very useful in framing the present narrative. In this journal is recorded from day to day, the progress of my inquiries in Ireland and elsewhere, the deliberations and consultations with government on the subject, the discussions with different public men in reference to it, and also the various interviews with the Duke of Wellington after the bill had passed the commons, in which it was my good fortune to be the medium of communication for settling the points at issue be tween his grace and the government. I say “my good fortune,” for without the duke’s assistance the bill would not have passed the house of lords, and without the part taken by myself in negotiating and bringing about a right understanding on the subject, I doubt if that assistance would have been accorded. If therefore the enactment of the Irish Poor Law was, as I believe, a measure of great social importance, and as subsequent events have moreover I think shown it to be, it cannot but be regarded as a great privilege to have been permitted to assist in any way towards the accomplishment of such an object. With this privilege I was so fortunate as to be invested, and I feel happy in the consciousness of having spared no pains to fulfil the obligations it involved.

[84]. See the author’s Histories of the English and Scotch Poor Laws.

[85]. In altering the bill to localise the charge upon the electoral divisions respectively (see ante, p. [220]) it was omitted to substitute the term Electoral Division for that of Union in the 81st sect.; so that a person who might pay a rate in every electoral division of the union, could only as the clause stood vote in one, although each electoral division was separately chargeable. This would be contrary to what was intended by the Duke of Wellington’s amendment, and the error was remedied as soon as discovered by the 2nd Vict. cap. 1, sec. 5. See post, p. [233].

[86]. A rate was excepted from such removal by the Amendment Act passed shortly afterwards, 2nd Vict. cap, 1. See post, p. [233].

[87]. The gentlemen selected for this purpose, were Mr. Gulson, Mr. Earle, Mr. Hawley, and Mr. Voules.

[88]. These were Mr. Clements, Mr. Hancock, Mr. O'Donoghue, and Mr. Phelan, the latter with an especial view to the medical charities. Mr. Stanley had been appointed secretary to the board in Dublin.

[89]. This is included in the fifth annual Report of the Poor-Law Commissioners, but I shall continue to number the Reports of proceedings in Ireland separately, without regard to the number of the commissioners’ general Reports.

[90]. The architect engaged for this service was Mr. Wilkinson, who had erected several of the English workhouses, and who continued to superintend the building operations in Ireland until all the workhouses were completed, and for some years subsequently.

[91]. A portion only of one barrack was ultimately taken, that of Fermoy; and it turned out to be neither satisfactory nor economical. At the end of a few years it was restored to its original use, and a new and more convenient workhouse was provided for the union.

[92]. Ante, p. [233].

[93]. These were Mr. Burke and Mr. Otway; and Mr. Muggeridge was transferred from England.

[94]. Ante, p. [45].

[95]. Ante, pp. 35 and 45.

[96]. Ante, p. [233].

[97]. Lord Ebrington (now Earl Fortescue) was lord lieutenant at this time, and I feel it a duty to state that much of our success in the early part of our proceedings, was owing to the aid and countenance he was ever ready to afford us. He knew the difficulties with which the commission had to contend, and never withheld assistance when it was needed.

[98]. This is inserted in the Appendix to the Annual Report.

[99]. A copy of the order is appended to the 2nd Annual Report.

[100]. Clauses to this effect had been inserted in the original bill, but were withdrawn, as has been before stated. Ante, p. [195].

[101]. The money expended on this occasion amounted to 5,441l. See ‘The Irish Crisis,’ by Sir Charles Trevelyan, p. 18.

[102]. Ante, p. [251].

[103]. Then secretary for Ireland.

[104]. The gentlemen to whom this very important duty was confided were Mr. Phelan who had been specially appointed with a view to this object, and Dr. Corr afterwards temporarily employed for the like purpose; and to them was joined the assistant-commissioner in charge of the district within which the particular inquiry took place.

[105]. Ante, p. [259].

[106]. Ante, p. [263].

[107]. Ante, p. [268].

[108]. The 14th and 15th Vict. cap. 68. See post, p. [382].

[109]. Ante, p. [211].

[110]. Ante, p. [271].

[111]. Ante, p. [277].

[112]. Although this was the total number in the 92 workhouses on the 1st of January 1843, no less than 56,000 had been admitted and discharged, and consequently relieved for a longer or shorter period, during the previous year.

[113]. The gentlemen selected for this duty were Mr. Gulson and Mr. Power; and the instrument of delegation is dated 20th April 1843.

[114]. The amount distributed by government on this occasion, in aid of local subscriptions, was 3,448l. See ‘The Irish Crisis’ by Sir Charles Trevelyan, p. 19.

[115]. Ante, p. [275].

[116]. See the author’s first Report on Irish Poor Laws, p. 160.

[117]. These numbers were ascertained by returns which the author had obtained in 1842, and caused to be tabulated by desire of the Irish government, with a view to the parliamentary franchise. The same returns show that the net annual value of property assessed to the relief of the poor in Ireland, was 13,428,787l.; but more exact returns subsequently obtained place the amount at 13,253,825l. The annual value of property assessed to the poor-rate in England and Wales at that time was 62,540,003l.—See return to an order of the house of commons dated 3rd May 1842. Both of these valuations are no doubt below the actual amount, probably by 20 or 25 per cent.; but of the two, the Irish valuation is perhaps somewhat nearer the truth than the other.

[118]. Ante, p. [280].

[119]. The rate amounted to 1,796l. The population of the union exceeded 70,000.

[120]. The complaints of the architect’s certificates were not confined to the guardians, for whilst these complained of his too liberal allowance of charges, the contractors complained that their charges were unduly cut down. Both complaints were however totally without foundation, and in fact one negatived the other.

[121]. This forms a part of the eleventh Report of the Poor Law Commissioners.

[122]. No return could be obtained from the Athlone union, which is one of the 106, and its operations are therefore not included in these amounts.

[123]. See author’s memorandum at page 209 ante.

[124]. These were Cahirciveen, Clifden, Glenties, and Milford.

[125]. This eighth Report of proceedings in Ireland, is included in the twelfth Report of the Poor Law Commissioners; but as before stated it has been thought better to keep the Irish portion of the Reports distinct from the other, and to give them a separate number.

[126]. Ante, p. [288].

[127]. Ante, p. [300].

[128]. See ‘History of the Scotch Poor Law,’ p. 199. See also ‘History of the English Poor Law,’ 2nd vol. pp. 391-393.

[129]. In March 1846, on the introduction of the measure (9th and 10th Vict. cap. 2) for enabling the Treasury to make advances on security of grand jury presentments, Mr. O'Connell, whose knowledge of Ireland must be admitted, declared that government had acted wisely in causing a quantity of maize or Indian corn to be imported, to replace the damaged potatoes, as by so doing they had added to the quantity of food for the people.

[130]. See ‘The Irish Crisis,’ by Sir Charles Trevelyan, reprinted in 1848 from the Edinburgh Review No. 175.

[131]. These were Professors Kane, Lindley, and Playfair.

[132]. See ‘History of the Scotch Poor Law,’ pp. 130 and 165.

[133]. Ante, p. [284].

[134]. Commonly known in Ireland as “the Apostle of Temperance,” a worthy and benevolent man.

[135]. See ‘The Irish Crisis,’ by Sir Charles Trevelyan, p. 41.

[136]. The 10th and 11th Vict. cap. 1 and 2.

[137]. See ‘The Irish Crisis,’ by Sir Charles Trevelyan, under whose able superintendence the government aid was chiefly administered in Ireland, and on whose statements of what took place I have chiefly relied in this account of the dismal periods of 1846 and 1847.

[138]. In the month of March the expenditure upon relief-works including labour and plant, and the cost of the staff, amounted to 1,050,772l.

[139]. Sir John Burgoyne was the chairman of this commission, and Mr. Twisleton the poor-law commissioner was a member. The other members were Mr. Redington the first under secretary, and Col. Jones and Col. M'Gregor the heads of the board of works and the constabulary.

[140]. The best form in which cooked food could be given was “stirabout,” made of Indian meal and rice steamed. It is sufficiently solid to be easily carried away by the recipients. The pound ration thus prepared swelled by the absorption of water to between 3 and 4 pounds.

[141]. The price of Indian corn in the middle of February was 19l. per ton, at the end of March it was 13l., and by the end of August it had fallen to 7l. 10s. per ton. The quantity of corn imported into Ireland in the first six months of 1847 was 2,849,508 tons.

[142]. See ‘The Irish Crisis.’ See also the Reports of the Irish relief commissioners, which give full information on this interesting but distressing subject.

[143]. See the author’s first Report, p. 167 ante.

[144]. See ‘The Irish Crisis,’ p. 110.

[145]. The present Lord Overstone, then Mr. Jones Loyd, was chairman of the acting committee of the association, and Mr. Thomas Baring was the vice-chairman.

[146]. See ‘History of the Scotch Poor Law,’ p. 202.

[147]. In fact the amount applied to these objects by the association exceeded 500,000l., upwards of 130,000l. having been obtained by the sale of provisions and seed-corn in Ireland, and interest accruing on the money contributed.

[148]. See Report of the British Association for the Relief of extreme Distress in Ireland and Scotland, 1st January 1849.

[149]. Those of Cork, Granard, Ballina, and Skibbereen.

[150]. See ‘History of the English Poor Law,’ vol. ii. p. 393, where however there is a misprint in the eighth line from the bottom, of 1846 for 1847, which the reader is requested to correct.

[151]. Upwards of 100,000l. was expended in relieving the sick and destitute emigrants landed in Canada in 1847.

[152]. See ‘History of the Scotch Poor Law,’ p. 205. See also ‘History of the English Poor Law,’ vol. ii. p. 393.

[153]. See ‘The Irish Crisis,’ p. 143.

[154]. Ante, p. [304].

[155]. Ante, p. [293].

[156]. Ante, p. [227].

[157]. That is The 1st and 2nd Vict. cap. 56, and The 6th and 7th Vict. cap. 92. Ante, pp. 222 et seq. and 291 et seq.

[158]. The necessity for adhering to the principle of indoor relief was fully recognised by this committee, whose inquiries were for the most part limited to that point, without going into the general question of the Poor Law. Any detailed account of the committee’s proceedings does not therefore appear to be called for at this time, as no new light was thrown upon the subject by its investigations. The same may be said of the commission for “inquiring into the state of the law and practice in respect to the occupation of land in Ireland,” (of which the Earl of Devon was chairman), and whose reports are exceedingly valuable; but they do not directly bear upon our subject, and have therefore not been noticed. I have indeed endeavoured to confine attention to the Poor-law itself, and to those matters immediately connected with it, and calculated to elucidate its working, these collectively presenting a field sufficiently extensive.

[159]. Ante, p. [211].

[160]. These were Mr. Crawford, Mr. Bourke, Mr. Stanley, and Mr. Barron. Mr. Phelan had been appointed some months previously to superintend the sanitary state of the workhouses. Mr. Stanley afterwards became secretary, and was succeeded as inspector by Mr. Flanagan.

[161]. Ante, p. [326].

[162]. Ante, p. [328].

[163]. These were—Athlone, Ballina, Ballinrobe, Bantry, Cahirciveen, Carrick-on-Shannon, Castlebar, Castlereagh, Cavan, Clifden, Cootehill, Enniskillen, Ennistymon, Galway, Gort, Granard, Kanturk, Kenmare, Kilkenny, Kilrush, Longford, Loughrea, Lowtherstown, Mohill, Newcastle, New Ross, Roscommon, Scariff, Trim, Tuam, Tullamore, Waterford, and Westport.

[164]. Ante, p. [317].

[165]. See Report of the association, p. 41.

[166]. Ante, p. [328].

[167]. Ante, p. [321].

[168]. These were Ballina, Belmullet, Ballinrobe, Ballyshannon, Bantry, Boyle, Cahirciveen, Carrick-on-Shannon, Castlebar, Castlereagh, Clifden, Donegal, Galway, Glenties, Kenmare, Kilrush, Listowel, Manorhamilton, Milford, Mohill, Roscommon, Scariff, Skibbereen, Sligo, Swineford, Tralee, Dingle, Tuam, Westport, Athlone, Ennistymon, Gort, Nenagh, Loughrea and New Ross. This list somewhat differs from the one given in the commissioners’ Report, but I quote from that furnished by the association, whose Report was made subsequently, being dated 1st January 1849.

[169]. See Report of the British Relief Association, pp. 41 and 46.

[170]. Ante, p. [330].

[171]. Ante, p. [343].

[172]. Ante, p. [326].

[173]. The vacancy caused by the lamented death of Mr. Hancock, was filled by the appointment of Mr. Lynch, the temporary inspector of the Westport union.

[174]. Ante, p. [331].

[175]. This is quoted from the heading of the subscription list, as published in the ‘Times’ of 16th June 1849. The money raised was confided for distribution in Ireland to Count Strzelecki.

[176]. These were Ballina, Ballinrobe, Bantry, Cahirciveen, Carrick-on-Shannon, Castlebar, Castlereagh, Clifden, Ennistymon, Galway, Glenties, Gort, Kenmare, Kilrush, Mohill, Roscommon, Scariff, Sligo, Swineford, Tuam, Westport, and Dingle. All the distressed unions had either paid guardians, or temporary inspectors, appointed by the commissioners.

[177]. Ante, p. [341].

[178]. These were Mullingar, Boyle, Cashel, Thurles, Listowel, and Tipperary.

[179]. Ante, p. [330].

[180]. The commissioners were Captains Larcom and Broughton of the engineers, and Mr. Crawford a poor-law inspector.

[181]. Ante, p. [351].

[182]. Ante, p. [355].

[183]. Ante, p. [361].

[184]. These were Belmullet, Killala, Dromore West, Newport, Oughterard, Skull, Castletown, Clonakilty, Tulla, Killadysert, Corrofin, Ballyvaghan, Portumna, Mount Bellew, Glennamaddy, Strokestown, Claremorris, Tobercurry, Glin, Croom, Millstreet, Mitchelstown, Bawnboy, and Ballymahon.

[185]. Ante, p. [354].

[186]. Twenty ships had been despatched in the two years, from May 1848, to April 1850, with orphan girls selected from the workhouses in Ireland, as emigrants to the Australian colonies. Of these emigrants, 2,253 were taken to Sydney, 1,255 to Port-Philip, and 606 to Adelaide. The remaining 61 were sent to the Cape of Good Hope.

[187]. As was the case in the preceding year, the half-yearly statements made up and audited on the 25th March and 29th September (Appendix 2 and 3) exhibit different amounts, and make the total expenditure in the present year 2,141,228l.

[188]. Ante, p. [355].

[189]. These were Borrisokane, Castlecomer, Donaghmore, Kilmacthomas, Tornastown, Urlingford, Youghal, and Castletowndelvin.

[190]. Ante, p. [365].

[191]. Ante, p. [374].

[192]. A statement of the appropriation of this loan is given in the Appendix to the commissioners’ fourth Report.

[193]. Ante, pp. 267 and 279.

[194]. Ante, p. [373].

[195]. Ante, p. [373].

[196]. See 6th part of the Report on the census of Ireland for 1851, published in 1855.

[197]. See p. [404].

[198]. Ante, pp. [373] and [378].

[199]. See table at p. 397.

[200]. Ante, p. [387].

[201]. Such in fact took place, the expenditure on relief of the poor for the year 1854 being 760,152l., and for 1855 being still further reduced to 685,259l.

[202]. Ante, p. [323].

[203]. The number in the workhouses on the 29th September 1854 was 66,506, and at the same date in 1855 it was 56,546.—The number receiving out-door relief on these days respectively was 926 and 655.

[204]. Ante, p. [374].

[205]. These were Cahirciveen, Dingle, Kenmare, Kilrush, Killadysert, Ennistymon, Scariff, Tulla, Clifden, Newport, and Oughterard.

[206]. The returns for 1850 were not completed, in consequence of the alterations which were then being made in the number and the boundaries of the unions.

[207]. The average for the half-year ending 25th March 1854, was 1s. 7½d., and for the half-year ending 29th September it was 1s. 8½d. per head. For each of the corresponding periods in 1855, the average was 1s. 10¼d.

[208]. That is on the 1st May 1854.

[209]. The weekly cost of the out-relief so given was 40l. 4s. 4d.

[210]. Ante, p. [397].

[211]. See the tenth Report of the board of supervision.

[212]. The ninth, dated May 1st 1856.

[213]. The amount expended from the poor-rates in 1855, to assist in the emigration of 830 poor persons from different unions, was 6,859l. In the previous year the amount had been 22,651l., including 10,000l. from the rate in aid, to assist in the emigration of 1,500 young females from the workhouses in the south and west of Ireland.

Transcriber’s Note

On p. 215, the quoted material refers to the Belgian ‘bleuse’ (blouse). This may be a misprint, however the report being quoted is closely paraphrased in other texts using the same spelling.

On p. 398, a quoted passage introduced by “commissioners remark in their Report” opens with a quotation mark which has no corresponding close. It is not obvious where that passage closes.

Errors deemed most likely to be the printer’s have been corrected, and are noted here. The references are to the page and line in the original. References with three numbers refer to corrections to footnotes.

[46.26]or within the same walls with child[r]en,Inserted.
[99.11]An apprehension was more[o]verInserted.
[99.25]to a greater certain[t]y of cropInserted.
[215.38]The men universally wear the [bleuse]Sic.
[106.52.1]Dr. Doyle in his eviden[e/c]e before the committeeReplaced.
[158.29]to adduce any ad[d]itional proofsInserted.
[211.4]me[n]dicancyInserted.
[224.8]from the time of such app[p]ointmentRemoved.
[380.15]de[c]laring thatInserted.
[416.58]Ninth Report of the proce[e]dings in 1847Inserted.