[19] The most trustworthy thermometer of Irish trade is to be found in the volume now yearly issued by the Irish Government—the Report on the Trade in Imports and Exports at Irish Ports. In the absence of Irish Customs there must be some uncertainty in the tests, but the Government figures are collected from the "manifests" of exporters and importers. (The latest report comes up to the 31st December, 1910. Cd. 5965.)
[20] The growth of Irish trade since 1900 can be seen at a glance in the following table (including exports and imports):—
| £ | |
| 1904 | 103,790,799 |
| 1905 | 106,973,043 |
| 1906 | 113,208,940 |
| 1907 | 120,572,755 |
| 1908 | 116,120,618 |
| 1909 | 124,725,895 |
| 1910 | 130,888,732 |
[21] The export of manufactured goods increased from £20,000,000 in 1906 to £26,000,000 in 1910. Those goods consisted mostly of linen and ships from Belfast. The export of farm stuffs increased from £31,000,000 in 1905 to £35,000,000 in 1910.
[22] Ireland now exports into England three times as much live stock as any other country. She imports more potatoes and poultry than any other. She also stands in butter only second to Denmark, in eggs only second to Russia, and in bacon and hams only third to the United States and Denmark (Cd. 5966).
[23] "Local authorities are more exposed to the temptation of enabling the majority to be unjust to the minority when they obtain jurisdiction over a small area, than is the case when the authority derives its sanction and extends its jurisdiction over a wider area. In a large central authority the wisdom of several parts of the country will correct the folly and mistakes of one. In a local authority that correction is to a much greater extent wanting, and it would be impossible to leave that out of sight in any extension of any such local authority in Ireland."—Lord Salisbury (1885).
[24] Proposing to buy out the Irish landlords at an estimated cost of £100,000,000.
[25] See [Appendix D] for a summary of the 1893 Home Rule Bill.
[26] It was named by Mr. Sexton the "Put 'em in the dock Bill," and that phrase practically killed it.
[27] See the Local Government Board Reports passim:—