IRELAND DESCRIBED.

I

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

RELAND) composes one of the three divisions of

the British Empire. It is situated on the west of England, between 5° and 10° degrees of west longitude, and between the 51° and 56° degrees of north latitude. Similar to Scotland, it is an irregular nine-sided figure. St. George's Channel on the south, the Irish sea on the east, the Northern Ocean on the north, and the great Atlantic on the west, form the circumambient boundaries. Fairhead the extreme northern, and Missenhead the extreme southern point, are about two hundred and eighty five miles distant. From the eastern extremity of Down to the western extremity of Mayo, the greatest breadth is about one hundred and sixty miles. The area is about eleven millions, sixty seven thousand seven hundred and twelve Irish plantation acres ; or seventeen millions nine hundred and twenty-seven thousand eight hundred and sixty four English statute acres. The population, as lately computed, is about five millions three hundred and ninety-five thousand, four hundred and thirty-six. The annual revenue which Ireland yields to the British government is computed about six millions-The

* Newenham's Population of Ireland. p, 134, A

revenue of the prelates about eighty thousand pounds annually, and that of the chapters and parochial clergy about seven hundred thousand.

Surrounded on all sides by the sea, the extent of its coast, in proportion to its interior area is very great. The Bays of Dublin, Drogheda, and Carrickfergus, are the inlets by which, on the eastern side, the waters of the Irish sea intrude upon the land. Fairhead, Rathlin Isle, Giants Causway, and Ennistrahull and Tory Island, are situated on the northern coast. Matin, Donegal, Sligo, Clew, Round Stone, Galway, St. Brandon, Dingle, and Shannon Bays, are the most remarkable inroads which the waters of the Atlantic have made on the western shore. St. George's Channel makes her successful attacks upon the southern coast, by the Bays of Clonkelty, Youghall, and Dungarvan. These numerous bays add greatly to the local beauty of Ireland, and render her superior to all Europe for the advantages of foreign commerce.

Compared with some other countries, Ireland cannot be deemed mountainous; yet nevertheless, there are mountains sufficiently interesting to produce a variety to the amusement and delight of the traveller. These, however, are not so numerous as to give the appearance of sterility to the face of the country. The most remarkable are Mangerton, and the Reeks in Kerry, the Galties in Cork, Crow Patrick, and Nephin in Mayo, together with the lofty mountains of Mourne in Down. Of the last mentioned the most elevated is Slieu Denard, which has been calculated at a perpendicular height of one thousand & fifty six yards. From the mountains

of Mourne, situated in the vicinity of the sea, the traveller obtains an extensive, grand, diversified and picturesque view. On the inland side, he has the most delightful and enchanting prospect of verdant mountains, beautiful fields, populous towns, and flourish. ing villages; and when he turns his eye towards the sea, he beholds her boisterous billows flowing in all their majestic grandeur near the foot of the mountains; and from his lofty station he obtains a distant view of the western counties of Scotland.

Instead of a territory the one half composed of uncultivated marshes, and the other of craggy mountains where uncultivated peasants dwell, the English travel. ler will find that there is less uncultivated ground than in his own country; and the Scottish traveller, that in respect of verdant mountains, extensive lakes, and variegated beauties, nature has been more lavish to Ireland than to his native soil. No uncultivated track is seen in Ireland, similar to the waste land extending from the north riding of Yorkshire, the eastern line of Lancaster, and partly along the peak of Derby almost an hundred miles in length. The most considerable are in Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, and Donnegal; yet the average of these does not equal the quantity in the northern counties of England. From the plenty of stone, and the general rocky nature of the soil, the whole island appears to compose one vast rock of different strata and different qualities, emerging from the Atlantic. In the level parts, stone is found at no considerable depth, and in the higher grounds a little below the surface. But it seems peculiar to Ireland that the rockyness of the soil increases, rather than dimi