The Barrow navigation is another of those fine inland communications, for which Ireland is so deservedly celebrated. There has been expended on it, from 1802 to 1836, 114,000l. The navigation is thus described in the official report : "The river Barrow becomes navigable at Athy, in the county of Kildare, fortytwo miles from Dublin, completing an uninterrupted line of inland communication, through the medium of the Grand Canal, from Dublin to the sea below Waterford -a distance of upwards of 120 miles. The rivers Nore and Suir fall into it; the former one mile above the town of Ross, the latter a short distance below Waterford. The depth of the water from Athy to Carlow is nearly three and a half feet during the summer, and five feet in the winter months, being sufficient for boats carrying fifty tons. The principal interruption in the navigation exists between Carlow and St. Mullins, but is available for boats of from thirty to forty tons, during six months of the year. Between Athy and St. Mullin's Scars, a distance of fortythree miles, there are twelve stages and twenty-three locks. There is a trackway for horses, forty miles in length, from Athy to below St. Mullins; there are five considerable towns upon, or adjacent to, its banks, and several very extensive flour mills." The progressive increase of tonnage and tolls is thus shown: In whatever direction we turn, a marked increase is observed in internal traffic. The Newry navigation (between Newry and Lough Neagh, sixteen and a half miles, and between Newry and the sea), which, in the annexed return, is for goods only, presents the following data : The Tyrone, Lower Boyne, Slaney, and Suir navigations, all present similar marked features of prosperity. The Lagan navigation, for connecting Belfast with Lough Neagh, had a tonnage, in 1836, of 44,700 tons, and tolls 2,0607. If it be alleged that Statistics are not entirely trustworthy, their accuracy is herein most fully corroborated by a variety of vivâ voce testimony of the most impartial, enlightened, and disinterested witnesses. * Irish currency. + British currency, therefore greater real increase. CHAPTER V. The Progress of Ireland tested, by Savings Banks, Post-Office, Stamps, Newspapers, Excise, Public Works, &c. &c. We shall now proceed to examine the condition of Ireland on various points. We have tested the country as regards its augmented trade, shipping, and produce; it is but natural to suppose, that we shall find a corresponding increase in the other branches of social industry. The returns of all are not as complete as could be wished, but they establish the general truth of the proposition in the most convincing manner. We begin with the Savings Banks. SAVINGS BANKS.-The condition of the lower classes of the people is indicated by the accumulations of their frugality in Savings Banks. In no aspect does Ireland present a more marked feature of prosperity than in this respect. The sums paid into and drawn out of the Irish Savings Banks from 1821 to 1828 are thus shown: 1829 furnishes an And let it be re accurate view of this branch of the subject. membered, that simultaneous with this increase in the Savings Banks, there has been a considerable sum invested by farmers, shopkeepers, and others in Joint Stock Banks, Loan Funds, &c. The great increase in the number of the depositors, as well as in the amounts of the deposits, will be remarked in the following return. IRELAND.-NUMBER of DEPOSITORS in SAVINGS BANKS, and AMOUNT of their DEPOSITS. Not exceeding £20. Not exceeding £50. Not exceeding 100. Not exceeding 150. Not exceeding £200. Exceeding £200. Total. Total. In Amount, £1,389,097. The Increase between the first and last period, from 1829 to 1841, has been in Depositors, No. 46,260 The gross amount of all sums received by the Commissioners for the reduction of the National Debt, on account of Banks for Savings in Ireland, from 6th August 1817 to 20th Nov. 1841, inclusive, was £6,762,915. The CORK SAVINGS BANK will illustrate the state of the Provincial Savings Bank in Ireland. The following are the Returns for the last four years : No. of Depositors 1839. 8,696 1840. 9,298 1841. 10,078 1842. 10,742 Balances, 20th Nov. in each year £298,003 £304,046 £333,517 £356,593 In 1842, the number of Depositors not exceeding 207. was 4,087, not exceeding 50l. was 4,528, not exceeding 1007. was 1,371, not exceeding 150%. EXCISE. In 1800 the whole Excise revenue of Ireland was 475,7327. it is now (including 500,000l., Tea Duties, recently removed to the Customs) upwards of 2,000,000l. This increase shows the augmented comforts and resources of the people. THE REVENUE (Gross Receipts) of Ireland (after deducting the Repayments, Allowances, Discounts, Drawbacks, and Bounties of the nature of Drawbacks), from 1802 to 1815. [From Parliamentary Return, No. 209, House of Commons, 26th April, 1843.] Land and Assessed Stamps Postage. Total. 2,068,959 1,875,361 1,341,857 1,628,436 1,919,022 2,186,842 2,350,656 3,109,395 3,363,656 533,471 588,127 612,950 638,736 674,937 676,203 711,551 687,467 542,968 130,404 149,848 151,337 165,081 173,245 177,963 184,107 191,037 196,876 53,061 41,666 38,642 33,504 32,509 33,827 32,586 32,102 32,343 30,804 33,946 38,748 41,411 42,966 3,545,630 3,158,236 3,822,959 3,624,780 4,087,561 4,862,959 4,907,827 4,804,802 4,262,278 4,893,150 5,531,532 5,775,639 6,219,168 6,504,820 The preceding statement demonstrates conclusively that Ireland did not retrograde after the Union. Her revenue increased from 3,545,630. to 6,504,8207. But it is in her Stamp and Post-office revenue that we see the progress of the people: her Stamps increased from 189,7317. to 711,5117.her Postage, which indicates commerce and social intercourse, from 81,6427. to 196,8767. The increase of stamp revenue in a country indicates extended commercial business. The increase on a few years STAMPS.-RETURN to an ORDER of the Honourable the House of Commons, dated 15th April, 1840, for A Return of STAMPS (for Bills of Exchange), issued by the STAMP-OFFICE, in each Year of 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, and 1839-viz., the Number of Stamps issued at ls., ls. 6d., 2s., 2s. 6d., 3s. 6d., 4s. 6d., 5s., 8s. 6d., 12s. 6d., 15s., 25s., and 30s., specifying also the Sum paid each Year by Bankers for compounding for Bill Stamps. IRELAND. Number of Stamps issued. Years. At 6d. At 1s. 6d. At 28. At 3s. At 5s. At 88. At 15s. At 25s. 1835 211,127 186,530 117, 04 103,612 65,274 43,314 8,876 1,248 169 1836 335,870 236,595 132,713 113,915 69,272 48,510 10,731 1,729 242 1837 293,532 222,435 124,639 107,107 63,114 44,858 9,795 1,375 205 1838 289,807 238,541 122,874 102,584 61,382 42,422 10,280 1,846 266 1839 287,810 237,859 126,380 104,965 62,043 42,944 11,504 1,832 227 Note. The Act of 9 Geo. IV. c. 33, authorising bankers to compound for the duty on bill stamps, does not extend to Ireland. In consequence of the repeal of the assessed taxes in Ireland, it is difficult to show the condition of the upper classes in Ireland by any reference to the number of horses, carriages, and servants. The duty on wrought plate, which is an article of luxury, and only used by persons of a superior class, may probably show something of the condition of the higher orders. Taking 1800, 1801, and 1802, as compared with 1815, 1816, and 1817,—the latter being the period when the duty fell to the lowest in Ireland, there is shown an increase in the duty of 65 per cent. Taking the years 1827, 1828, and 1829, being the period when the duty was the greatest, and comparing it with 1800, 1801, and 1802, there is shown an increase of 97 per cent. and comparing the last three years with the first period, there appears |