The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-30 00:00:00

SATURDAY,

" tenths of those who have sailed from Liver-
" pool, and one-third of those who have sailed
" from the Clyde to North America, in addi-
" don to all who have sailed from Irish
" ports ;" besides many sent out at the cost of
ciovermuent to Australia. The total of Irish
emigration since 1847 exceeds 1,300,000 ; leav-
ing less than half a million for England,
Mules, and Scotland.
There is no inure striking feature of the
Irish exodus than the vast sums sent back
from relatives and friends iu America. These
remittances from the savings of the poor, in
aid of their yet poorer countrymen, are com-
puted as follows :
In 184$ 4460,000
1849
1850 .. 957,000
1831
1,404,000
making in five years a total of 4,351,0001.,
nearly four and a half millions, or 900,0001.
yearly on an average. Nor is this estimate
complete ; for we know nothing of the amount
sent through private hands, although from
various sources that is ascertained to be large.
It is quite within the limits of probability that
the total thus remitted does not fall far short of
seven millions in the above-named five years,
or one pound per head for the whole popula-
tion of reland.
On a point of far deeper interest to the
nation at large we leave the commissioners to
speak for themselves :
The effect which the large emigration must have on
the population of Ireland was IsAuted out in our report of
last year, but, as the question is now attracting much in-
terest, we may be allowed to revert to it.
It will be remembered that the census showed a total
population in Ireland on March 31, 1851, of 1015,794,
with a decrease during the preceding ten years of
1,659,330. Assuming the natural increase of the popula-
tion to be one per cent. per annum, or 65,157 a year,
which we showed to have been the rate of increase between
1831 and 1841, the emigration of 1851 would have been
nearly four times, and that of 1852 much more than three
times, the whole increase. But, as emigration carries away
more than a due proportion of the young and healthy, we
think it probable that in point of fact the births of those
who remain behind do no more than replace the deaths
among them.
Taking, however, Ireland alone, it seems
probable that the movement has not only
reached but passed its culminating point.
The number of emigrants thence in 1851
exceeds that in 1852 by about one eighth, the
numbers being in the two years respectively
254,000 and 224,000. Coincidently with this
decrease pauperism has diminished ; thus
proving that a sensible effect has been pro-
duced upon the labour market, of which those
who remain behind are reaping the benefit.
The able-bodied paupers in Irish workhouses
were, in January, 1851, 80,000 ; in January,
1853, they are 50,000. Wages have not risen
to any great extent; " but this fiwt," say the
commissioners, "is not inconsistent with a
" considerable improvement in the condition
"of the labouring classes. We apprehend
" that, although wages are still at a minimum,
" the number receiving them, and the propor-
" tion they bear to the unemployed, is con-
" siderably larger than formerly."
On the distribution of emigrants, a subject
of moment, though one to which we do not
ascribe all the importance which is some-
times attributed to it, the following statement
is given:—
The emigration from the whole United Kingdom
during the years 1551 and 1559 was distributed is
follows

United North
Statem
' America.
11431 241.374 42,601
157.12 241,2111 31,5741

Australia.

All tither
place N.

Total.

21,532
/47,r4s

4,4;1
3.7

3371,90
360,704

showing an actual decrease on the emigration to other
places than Australia of :13,551 souls, and an actual in-
crease on the emigration to Australia of 116.3-19. Of
this actual increase 11,4ti1 is adtitmtalde to the opera-
tions of this board. The numbers sent out by us in
1,411 having been 11,69:1; and in Ista, 33,354. The de-
crease in ist:sl in the emigration to the United States was,
it will be observed, about nine per cent., while in the
emigration to British North America it was nearly
twenty-three per cent. We have no means of ascertaining
the reasons for this disproportion, but we should be dis.
posed to believe that of the English who might otherwise
ave gone to Canada, and who are not generally in b 0
destitute a state as the Irish, a portion have been diverted
to Australia.