The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-18 00:00:00

p

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY at:ENING, JULY 18, 1881.

famine and pestilence followed by an exodus
unparalleled in modern times having combined to
produce the extraordinary result. But it is
nut too much to say that as a statistical fact
the diminution which appears to have taken
place iu the subsequent ten years is much more
remarkable. How it has 001200 to pass we are left
at no loss to conjecture. The Emigration Returns
for the period tell us that no fewer than 1,230,986
Ipersons quitted Ireland for the United States or
the Colonies ; and that of these 1,174,179 were
set down as permanent emigrants. Other means
of information make us aware that of those who
left their native country to seek new homes else-
where a considerable number have from time to
time returned ; but what proportion we are to
deduct on this account there is, so far as we know,
no method of determining. Equally defective are
the sources of information regarding marriages and
births, there being no general registration in Ireland
whereby the annual increment of the population
might be ascertained. The broad fact stands out,
however, after making every allowance for inci-
dental and countervailing circumstances, that a
greater number of individuals are known to have
emigrated from Ireland during the last ten years
than is sufficient to account for the falling off in
the total population. The principal items of de-
crease are those for the counties of Tipperary,
Clare, Meath, Kilkenny, King's, Wexford, Water-
ford, and Cork. Belfast is stated to have now
18,000 inhabitants more than it had in 1861 ;
and the little outport of Carrickfergus has a few
hundreds more than it had ; but every other city
and town in the island has fallen away, and some
of them to an extent which it is difficult
to realise, or in any way to account
for. We are not for the moment, however, con-
cerned with the causes of tho singular phenomena
here presented to us ; our present object is rather
Ito place the salient features of the caw distinctly
before the minds of our readers.

Every religious denomination has lost numerous
adherents of recent years. In 1834 a Census of
Sects was specially ordered by Parliament, in
order that data might be obtained for the calcula-
tions with which Parliament was then much oc-
cupying itself regarding the proportions to which
it was deemed desirable that the Anglican Estab-
lishment in Ireland should be reduced. In round
numbers, the Roman Catholic population at that
period may be stated to have been six millions and a
half, and the Protestants of all denominations at
1,600,000 persons, the members of the Church of
England being about equal to those of all dissent-
ing communions taken together. The figures now
presented to us are much less in every particular.
The Roman Catholics in the recent enumeration
are setdou•n at 4,490,583; Churchmen at 678,661,
and Presbyterians and other persuasions at
595,299. While thus it appears that in the inter-
val which has elapsed since 1834 the Roman
Catholic population has decreased to the extent of
something like two millions, their Protestant fel-
low-countrymen have become fewer by somewhere
about a third of a million. There are good rea-
sons for believing that the greater portion of those
who perished by famine and disease between 1846
and 1851 belonged to the more numerous and
more impoverished creed ; and we suspect
that if materials for a critical analysis could be
had, we should find that it was during the pre-
ceding decade that the relative proportions be-
tween the different sects was materially changed,
and that during the more recent period, namely,
from 1851 to 1861, the decrease of population
has proceeded at a more equal ratio in the various
denominations. There are at present three-and-
a-half times as many Roman Catholics as Protes-
tants in Ireland ; and they stand to the members
of the Established Church in the proportion of
seven to one. These figures will go far to dissi-
pate the anticipation formed by many, that in the
changes of property and the mode of occupying
land which were supposed to have taken pia°,
after the famine a great immigration of Scotch
and English settlers might be counted on, and that
by these and other contributory causes a perma-
nent alteration in the balance of religious opinions
would be brought about. In these anticipations
we own we have never shared, and we are not
therefore in aay degree surprised that they should
have proved illusory.

irtt ;zrourt.

06BORNE, J air 17.

The Queen, the Priuce Consort, the Crown Prin-
ces. Prussic, and Princess Helens, drove out yesterday
afternoon, attended by Coutit,, Bruld„ and Baroness Debt.
neck, and Colonel the Hon. A. Hartlinge.
Captain the Hon. J. Denman and the Rev. C. Prothero
bad the honour of being invited to dinner.
The Counteo; of Dos.trt has succeeded the Countess
of Cairoihorough, as Lady-in• Waiting.

Devatches wore received yesterday at the Colonial-office
from tho Governors of New Zealand and Malta. De-
spatches were sent to the Governor of Canada.

THREE MARRIAGES IN HIGH LIFE.
(THIS DAY.)

This morning the marriage of the Hon. Henrietta
Denison, sister of the Earl of Londesborough, with Captain
Egerton, son of Sir Philip Egerton, woe solemnised at St.
Martin's.in.the-Fichte. Another marriage took place at
the same church between the Hon. A. Wrotkaley and the
Hoe. Augusta Denison. This morning also the mairiage
was celeLotted at St. George's Church, Ilanoreraquare, of
lady Cecilia Cooyngbam, daughter of the Marquis of
Conyngham, K.P., G.C.H., P.C., to Captain Brinckman,
son of Sir Thomas and Lady Minimum.

His Itoyal Highness the Duko of Cambridge
honoured the Earl and Countess of Stradbroke with his
company at dinner lad evening at their residence in Bel-
graveaquare. The following were invited t.. meet his
royal highness :—His Excellency the Netlierlirobi Minister,
the Duke of Cleveland and Lady Augusta Poulett, the Earl
and Countess Stanhope, Viscount Canterbury, Lord
Chelmahrd, lady William Poulett, Lord cud Lady
Walter Scott, &c.

Their Royal Higlineases the Duchess of Cam-
bridge and the Princess Mary left St. Jaines'a Palace
yesterday morning on a tour in Germany.
Friinces Countess Wahiegrave and Mr. Harcourt,
11. P., left town yesterday for Dadbrook House, Essex.
Viscount and Viscountess Doneraile have arrived
at Penance's Hotel from Ireland.

Viscount Cranbourne and Mr. Johnson have left
town for Soarborough.

Lady Rolle will leave town in a few days fur her
soak Bides, near Exeter.

The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer
sad Mrs. Gladstone received the members of the Fine Arts
Club and a select circle of friends List evening at their resi-
dence in Gwiton House-terrace. A beautiful collection of
works of medireval art, principally of the Italian cacique
canto period, was contributed on the occasion by the mem-
ben of the club. Amongst the company present Irdre
Ilis Royal Highness the Count de Paris, tho Duke of De-
vonshire and Lady Louisa Cavendish, Lord and Lady Harry
Vane, Lord and Lady Wrxlehouse, Lord Broughton, Lord
Dufferin, Hon. J. Stuart Wortley, kc.
The Right Hun. B. Disraeli and Mrs. Disraeli
received at dinner yesterday at their residence, Grosvenor-
gate, his Excellency the Austrian Ambassador and the
Countess Apponyi, the Duchess of Montrose, the Counters
of Chesterfield and Lady Evelyn Stanhope, Viscount and
Viscountess Grey de Wilton, Mr. and Lady Augusta Sturt,
Mr. and Mrs. Henry. Baring, Baron and Baroness Meyer
de Rothschild, Lord John Manners, Lord Royston, and the
Hon. Godfrey Morgan.

Hoary Lyon, daughter of Colonel Wilson
Patten, died yesterday morning at her residence, Appleton
Sall, near Warrington, after a few hours' illness, following
the birth of a still-born child. Urn Lyon had been mar.
rind only about twelve months.

The Duchess; of Wellington gave a grand concert
last evening at Apeley House, at which most of the dis-
tinguiahed persons remaining in London were present
The concert took place in the picture gallery, wherearrangs-
mate in the most perfect taste had been made for the
accommodation of the numerous and splendid assemblage
of guests, and the full development of the artistic talents
of the yawl performers honoured with her grace'■
patronage. The direction of the entertainment was in-
trusted to Signor Costa, and the list of vocalists comprised
Mdlle. Patti and the leading singers of the Royal Italian
°Perm

LATEST INTELLIGkENCE.

(RZT3TERN TELEGRAIIB.)
FRANCE.

PARIS, Jett 18.
The Mimiteur of to-day contains a decree declar-
ing the works for the improvement of the port of
Dunkirk to be of public utility, and opening a
credit of fifteen millions of franca for this purpose.
The Munifeur also announces that the Emperor
is deriving great benefit from his stay at Vichy.
He continues to make excur.ions in the neighbour-
hood.

LORD CLYDE AND THE VOLUNTEERS.

The London Scottish Rifle Volunteers gave a
complimentary dinner to General Lord Clyde, (1.C.8.,
their honorary coldriel, yesterday, at St. Janies'. :
Lieut.-Colonel Lord &coo, H.)'., in the chair. About :t5O
members of the corps sat down to dinner in the hall,
which wax decorated with various Anglo-Saxon and foreign
tilted CLYDE, in responding to a toast, said it de-
lighted him as au old soldier to see the number of
volunteers that were now in tiaining, and their pro-
ficiency surpassed anything he had ever dreamed of.
(Loud cheers.) A few days ago he was speaking to the
Duke of Cambridge on the subject, and that nobleman
told him that at the late review at Wimbledon he was much
surprised to see the steadiness with which the volun-
teers behaved, and that the London Scottish bad above all
distinguished themselves by their discipline. (Hear, hear.)
He must tell them that discipline did not come by inspira-
tion but by hard work, and it was only by unsparing exer-
tion that a soldier acquired a knowledge of his duty. He
had no doubt but that most of them sacrificed much
of the short time they had to devote to their sweet-
hearts—(daughter)—bat he was sure their sweethearts
did not the less love and admire them on that account.
(Cheers.) The proficiency they had aciuired could only be
retained by continued work —by practising their drill as
often as their business would allow them, without detri-
ment to their private interests. (Hear, hear.) Next to
love of their country came love of the corps to which they
belonged. (Hear, hear.) To be good soldiers they must
possess true bravery—for it surpassed more coutage—but,
above all, discipline. In one case in the Crimea be
gave orders when any of the soldiers were shot down
that none were to leave their ranks to assist them, and the
consequence was that when the ranks were thinned by the
cannon-shot, the men closed up, and never wavered for an
instant—(hear, hear)—but obeyed their instructions, and
remained firm and determined. That regiment was fit to
meet any species of attack that might be made upon it, and
he recommended it as an example worth to be followed by
the volunteers of England. (Hear, hear. He did not want
to see them fighting, but if ever the evil y should come, he
would be content to be an aide decamp in the uniform of
the Scottish volunteers. ((leers.) He wished them prospe-
rity and every good wish, and, thanking them again for the
honour they had done him, he begged to propose " The health
of Lord Elcho." (Loud cheers.)
Lord ELCHO responded, and said that although a civilian
suddenly called upon to command a regiment, and some-
times • brigade, he had done the best in his power to fulfil
his duty. He should devote his holidays to acquiring fur-
ther knowledge oa the subject. (Hear, hear.)

THE INDIAN rAMINE RELIEF FUND.

Yesterday, at two o'clock, a meeting of the com-
mittee for managing this food was held at the Mansion-
house, the Loan ALAYon presiding.

Mr. Lowe, one of the honorary secretaries, stated that
the total amount of the donations sent to the Mansion.
house up to yesterday was 110,298/ 10s., of which 104,500/.
in the whole had been remitted to India, leaving a balance
in hand, after payment of the incidental expenses, of
3,3471. 10s. 7d. Io addition to this, 9,6161. had been sub-
scribed in Liverpool and sent out direct to India ; 7,2201. in
EdinWrgh. 6,8541. in Manchester, 6,5531. in Glasgow, and
about 5,0001. in Dublin, making the whole sum subscribed
in this country to meet the emergency about 145,5001.
From Trinidad 583/. have been received within the last few
days b the Lord Mayor ; from Demerara, 3(101. ; from
Barbadoes, 350/. ; Frankfort, 25/. • Cadiz, 301. ; and Con-
stantinople, 461. The committee ;swayed to send out a
father sum of 2.0001. by the mail which leaves for India
to-day, which will make the total sum sent from the Man-
sion-house alone, exclusive of five of the large towns,
106,5001. It appeared from letters received yesterday from
Lord Canning, Mr. Edmorsitone, and Colonel Baird
the latter of whom has spent a considerable time on a special
mission from the government at Calcutta to the famine-
stricken districts, that in the three months of February,
March, and April, the total number of poor people fed at the
public expense in the district" of Meerut, Rolulcund, and Agra
was 27506,863; the average daily number fed being 28,129.
But, in addition to these, about 40,000 people, able to give
labour in exchange for • money wage, hail been daily
employed on different public works of utility within the
distressed districts. The actual disbursements bad
amounted to more than 10,0001. a month from January to
the end of April. These works were all still in progress,
and would be continued, while ethers had been set on foot
in April or since, with various assignments of public money,
aggregatang 14,000/. Lord Canning orascludes the letter he
to the Lord Mayor in these terms, writing or. the
7th of June :—" I have received • second communication
from your lordship, intimating the remittance of a further
sum of 15,0001. to the Calcutta Famine Relief Committee,
and I beg to repeat my grateful sense of the munificent
liberality with which the English people have responded to
the call made upon them from India." The emergency
being now past, the committee at the Mansion-house, before
separating yesterday, intimated their intention to close the
subscriptions at came.

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES.

POOR E.ELIEP (ENGLAND).

- •
This committee re-assembled yesterday ; Mr.
Villiers in the chair. The other members present were :
Mr. S. Fstoourt, Sir W. Jolliffe, Mr. Moffatt, Mr. Baxley,
Mr. Ayrton, Mr. Kekewich.
Mr. Coode, formerly assistant-secretary to the Poor-law
Commissloo, was mlled and examined. Ile stated that
the provisions for district schools were framed by him, and
that be bed bad considerable opportunities of judging of the
state and progress of pauper education. He agreed in the
opinion expressed by the Pducation Commissioners, that the
influence of workhouses on children was pernicious, and
thought that as far as possible they ought to cease to be
places of education. He also thought the workhouse • bad
atmosphere for children, and that they ought to be re-
moved from contact with the adult paupers, many of
whom, particularly the females, were most depraved.
A great improvement, however, had taken place under
the administration of the poor law, and so far as he had
seen and been able to learn, the condition of the work-
houses was much better than it was formerly. He thought
some of the evidence adduced by the oommiseioners, and
some of the conclusions at which they had arrived founded
upon that evidence, calculated to mislead the public mind.
He believed that in many of the large towns the children
were in a more demoralised state than even those found in
the workhouses. If the most vicious class in workhouses
could he removed to some kind of asylum fitted for their
reception, a great portion of the prejudice which now
existed against workhouses would be diminished. Such •
separation was practicable, but could not be carried out
without the full consent of the guardians. Mr. Goode then
entered at some length into the object of the poor law, and
pointed out many of the advantages which have resulted
from its adnunistastion.
The evidence occupied the greater portion of the day.
Adjourned.