The Express.
London, England, 1861-08-10 00:00:00

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OP

%ARLAND.

BELFAST, Tammy.

Beyond now and then a slight shower, which
lasted on each occasion for • few minutes only, the
weather today could not have given less ground of Com-
plaint, and, owing to a tolerably high wind, which lasted
the whole day, the show-yard was in capital order for
pedestrians. The arrangements throughout were admirable,
and the catalogue was wonderfully correct. The cattle,
horses, sheep, swine, and poultry were generally considered,
with few exceptions, nothing extraordinary, bat the show of
implements would do credit even to the Royal Agricultural
show of England. Yesterday, owing so the rain that fell,
the receipts only amounted to about 901., although
5001. was originally expected, clearly showing that
I excluding the 10s. tickets, which admit to everything for
the three days—only 700 odd persons could have availed
themselves of the 2s. ed. admission atter 2 o'clock. To-day
about 10,000 persons entered at I■. a-head--equal to 8001.,
and to-morrow, the 6d. day, 20,000 visitor; are expected—
equal to another 5001. But this depends chiefly on the
weather.

The Customary grand banquet of the Royal Agri.
cultural Society, in connexion with the proceedings of
each of their annual shows, took place on Thursday in the
spacious spinning room of Messrs Charter's factory, Fall's.
road. The reunion was in all respects one of the most grati-
fying and successful ever held under the auspices of this
society, owing to the large number of noblemen and gentry
who attended, and the great extent of the general company,
which amounted to nearly six hundred. The chair at the
bead table was occupied by the president of the society, the
Marquis of Abercorn. Reside him sat the Lorti.Lieutenant,
Lord
%Whitby.'

thefflioW

—zee,. Larva Earl of Boma toed Namely —..ad Clasearty,
Lord Talbot de Mash*, Lord Classed. Lord de Rome,
the Earl of Longford, Lord Dufferin, Hr H. H. Brom, Berk,
Sir Percy Nugeut, Bart., the Bishop of Down and Maser,
the Mayor of Belfast, Colonel Taylor, M.P. James Hasa
Hamilton, M.P., Charles Leslie, ILP., Hans H. Woods,
Alderman Roe, H. J. M'Farlane, Sharman Crawford, the
Hon. Richard Talbot, Major Upton, M.P., Mr. D. 8. Ker,
M.P., the Knight of Ken?, Colonel Forde, M.P., Mr. Max-
well Close, M.P., kc.
Dinner being concluded the usual loyal toasts were
given, and drunk with applause.
" The Army and Navy" was next proposed, and re-
sponded to by the Earl of LONGFORD.
The CHAIRMAN again rose and said be had the pleas
task of proposing the health of their illustrious guest
--the Lad-Lieutenant. (Loud applause.) Not ouly for
official reasons, but on the grounds of personal respect and
attachment, they had every reason to express their gratitude
to the distinguished nobleman who now so worthily repro.
seoted her Majesty in this country. (Applause.) The annual
meetings of the Agricultural Society afforded strong evi-
dence of that increased prosperity end advaueement of the
country which it was the anxiety of his excellency always
to promote, and which formed one of the prominent features
of his rule in Ireland. (Applause.) There was but one opi.
Ilion as to the intellectual attainment of his noble friend—
of the polished, eloquent, and refined courtesy with
which he carried out the duties of his high office ; but upon
higher grounds than these—on the Freud attachment he had
ever shown to Ireland, and the ability and earnestness which
be bad ever displayed to develope her industrial remoras
—they should feel that his excellency's name wee most
fittingly associated with the sentiment—" Prosperity to
Ireland." (Cheers.)
The toast having been received with acclamation,
His Excellency the LORD-LINUTRNANT then rose to
respond, and was received with loud applause.
When silence was restored he said—My Lord
Abercorn, my lords and gentlemen, I return you. very
sincere thanks for the honour you have paid me in drinking
my health, which has been, on this occasion, so very kindly
proposed and so warmly received. (Applause.) I thank
mum for coupling my name with that which I claim to
very dear—the prosperity of Ireland. (Hear, hear,
and applause). Allow me to remark that these words have
their peculiar weight and meaning at the present moment.
If this were the time and the occasion, which happily it is
not, for a mere party speech, or a sort of political survey of
wising events, I might possibly light upon one or two coo-
eideratioos and incidents connected with Ireland which
might not seem to be altogether of so comfortable and re-
assuring a character. But, gentlemen, standing here as
theguest of the Royal Agricultural Society—as a visitor to
the splendid show of the year 1861 in the town of Belfmt—l
feel, and thankfully feel, that I am placed on a higher level
and command a far wider field of a noble horizon. (Cheers.)
Frees this vantage ground then—l say it with all the a:pe-
rigees of my 12th ear of direct eonsexion with the ite-
eumusest of Itslsnd (applauae) - I say it with the reservation
that IMMO elemesteot future uneasiness sod disturbance may
not even now be wanting ; yet, in my iodginent, Ireland
has never exhibited such an exemption from general crime.
from political agitation, or from physical distress and pri-
vation as that which she now enjoys. (Cheers.) I need not
say, gentlemen, that these are considerations which far
outweigh all others in the satisfaction they impart, and
with the full consciousness how small any per-
sonal contribution might be to those mighty
blessings, it is enough for happiness and for gra-
titude to have been allowed to witness them. (Loud
cheers.) But I can ahnoit fancy that some one might here
interpose, and say, "talk to us of prosperity, when the re-
turns of last year undoubtedly show a falling off in Rome
kinds of agricultural produce, especially, perhaps, in the
yield of wheat," and " when the census of' the last decade,
or interval of 10 years, shows a decrease of nearly a million
souls." Now, with respect to this decrease of the popu-
lation there can be no doubt that the famine and pesti-
leoce which worked such fearful havoc upon the imme-
diately preceding decade, left its work also upon that
which has succeeded it. But there is no question that
the continuous flow of emigration is the chief cause of
the great reduction which has ensued in the number of
the people. if the number of emigranta from Ireland itself
exclusive of those who have left other parts of the United
Kingdom, is allowed for, there would have been in the last
decade, from 1851 to 1861, an increase in Ireland close upon
40,000. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) The decrease has been
least observable in the province of Ulster, which seems
mainly, I imagine, to be attributable to be attributable to
that mixed agricultural aid manufacturing industry
which here prevails. I need not tell you that me
such decrease at all has taken place in the town of Bel-
fast. With respect to the place is which we are now
assembled, I shall give only the dates of three successive
periods which sufficiently tell their own story . The pope.
lation of Belfast a hundred years ago—in liso—amounted
to 8,600 souls. In 1601—thirty years ago— it amounted to
48,224 ; and is the year 1861, in which I now address you,
it amounts to 119,200 souls. (Loud the Nor hea
wealth been left behind population. I find in the valua-
tion, for local asensment, the fixed capital in building and
other rateable property in Belfast was a quarter of a century
ago—in 1836-115,000 f. • in 1861 it has risen to 305,001 W.
(Hear, bear.) History been record to the efforts of succes-
sive Viceroys, up to the time of the Earl of Clams.
dos, to advance the linen manufactures of the north of
Ireland. Probably the moisture of the climate (may I admit so
much) is more favourable to the production of flax than Wowed
growths. I need ace remind you in Belfast how much that
pleas owes to her Mmiseds and Mulhollands and may
more. (Cheers.) Unsay be sufficient to meotion that ia
the list year there were exported from Belfast 65,000.003
and upwards of yards of linen, valued at about 2,000,0001.
sterling, and at the mine time yarns and threads to the
amount of 3,000,000 pounds weight, valued at 764,0001.
The improvements which have been effected in the noble
harbour of this town have amounted within 20 years to half
a million of money, and this without any aid from public
grants. (Loud cheers.) Within the same comparatively
short period the tonnage of vessels and the harbour re-
ceipts have been much more than doubled. Now it may
be ii.ferred how material a contribution this liberal and
splendid community, together with its group of connected
and emaciated towns, must have made to the ooesumption
of agricultural produce; but I have already stated to you,
pollemen, the amount of decrease which has occurred on
the whole population of Ireland in the last ten years.
Now, with respect to the productiveness of the counter
within the same periods. The land under cultivation,
either under tillage or in meadowing and p tore, in 1841
was 13,000,000 of acres; in 1851—I suppress the slight
addition that the odd hundreds would make—it was
above 14,000,000. In 1861 it is above 15,000,000 of acres.
The live stock, which forms so interesting an item in
the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland• was valued,
is 1841, at 21.000,0001., io 1851 at 27,000,0001., in 1861
at 33,000,0001, and this independently of the int-
4rfeent of quality in the animals, which, I believe, is
everyone admitted to be very great—amounting, per-
haps, to 25 per cent. Alen with this great increase of
productiveness there ham been a very striking diminution
of the small holdings and of the wretched cabins of the
peasantry. Gentlemen, these figures which I have passed
is rapid review—l am afraid not sufficiently rapid, for I
know that figures are apt to be tedious, especially after
dinner—surely show that, with largely increased produc-
tion, and • largely increased producing area, there has bees
a considerable diminution of population. Now, taking these I
two together, we must look upon the result as being °cm-
'impel by the better labour better directed, with a larger
application of capital to the social improvement, and
the necessary consequence of this is that the working
classes must obtain better wages—they are better fed,
better clothed, better lodged. They can get better educa-
tion for their children—(lmM cheer,)—and most patifyiw
it is to me to find that iu Ulster—or, I ladievik to speak
with more strict accuracy, in the two counties of Down and
Armagh, me-sixth of the population is as attendee*, in the
pnmacy schools—either those underthe National Education
Bond or uoder the Church Education Society, which is, on
an average, cowl to that of Prussia, where the attendance
of the children is compelled by law. (Loud cheers.) I
referred before to the diminution of physical
sofferiag. What is the case with respect to the
direct expenditure for the relief of the poor all

over Ireland? The fund from which it is drawn
hes, there is so doubt, largely increased. The value
of property rated to the relief of the poor in 1851 was
11,614,0001. In 1860 it had increased nearly a minima—
it was 12,280,0001. Now, with this large amount of funds
for the purpose of drawing upon, I find-that the total ex-
penditure of medical as well as ordinary poor law relief in
1861 amounted to 1,1500001. In 1860 it had fallen to
688,0001.—being loath= half of what it was ten years ago.
(Cheers.) Lastly, with respect to crime, to which I also
referred, it appeers that the offences specially reported
to head-quarters in 1850 amounted to 10,639. In 1860
they had fallen to 3,531. My lords and gentlemen, it
seems to me that all this constitutes a summary of which
Ireland may be jmtly proud—(cheers)—oot indolently
proud. 1 would advise her to be grateful for the past, and
alert and emulous for the future. (Hear, hmr.)' There are
many hers, some of whom will follow me tetight, who
ran speak with far greater knowledge and authority of the
characteristic features of the show whiols we have wit-
nessed in the show yard for these two days. They will be
able to tell you of any shortcomings—if shortcomings
there are—and of those excellences which, I feel no doubt
in my own mind, are great and striking.
_lf the condition
and prosperity of agriculture in Ireland suggest any pro-
minent point of advice, in my judgment it would be, I
would say to you, to take are of your peen crops—of your
provision of winter food for cattle, so that you may be sup-
plied with a greater quantity of manure than is now pte-
sessed in mauy districts, which is an indispensable ground-'
work of increased tillage ; and I think it may be worthy
of some consideration whether planting might set be re-
sorted to with advantage in some of the more hilly and ex-
Roma districts of this country for the shelter of cattle.
However, gentlemen, I feel most thankful that the emit's
of Ireland is becoming every day more mid mare awake to
the manifold end multiform refinements and claims of her
agriculture. And most pleasing, indeed, in cue point 01
eh! though painful to eueserls esselierAtlinsaegingli
which is presented by such • sight as the showyard, now
open in. Belfast, with the scenes which are being enacted
among that gnat people which has so many common ties
and common interests with us 'crow the western waters.
(Hear, hear.) Here, gentlemen, we see an area, itself con-
nected with all the operations of busy and extended com-
merce, now spread before our gaze the representative
specimens of every form of peaceful agriculture. The sleek
herds and fleecy flocks—the iron implements and lustrous!
damasks. There, gentlemen, we read of tothing but masked
batteries and the angry glare of bayonets, sod the fierce
charge and the panic rout. (Laughter 'and cheers.) May
the time soon come which will enable us and other friendly
well-wisher, as I am sure in our bouts we all are of that
peat country—(loud cheers)—will enable us and others to
westrwith advantage, oar friendly mediation, which
re far better if they do not themselves compose their
sad and guilty quarrels ; but, however that maybe, I trust,
gentlemen, thas we at least, with humble and hopeful
hearts, may long preserve the inestimable blessings we
enjoy, and strive to transmit them, bright and undimmed,
to the coming generations. His Excellency then resumed
his seat amid loud and reiterated applause.
Several other toasts followed.

At the conclusion of the banquet his excellency pro-
ceeded by special train to Lurgan.