The New York herald., 1870-01-09
IRELAND.

Agricultural Territorial Statics-IOpdouder.
ny County, It's Area and Nature of tho
Soii-War and Conlscations--HistOryo Of the
London ssCompanies' and Their Titles TO
the Land--Tcnant INSTRUMENTATION OF
Ihe Farming nnd l.aboring Glasses in Derry.
LONDONDERRY, Dec. %, 1862
Dcry-or. as Il is now called, Londonderry-is
or she Oldest ana most historic cities Ireland.
II ls situated the lett bank OF the Foyle, hill
whlch has In troubled times, been selected as the
acr0pos OF the north. II derives ITS name from
d0tre, word which signifies the place OF oakS as
the hAl on wnicn II stands was once covered with
forest OF that species OF tree. The cher historical
event In connection with the city Is the gal ant
resistance offered by the citizens to the last Of the
Stuarts In siege OF I05 days, which, according to
Lord Macaulay Is the most memorable one in the
annals OF the British isles. Londonderry has popu-
iation Of about 23 0Oo and In comparison with many
other towns In Ulster. Is . busy ana nourisning
clU. Unfortunately party feeling Is ever hisn
Derry; the population Is divided into classes
very unfavoraDly disposed tovardA each other. and
the hostility existing between them is, feel certain.
most Injurious to the prosperity Of the city.
The county OF Londonderry is washed ON the north
by the Atlantic Ocean, and lies between Antrim on
the east and Donegal on the west IL u forty miles
ia length BY thirtylour in breadth, and has
OF SIS or these 5lS535 acres 3IS 2s2 are
arabic, while there are no less than ls0, TOO acres
which have, as yet, been uIcuuyated. Many parts
OF the country are very hiy and rugged; but there
others, particularly in the eastern district which
are broad and fiat There are also very extensive
Of bog the eastern part OF the county which
are frequently Hooded with pools OF water. The
southern division Is much more fertile than the
middle and northern districts, where the land Is
very loose and gritty and Is generally found to
Tho landed system OF the north OF Ireland is very
peculiar and, 70 understand II thoroughly, know
ledge OF tho times preceding aud following upon the
Plantation OF Ulster Is indispensable. Whoever
undertakes 10 trace historically the events which
produced IL ought properly to begin at Derry, for
Derry the first OF tie six counties conhscated to
james Ia which the plantation by English colonsts
or the cscheated lands undertaken. IL Is fact
which be disguised thas from The first settle
ment W the English In ireland their leading idea
was how to obtain possession OF the soil. Elizabeth
had long looked with wistful eyes towards the rich
piails OF Ulster, and was anxious, no dount, to
reward her sewanls and rctainers with these lands
Her troops, during great part OF her reign were
engaged In reducing the refractory IRISH chieitans
10 submission, and in parcelllng out the lands OF
the OLD population to English and Scotch advon-
turers. In the south her arms were partially
successful, but In Ulster they made little progress
owing to the formidable resistance they received
from The warlike chicttains OF the north. Tho TWO
attempts made during the reign TO cOl0ntze Ulster
were signal failures. Her successor was more Tor
tunate The fruits OF her conquest OF Ireland fell TO
the lot OF james, and thts circumstance, together
with one two other incidents, equally fortunate
and ady0ntiHous enabled HIM to succeed where his
wiser and more accomplished predecessor failed.
BY the nlght OF the ears JaIne1 had an 0pportu-
nly OF Introducing what he called "Englsh law and
cylliLy" into no less than SIX couuties Of Ulster
These were Tyrone, Fermanagh, Derry, Donegal
Gavin ana Antrim. Half million or acres were
inc simple, unofrending people who had lived and
toiled lands were banahed forever from the
homes Of their fathers
James next conceived the idea that the body best
qualified TO undertake the plantaton OF Ulster were
tne corporation OF the city OF London. These civic
iunctionares being spoken TO on the subject were
not backward III avallng themselves OF the Kings
oncr, partlcSarly 50 as they fOresaw thas 1t was
likely 10 benent themselves. Accordingly an order
was drawn up by the King, making over nearly the
entire county oil Londonderry 10 twelve London
companies, and these twelve London companies are
IN possession OF tho best part OF the county OF Lon
d0nderry 10 ths day. In fact more than tw0-thlrds
OF the entire lands of the county in the possession
OF iay ana eccleslastca corporations Eight Of the
London companies are In possession OF no less than
$50 900 acres, while the Archbishop OF Armagh
the Bishop Of Derry hold broad acres, not
including the glebe lands. The rental OF
the church lands "a about f20 600 per
annum ana tho rental Of The companies exceeds
El1o 900, not including the four freehold proper
ties though the Injustice OF the great plantation
cannot be defended II must be said TO James credit
that he dld nos undartakA through aaY oonetdera-