, 1873-11-09
One Hundred Million Dollars Annually
Extorted by Absentee Landlords,
and None Of tho Money
Spent at Homo.
Ireland Tranquil Because She Is Ruled
by the Bayonet.
An Improvement in Educatfon---
Intelnpernnco Not Popu-,,
lar Vice---Catholic and
Protestant Fac
tiOnS.
The Home-Ru1ers" and Their Plat
form.--Their Real Purpose, In
dependence of Great
Britain.

dependence Of Great
Britain.
Special Correspondents af The Chicago Tribune.
LONDON, Oct. 20, 1878.
Whilo tho people Of ireland arc the Niobe
lmong nations, tho land itself Is we'll worthy OF
the names bestowed upon 1t by tho poets the
Emerald Isle,' aud tho sfGem OF tho Sea-"
As seen by tho tourist, 1t is
MOST BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, -
possessing every variety Of surfaco and soil,
from rugged mountains to lovely valleys and OK
panaivo plains. The streams are everywhere
bright and clear, and generally swifs-run-
ming. For 80 small q territory, there
are remarkably largo rivers and lakes.
With the exception Of ono or two
in Switzerland there are 1nrgcr lakes IN ireland
thnn can bo found olsowhoro in Europe Tho
Shannon ia larger riyor than my in Graat
Britain. and navigablo for longer distance.
Tho larbors are among the finest in tho world.
. The climate is remarkably temperate aud oqua-
bic. Many plants which can only flourish in
lighthouses in England flourish in the open mir
In Iroland while tile great moisture Which pro-
sails ia so favorable to vegetation that the coun-
try is carpotod in almost perpetual groom. This
serduro extends to tho mountain-topa whore
thote is particle Of earth and on the seA-shoreB
right down to whore tho ocean-brenlors dash
againss tho rocks.
From what lad hoard before visiting 1rolnnd,
I supposed 1t was nearly troeless country. But
such is not the caEe. Evory rod square almost,
which Is unfit for cultivation, is
COVERED WITH TRIES.
Trees abound on tue mountains and on the steep
hill-sides, and along many Of tho roads and
lanes and they may be soon everywhere stand
ing singly or in ounaps. Where Que tree iB seen
in Illinois from tho windows Of tho train, fifty
may DO seen in ireland.
= Tho hedgo-rows add greatly to the beauty Of
lie landscape. Tho foliago Of the thorn is
distinguished for long distances. snbdividing tho
chesa-board.
As = general rulo. the fields in ireland ars
j.. MERE PATCHES,
to tho eye Of an American. More than half
tho island is fenced OF into fields OF 4 to 8
lcres, md it Ia Buidom that field Of 80 acres
Is seen. Tho way fence Ia made is a. folloFss
An enbanknont ia thrown up, 8 or feet high,
from tho earth taken from ditch Oh either side
thereof. On this embankmont is planted nur-
y-thornB or tho thorn-borries, and in short
time there is live fence that will Inst for gener
ations, and turn anything, whether man or beast.
For moRt OF tho year, the ground ia so saturated
with water Tint these fonce-ditches are needed
to drain tho fields and carry of the surplus rain
fall. On the heavy clay-soils. ditchosc can hardly
be too numerous; and this is an argument in
favor Of small folds. On tho stony lands, tho
fences are constructed Of stone, And tho1e are
thousands Of miles Of such fences In Ireland;
hut the tlorn-hedge predominatoB.
Whilo tho climate ia damp, aud tho ocean Winds
Eaw and disngreeable for much Of the year, yet
the country is
nKMAnKAB1Y HEALTHY.
The bills OF mortality are rs low "a In any coun.
try in tho world. In 1879, the deaths were
only 18 to tho 1000, while the births we're
BA to the 1000 inhabitants. This would indi-
rato about 189, 900 births against $4,000 deaths.
It Is this extraordinary aalubrity and fecundity
thnt enables tho little Island to send forth such
prodigioua swarmH Of o1nigrants without being
depopulated. picked up Belfast paper ono
day, and. g1ancing at the obituary notices,
counted upwards Of thirty deaths where the de-
ceased had zach reached beyond throe-scoro-.n
ton, and several had passed 80 and one or two 90.
Tho proportion of gray-haired men aud women
met With in ireland Is very remarkable; hut tile
reason Is, that the young mon and women
60 beyond the seas by tens Of thousands annu-
ally. Tho general poverty Of the country, and
tile difficulty OF subsistence, force them to
leave 1and. Which thoy pasaionasely adore.
ireland, in its physical features, is
4 CONTINENT IN MINIATURE.
It has NIL the distinguishing features OF con-
:nont, and not those Of an island. Thus, ita
mountains extend around tho coast, with great
plains, wide yalleya, expansive lakes, bogs, and
pU lands in the intorlor, as is the case with
- n3u
i great backbone, or mountain range, extending
through tho interior. and the land aloping from
his backbone down to the SEQ. Somo
argo islands are geographically shaped like .
peli nearly all tho islands In tho Pacific Ocean
ire of this con1guraton. The larger West In
dia islands have tho long mountaia-baclbone,
he low lands near tho coaHt, and ascending
andB up to the foot Of tho mountains. Dut, in !,
ireland, tho mountains form tho rim Of groat
pnsin, but are penetrated at many points by riy- :
ers and doep bays. In short, 1t ia q continent in
evorythinR but aIzo, including its geological
formations. Perhaps this haa something
to do with the intanBe lovo OF country and
ence which characterize the Celtic part OF tho
population.
but. with all its natural bonutIes nnl al-
vantagea, it's fertile soil and healthy climate, tho
high price recolved for farrn-products tho
shenpnoas OF manufactures, it's commanding
commercial position, ita capaclous mud sate her
bors, ta contguity to rich aud civilized nasions,
VERY rooR COUNTRY;
sto bulk OF tho inhabitants arc In chronic
p!ate Of discomfort aud indigonce. They aoam
to be utterly discouraged aud ltaleartonel.
Few of them look forward with much hope for
auy real prosperity amelioratlon Of the unhap
by condition of tho country. Tho recent meas |
t,rea OF reform, carried through Parliament by
hlao Liberal party Of Great britain, havo rclh1ed