The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-12-07
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.
gHw oRLEANs SUNDAY. DECEMBER T. 1878.
MAYOR MRDrLL IN IRELAND.

MAYOR uGOlLL IN ireland,
MOST BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, but POOR AND
DISCONTINUED PEOPLE.
Rent the Cancer that Is Eating Out the vitals Of
the Island.
THE vILLANoUs SYSTEM OF LAND.MoNoPoLY.
Especial Correspondence of the Chicago Tribunel
LONDON, Der. 90, 1873.
While the people of Ireland are the Niobe
among nations, the land itself is well worthy
of the names bestowed upon it by the poets
the Emer Id Isle," and the Gem of the Sea-"
As seen by the tourists it is o most beautiful
country, possessing every variety of surface
valleys and expansive plains. The streams
are everywhere bright and clear, and generally
swift-running. For SO small territory there
the exception of one or two in Switzerland
there are larger lakes in Ireland than can be
found elsewhere in Europe. The Shannon is o
larger river than any in Great Britain, and
are among the finest in the world. The
climate is remarkably temperate and equable.
Many plants which can only flourish in hot
Ireland; while the great moisture which
prevails SO favorable to vegetation that the
country 10 carpeted in almost perpetual green.
This verdure extends to the mountain-top
where there is q particle of earth, and on the
ses-shorcs right down to where the ocean
breakers dash against the rocks
From what l had heard before visiting
country. But such is not the case Every rod
square, almost, which 10 unfit for cultivation,
is covered with trees. Trees abound on the
ana on sns and
may be seen everywhere standing sipgly or in
clumps. Where one tree is seen in Illinois
from the windows Of the train, fifty may be
seen in Ireland.
The hedge-rows add greatly to the beauty of
the landscape. The foliage of the thorn is q
very dark green, and those live fences can be
distinguished for long distances, snb.dividing
the face of the country into squares like those
on q chess-board.
As q general rule, the fields in Ireland are
mere patches to the eye of the American.
fields of 4 to acres, and it 10 seldom that q
fold of SO acres Is seen. The way q fence is
made is as follows:. An embarkment is
taken from ditch on either side thereof On
this embankment is planted nursery -thorns, or
the thorn-berries, and in q short time there ia
live fence that will last for generations, and
turn anything, man or beast. For most Of the
year, the ground is SO saturated with water
that these fence-diGches are needed to drain
the fields and carry off the surplus rain fall.
On the heavy clay soils bitches can hardly be
too numerous, and this is an argument in favor
of small fields On the stony lands the fences
arc constructed of stone, and there are thou
sands of miles of such fences in Ireland, but
While the climate 10 damp and the ocean
winds raw and disagreeasae for much of the
The bills of mortality are as low as in any
country in the world. In 1872 the deaths were
only 10 to the 1000, while the births were 81
about 900 births against 81 900 deaths. It
is this extraordinary salubrity and fecundity
that enables the little island to send forth such
depopulated: picked up Belfast paper one
day, and glancing at the obituary notices.
counted upwards of thirty deaths where the
deceased had each reached beyond three-score-
and-ten, and several had passed eighty, and
one or two ninety. The proportion of gray
haired men and women met with in Ireland is
very remarkable; bnt the reason is that the
young men and women go beyond the seas by
tens of thousands annually. The general pow
erty OF the country and the difficulty of sub
sistence force them to leave land which they
passionately adore.
Ireland, in its physical features, is q tonti-
nent In miniature.
It has all the distinguishing features eff o
continent and not those of an island. Thus,
great plains, wide valleys, expansive lakes,
bogs, and low lands In the interior, as is the
case with continents; whereas the popularity
of islands is great backbone, or mountain
range, extending through the interior, and the
land sloping from this backbone down to the
sea. Some large islands are geographically
Pacific ocean are of this confguration. The
larger West India islands have the long noun
tain backbone, the low lands near the coast,
and ascending lands up to the foot of the
mountains. But in Ireland the mountains
form the rim Of O great basin, but are pene-
trated at many points by rivers aud deep bays
In short. it is o continent in everything but
size, including its geological formations. Per-
hsps this has something to do with the intense
love of country and inextinguishable longing
for national independence which characterize
the Celtic part of the population.
But, with all it's natural beauties aud advau.
tages its fertile soil and healthy climate the
high price received for farm products, the
cheappess of manufactures, its commanding
commercial position, its capacious and safe
harbors, it's contiguity to rich aud civilized
nations, Ireland is q very poor country the
bulk of the inhabitants are in II chronic state
of discomfort and Indulgence. They seem to be
utterly discouraged and d'shearteued. Few
of them look forward with much hope for any
real prosperity or amelioratiou of the unhappy
condition of the country. The recent meas
ures Of reform, carried through Parliament by
the Liberal party of Great Britain, have re-
Taxed somewhat the hereditary hatred towards
the British Government, but have not improved
the material condition of the people in any
aPpreciable degrees; nor are they likely to.