The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-08-30
THE. EMERALD EN- / B Al ] ISLE
In Area 1t Is a Little Smaller Than
Our State of Maine.
ITS SLUMP IN POPULATION.

One Of the Few Sections Of the Civi.
lized World That Have Decreased In
Numbers In the Past century-lts
beautiful Lakes and Rivera.
The historical and political impor-
tance OF Ireland has created in the
minds of many Americans an exaggcr
ated idea Of the islands physical pro.
portions and the density Of it's popula
ton.
The whole OF Ireland embraces an
area slightly less than the state of
Maine, but with a population six times
as dense. In comparison with the gov
erning country 1t is three-fifths as large
as England and Wales, with one-ninth
the population. The island Is one of
the very few sections of the civilized
world where the population has shown
marked decrease during the last cen.
tury.
The first census of the island, taken
In 1921. recorded population almost
30 per cent larger than at the present
time, while the census Of 1841 showed
the high water mark Of more than
100000. nearly twice the present pop.
ulation. This remarkable decrease. due
largely to emigration, began after the
famine brought about by the destruc-
tive disease which attacked the potato
crop OF 1S45. Ehis calamity resulted
In the withdrawal of more than q mil.
lion acres from cultivation within two
years.
incidentally the potato, which has
played such an important role in the
HE OF Ireland during the last 800
years, Is not indigenous to the island,
but was one Of the food gold mines
discovered by the Spaniards in their
conquest Of Peru. The country is in.
debtedc to Sir Walter Raleigh for her
Irish" potatoes. as it was he who
brought them from what is now North
Carolina and planted them on his es
tate near Cork in 1856. <.
Ireland lies on the western rim of
what was once a part OF continental
Europe. 1t has numerous mountains.
tho highest being the McGillicuddy
reeks GAIA feet in the Killarney 70.
gt0n, but there is no mountain chain or
elevated backbone" There is a more
or less well defined plain, however, the
distinguishing feature Of which is its
Dogs-the black bog producing the fa.
nous peat fuel, differentiated from the
brown bogs Of the mountains. III the
whole island were brought to a mean
level 1t would rise 400 feet above the
sea.
The lakes, or loughs, of Ireland are
amcng Its most widely appreciated
physical characteristics. their scenic
beauty being the inspiration of poets
painters and musicians. Nor have tho
Irish rivers been overlooked in nm
praisals Of the islands beauties. The
Shannon. which flows for 25O miles.
IL the longest water course in the Unit.
Ell Kingdom. 1t is navigated by large
steamers for half Its length and is con.
nccted with Dublin by means Of the
Grand and the Royal canals.
Although coal IS found in most of thc
thirty-two counties into which the is.
land is divided and there is consider.
aDie iron ore, mining is not an impor.
tant industry. Gold was being mined
IN modest way In County Wicklow ot
the time Of the rebellion of 1893. but
the works were destroyed and the
source OF the metal has never been re.
discovered.
Agriculture and stock raising are the
chief occupations Of the Inhabitants
AZ one time the wOOlen manufactures
OF the island were formidable rivals of
English factories, but hostile lecisla.
ton gave the industry a check from
which 1t has meyer recovered. AS the
Irish have raised fax for centuries,
the manufacture Of linen carly become
one or the important industries of the
couatry. Irish whisky is an Important
article OF export. and one Of the largest
Drewer1es IN the world is located ot
Dublin.
Shipbuilding In the great Yards ot
belfast Is one of the most widely
known Irish activities. and the deep
sea and coast fisheries afford q liyeli
hood for many thousands.
Ihanks to the temperate influence Of
the west winds from the Atlantic. the
thermometer rarely reaches freezing
point IN winter. while the average for
summer day is GO degrees.
AZ TORI Head on the north the dis
rance to Scotland (Mull Of Cantire) is
only thirteen and One-half miles. The
Hiahts Causeway. short distance to
the east of this point. is the outcrop.
ping basaltic formation witch IN q
former age Joined the two islands,
National Geographic Society Bulletin.