We have thus given an account of exports from Ireland of the produce of the soil, and the produce of various kinds of industry exported, in which we are sorry that we have not been able to include herrings or other fish, although we find, by the returns of the custom-house, the exportatiom of them was formerly very considerable, whereas the importation of this article of herrings alone amounts to a very great article, the importation of herrings, on an average of three years ending 1811, being upwards of 39,000 barrels, all of which, we have reason to believe, if they had the free use of salt, would not only be saved to the people of Ireland, but occasion a considerable nursery of seamen for the navy, instead of encouraging the employment of the seamen of foreign countries, as a great part of these herrings are said to be imported from Sweden.

Having thus given a short view of the trade of Ireland, we might exhibit an account of the intercourse which takes place between Great Britain and Ireland, by which it will appear that the trade between Pp

Great Britain and Ireland is much greater than to any other country in Europe, and would show, in a very striking manner, the importance of the Irish market to the industry of Great Britain. We shall, however, only add an account of the quantity of salt and unwrought iron imported into Ireland.

We must, however, add to this, that the quantity of coals imported into Ireland from Great Britain has increased to above 500,000 tons, whereas the quantity in the year 1774, was only about 200,000 tons.

We have, in this short statement regarding the trade of Ireland, proved, in a great measure, that it has been rapidly increasing in every article, excepting with regard to the Fisheries, which we have reason to believe might be improved and extended so as not only to supply the demand of a country where the people are obliged, by their religion, to live for a great part of the year on fish, but that the fisheries would also supply a very considerable export to foreign countries.

In the year 1800, when we were engaged in making investigations respecting agriculture, the fisheries, and other resources of the county of Wicklow, we found that a bill had been brought into the Irish parliament for the purpose of appointing commissioners for inland navigation, with powers to grant aids towards the forming of such inland communications as might be approved of by the commissioners. In consequence of which a meeting was summoned by the principal magistrates, who represented, in a memorial to government, that however proper it might be to grant pecuniary assistance to such inland navigations, yet it appeared of much more importance that the inhabitants of the sea-coasts of the county of Wicklow, and other counties in Ireland, should be enabled to avail themselves of the bounties bestowed upon them by nature, in offering them a navigable canal, supported without expence, which forms an immediate communication with the interior and most populous districts of Great Britain, were the inha

bitants of the sea-coasts of Ireland enabled to avail themselves of the advantage of their situation.

The representations made by the gentlemen of the county of Wicklow in 1800, prayed, that the powers of the commissioners of inland navigation should be extended in such a manner as to enable them to receive petitions or proposals for erecting harbours on the sea-coast opposite to England, and that they should be empowered to grant such sums of money as they might deem expedient for enabling such proposed works as they approved of, to be carried into execution.

The representation and memorial of the magistrates of the county of Wicklow was presented by the late Earl of Rossmore, Lord-lieutenant of the county of Wicklow, to Lord Castlereagh, who returned for answer that he wholly approved of the principle on which the county of Wicklow's memorial was founded, that he was sorry that the bill for inland navigation was in so advanced a stage as not to admit of the amendment proposed, but that he had no doubt that the subject of harbours, and of improving the sea-coasts of Ireland, would be one of the first objects taken up by the Imperial Parliament. Notwithstanding this representation, and the gracious assurances of the Noble Lord, it would appear that the pressure of affairs has still prevented any bill being brought in for this useful purpose, while, at the same time, large sums of money have been expended in forming inland navigations, the uti lity of which is extremely doubtful, whereas the advantages of forming such harbours on the eastern and southern coasts of Ireland, as would enable the inhabitants to export the produce of their soil to England, and to bring coal, salt, and manufactures in return, is so perfectly apparent, that we can have no doubt that, whenever the subject is stated in Parliament, it must meet with the assent of all parties. It would appear almost unnecessary to proceed farther in the discussion of this subject.

SECTION XIX.

James I. paid some attention to Ireland Established a Society in London to build Towns and Villages in the Province of Ulster, on the forfeited estates-A similar attempt in Scotland, after the year 1745 A less odious plan for Extending the Fisheries, and Improving the Sea-coast, adopted after the American War, in the year 1786; proposed to extend a plan on similar principles to Ireland-The

Conclusion.

JAMES I. paid great attention to the civilization of the inhabitants, and the improvement of the agriculture and fisheries of Ireland. James proceeded in this work by a steady, regular, and well concerted plan; and, in the space of nine years, according to Sir John Davis, he made greater advances towards the reformation of that kingdom than had been made in the 440 years which had elapsed since the conquest was first attempted.

One of the boldest measures which King James adopted for this purpose, was that of establishing a society in London for planting new colonies in that part of the country, and building towns and villages on the sea-coast. All the province of Ulster having fallen to the Crown by the attainder of the rebels, and by the flight of Tyrone and his principal adherents, the whole, to the amount of 500,000 acres, were divided into moderate proportions, in order to be settled and improved. The corporation of the city of London accepted large grants, and engaged to build the cities of Derry and Colraine; tenants for the land were brought from England and Scotland; the Irish were removed from the hills and fastnesses. Husbandry and the arts were taught, a fixed habitation secured, plunder and robbery punished, and, by these means, Ulster, from being the most wild and disorderly province of all Ireland, soon became the best cultivated and civilized.

"Noble cares," adds the historian," much superior to the vain and criminal glory of conquests, but requiring ages of perseverance and attention to perfect what had been so happily begun.

* Humes History of England, vol. vi, p. 59, 8vo edition, 1805.