men of invention and industry-第44章

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cheapest　goods　of　their　kind；　and　hence　the　demand　for　them　is

world…wide。



There　is　an　abundant　scope　for　the　employment　of　capital　and

skilled　labour　in　Ireland。　　During　the　last　few　years　land　has

been　falling　rapidly　out　of　cultivation。　　The　area　under　cereal

crops　has　accordingly　considerably　decreased。＇2＇　　Since　1868；　not

less　than　400；000　acres　have　been　disused　for　this　purpose。＇3＇　

Wheat　can　be　bought　better　and　cheaper　in　America；　and　imported

into　Ireland　ground　into　flour。　　The　consequence　is；　that　the　men

who　worked　the　soil；　as　well　as　the　men　who　ground　the　corn；　are

thrown　out　of　employment；　and　there　is　nothing　left　for　them　but

subsistence　upon　the　poor…rates；　emigration　to　other　countries；

or　employment　in　some　new　domestic　industry。



Ireland　is　by　no　means　the　〃poor　Ireland〃　that　she　is　commonly

supposed　to　be。　　The　last　returns　of　the　Postmaster…General　show

that　she　is　growing　in　wealth。　　Irish　thrift　has　been　steadily　at

work　during　the　last　twenty　years。　　Since　the　establishment　of

the　Post　Office　Savings　Banks；　in　1861；　the　deposits　have

annually　increased　in　value。　　At　the　end　of　1882；　more　than　two

millions　sterling　had　been　deposited　in　these　banks；　and　every

county　participated　in　the　increase。＇4＇　　The　largest

accumulations　were　in　the　counties　of　Dublin；　Antrim；　Cork；　Down；

Tipperary；　and　Tyrone；　in　the　order　named。　　Besides　this　amount；

the　sum　of　2；082；413L。　was　due　to　depositors　in　the　ordinary

Savings　Banks　on　the　20th　of　November；　1882；　or；　in　all；　more

than　four　millions　sterling；　the　deposits　of　small　capitalists。　

At　Cork；　at　the　end　of　last　year；　it　was　found　that　the　total

deposits　made　in　the　savings　bank　had　been　76；000L；　or　an

increase　of　6；675L。　　over　the　preceding　twelve　months。　　But　this

is　not　all。　　The　Irish　middle　classes　are　accustomed　to　deposit

most　of　their　savings　in　the　Joint　Stock　banks；　and　from　the

returns　presented　to　the　Lord　Lieutenant；　dated　the　31st　of

January；　1883；　we　find　that　these　had　been　more　than　doubled　in

twenty　years；　the　deposits　and　cash　balances　having　increased

from　14；389；000L。　at　the　end　of　1862；　to　32；746；000L。　at　the　end

of　1882。　　During　the　last　year　they　had　increased　by　the　sum　of

2；585；000L。　　〃So　large　an　increase　in　bank　deposits　and　cash

balances；〃　says　the　Report；　〃is　highly　satisfactory。〃　　It　may　be

added　that　the　investments　in　Government　and　India　Stock；　on

which　dividends　were　paid　at　the　Bank　of　Ireland；　at　the　end　of

1882；　amounted　to　not　less　than　31；804；000L。



It　is　proper　that　Ireland　should　be　bountiful　with　her　increasing

means。　　It　has　been　stated　that　during　the　last　eighteen　years

her　people　have　contributed　not　less　than　six　millions　sterling

for　the　purpose　of　building　places　of　worship；　convents；　schools；

and　colleges；　in　connection　with　the　Roman　Catholic　Church；　not

to　speak　of　their　contributions　for　other　patriotic　objects。



It　would　be　equally　proper　if　some　of　the　saved　surplus　capital

of　Ireland；　as　suggested　by　Mr。　Parnell；　were　invested　in　the

establishment　of　Irish　manufactures。　　This　would　not　only　give

profitable　occupation　to　the　unemployed；　but　enable　Ireland　to

become　an　increasingly　exporting　nation。　　We　are　informed　by　an

Irish　banker；　that　there　is　abundance　of　money　to　be　got　in

Ireland　for　any　industry　which　has　a　reasonable　chance　of

success。　　One　thing；　however；　is　certain：　　there　must　be　perfect

safety。　　An　old　writer　has　said　that　〃Government　is　a　badge　of

lost　innocence：　　the　palaces　of　kings　are　built　upon　the　ruins　of

the　bowers　of　paradise。〃　　The　main　use　of　government　is

protection　against　the　weaknesses　and　selfishness　of　human

nature。　　If　there　be　no　protection　for　life；　liberty；　property；

and　the　fruits　of　accumulated　industry；　government　becomes

comparatively　useless；　and　society　is　driven　back　upon　its　first

principles。



Capital　is　the　most　sensitive　of　all　things。　　It　flies　turbulence

and　strife；　and　thrives　only　in　security　and　freedom。　　It　must

have　complete　safety。　　If　tampered　with　by　restrictive　laws；　or

hampered　by　combinations；　it　suddenly　disappears。　　〃The　age　of

glory　of　a　nation；〃　said　Sir　Humphry　Davy；　〃is　the　age　of　its

security。　　The　same　dignified　feeling　which　urges　men　to　gain　a

dominion　over　nature　will　preserve　them　from　the　dominion　of

slavery。　　Natural；　and　moral；　and　religions　knowledge；　are　of　one

family；　and　happy　is　the　country　and　great　its　strength　where

they　dwell　together　in　union。〃



Dublin　was　once　celebrated　for　its　shipbuilding；　its

timber…trade；　its　iron　manufactures；　and　its　steam…printing；

Limerick　was　celebrated　for　its　gloves；　Kilkenny　for　its

blankets；　Bandon　for　its　woollen　and　linen　manufactures。　　But

most　of　these　trades　were　banished　by　strikes。＇5＇　Dr。　Doyle

stated　before　the　Irish　Committee　of　1830；　that　the　almost　total

extinction　of　the　Kilkenny　blanket…trade　was　attributable　to　the

combinations　of　the　weavers；　and　O'Connell　admitted　that　Trades

Unions　had　wrought　more　evil　to　Ireland　than　absenteeism　and

Saxon　maladministration。　　But　working　men　have　recently　become

more　prudent　and　thrifty；　and　it　is　believed　that　under　the

improved　system　of　moderate　counsel；　and　arbitration　between

employers　and　employed；　a　more　hopeful　issue　is　likely　to　attend

the　future　of　such　enterprises。



Another　thing　is　clear。　　A　country　may　be　levelled　down　by

idleness　and　ignorance；　it　can　only　be　levelled　up　by　industry

and　intelligence。　　It　is　easy　to　pull　down；　it　is　very　difficult

to　build　up。　　The　hands　that　cannot　erect　a　hovel　may　demolish　a

palace。　　We　have　but　to　look　to　Switzerland　to　see　what　a　country

may　become　which　mixes　its　industry　with　its　brains。　　That　little

land　has　no　coal；　no　seaboard　by　which　she　can　introduce　it；　and

is　shut　off　from　other　countries　by　lofty　mountains；　as　well　as

by　hostile　tariffs；　and　yet　Switzerland　is　one　of　the　most

prosperous　nations　in　Europe；　because　governed　and　regulated　by

intelligent　industry。　　Let　Ireland　look　to　Switzerland；　and　she

need　not　despair。



Ireland　is　a　much　richer　country　by　nature　than　is　generally

supposed。　　In　fact；　she　has　not　yet　been　properly　explored。　

There　is　copper…ore　in　Wicklow；　Waterford；　and　Cork。　　The　Leitrim

iron…ores　are　famous　for　their　riches；　and　there　is　good

ironstone　in　Kilkenny；　as　well　as　in　Ulster。　　The　Connaught　ores

are　mixed　with　coal…beds。　　Kaolin；　porcelain　clay；　and　coarser

clay；　abound；　but　it　is　only　at　Belleek　that　it　has　been　employed

in　the　pottery　manufacture。　　But　the　sea　about　Ireland　is　still

less　explored　than　the　land。　　All　round　the　Atlantic　seaboard　of

the　Irish　coast　are　shoals　of　herring　and　mackerel；　which　might

be　food　for　men；　but　are　at　present　only　consumed　by　the

multitudes　of　sea…birds　which　follow　them。



In　the　daily　papers　giving　an　account　of　the　Cork　Exhibition；

appeared　the　following　paragraph：　　〃An　interesting　exhibit　will

be　a　quantity　of　preserved　herrings　from　Lowestoft；　caught　off

the　old　head　of　Kinsale；　and　returned　to　Cork　after　undergoing　a

preserving　process　in　England。〃＇6＇　Fish　caught　off　the　coast　of

Ireland　by　English　fishermen；　taken　to　England　and　cured；　and

then　〃returned　to　Cork〃　for　exhibition！　　Here　is　an　opening　for

patriotic　Irishmen。　　Why　not　catch　and　preserve　the　fish　at　home；

and　get　the　entire　benefit　of　the　fish　traffic？　　Will　it　be

believed　that　there　is　probably　more　money　value　in　the　seas

round　Ireland　than　there　is　in　the　land　itself？　　This　is　actually

the　case　with　the　sea　round　the　county　of　Aberdeen。＇7＇



A　vast　source　of　wealth　lies　at　the　very　doors　of　the　Irish

people。　　But　the　harvest　of　an　ocean　teeming　with　life　is　allowed

to　pass　into　other　hands。　　The　majority　of　the　boats　which　take

part　in　the　fishery　at　Kinsale　are　from　the　little　island　of　Man；

from　Cornwall；　from　France；　and　from　Scotland。　　The　fishermen

catch　the　fish；　salt　them；　and　carry　them　or　send　them　away。　

While　the　Irish　boats　are　diminishing　in　number；　those　of　the

strangers　are　increasing。　　In　an　East　Lothian　paper；　published　in

May　1881；　I　find　the　following　paragraph；　under　the　head　of

Cockenzie：…



〃Departure　of　Boats。In　the　early　part　of　this　week；　a　number　of

the　boats　here　have　left　for　the　herring…fishery　at　Kinsale；　in

Ireland。　　The　success　attending　their　labours　last　year　at　that

place　and　at　Howth　has　induced　more　of　them　than　usual　to　proceed

thither　this　year。〃



It　may　not　be　generally　known　that　Cockenzie　is　a　little　fishing

village　on　the　Firth　of　Forth；　in　Scotland；　where　the　fishermen

have　provided　themselves；　at　their　own　expense；　with　about　fifty

decked　fishing…boats；　each　costing；　with　nets　and　gear；　about

500L。　　With　these　boats　they　carry　on　their　pursuits　on　the　coast

of　Scotland；　England；　and　Ireland。　　In　1882；　they　sent　about

thirty　boats　to　Kinsale＇8＇　and　Howth。　　The　profits　of　their

fishing　has　been　such　as　to　enable　them；　with　the　assistance　of

Lord　Wemyss；　to　build　for　themselves　a　convenient　harbour　at　Port

Seaton；　without　any　help　from　the　Government。　　They　find　that

self…help　is　the　best　help；　and　that　it　is　absurd　to　look　to　the

Government　and　the　public　purse　for　what　they　can　best　do　for

themselves。



The　wealth　of　the　ocean　round　Ireland　has　long　been　known。　　As

long　ago　as　the　ninth　and　tenth　centuries；　the　Danes　established

a　fishery　off　the　western　coasts；　and　carried　on　a　lucrative

trade　with　the　south　of　Europe。　　In　Queen　Mary's　reign；　Philip

II。　of　Spain　paid　1000L。　annually　in　consideration　of　his

subjects　being　allowed　to　fish　on　the　north…west　coast　of

Ireland；　and　it　appears　that　the　money　was　brought　into　the　Irish

Exchequer。　　In　1650；　Sweden　was　permitted；　as　a　favour；　to　employ

a　hundred　vessels　in　the　Irish　fishery；　and　the　Dutch　in　the

reign　of　Charles　I。　were　admitted　to　the　fisheries　on　the　payment

of　30；000L。　　In　1673；　Sir　W。　Temple；　in　a　letter　to　Lord　Essex；

says　that　〃the　fishing　of　Ireland　might　prove　a　mine　under　water

as　rich　as　any　under　ground。〃＇9＇



The　coasts　of　Ireland　abound　in　all　the　kinds　of　fish　in　common

usecod；　ling；　haddock；　hake；　mackerel；　herring；　whiting；

conger；　turbot；　brill；　bream；　soles；　plaice；　dories；　and　salmon。　

The　banks　off　the　coast　of　Galway　are　frequented　by　myriads　of

excellent　fish；　yet；　of　the　small　quantity　caught；　the　bulk　is

taken　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　the　shores。　　Galway　bay

is　said　to　be　the　finest　fishing　ground　in　the　world；　but　the

fish　cannot　be　expected　to　come　on　shore　unsought：　they　must　be

found；　followed；　and　netted。　　　The　fishing…boats　from　the　west　of

Scotland　are　very　successful；　and　they　often　return　the　fish　to

Ireland；　cured；　which　had　been　taken　out　of　the　Irish　bays。　　〃I

tested　this　fact　in　Galway；〃　says　Mr。　S。　C。　Hall。　　〃I　had　ordered

fish　for　dinner；　two　salt　haddocks　were　brought　to　me。　　On

inquiry；　I　ascertained　where　they　were　bought；　and　learned　from

the　sell