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•

// ^ :^

^cl.^

EMIGRATION FROM IRELAND ;

r.EINCi THE

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE

^^1

MR. TUKE'S fund;

TO(!KTHint WITH

STATEMENTS BY MR. TUKE AND MAJOR GASKELL.

JTJNE, 1882

THE NATIONAL PI! ESS AGENCY, LIMITED,

13, Whitefuiars Stkeet, E.C, "

Vvki Sh'peuce,

lift,*'

INDEX.

I. RePOKT (iF ExRcUTIVK C0M.\riTTES

IT. Mr. Tt'KF.'s Statemf,\t.

III. Maioe Cjamkeli/s StATEMF-NT.

{

IV. lilf^T OF Sl'l SrUJlTIliNS,

MR. TUKE'S FUND.

-♦••♦4"

TiiK Executive roiiinilttce of tlio above Fund, believing that an
account of their action up to this time may be of interest, have
requested Mr. Tuke to draw up a statement of his work and
expe'-iences during the seven weeks he was engaged in Ireland in
selecting emigrants and arranging for their shipment.

To this personal narrative it has been thought well to add, by
way of preface, a few lines with reference to the inauguration of the
Fund, and the subsequent proceedings of the Executive Committee.

About the middle of March last, two or three gentlemen,
impressed by statements received from the West of Ireland, strongly
urging the immediate need for emigration from the counties of Mayo
and Galway, requested a number of Members of Parliament and
others, who, it was thought, would take an interest in the question,
to attend a private meeting, which, at the invitation of the Duke of
Bedford, was held at 81 Eaton Square, on March 31st.

At that meeting Mr. Tuke gave a short account of a recent visit
to the West of Ireland (described in his article in the Conicuiporary
Itock'w for April), detailing the condition of the Western Unions,
the evictions, and the urgent need for emigration. A letter from
Mr. Forster was also road, in which he expressed great sympathy
with the objects of the meeting, believing that there coidd hardly be
any possible movement which would do more good, and prevent more
misery, than the endeavour to assist Irish emigration ; there being
many districts in the West of Ireland in which the small cottier
farmers are so crowded together that it is impossible for them to get
from the produce of the soil, under any Laud Law, so much as would
secure them from constantly recurring periods of either starvation or
pauperism. Mr. Forster added a request that his name might be put
down as a subscriber to the amount of £250, to be increased to £uOO
if needful.

After further conversation and consideration, certain resolutions
were adopted, and the outcome of the meeting was the appointment

4 Emhjration from Iretamt.

of a Committeo to assist tho emigration of tlio small holder^i of land
in the West of Ireland, especially from Oalway and Mayo.

The Duko of Ledlord was elected President of the Committee,
with tho following gentlemen as members : —

G, Armitstkai), Es(^, M.P.
H. (). Ar:;old Foustki;, Escj.
J. Hakhan, Esq., M.P.
A. H. 3}H(.\VN, Es(^, M.P.
Sir T. F((\vki,l Hixton, JIakt.
F. W. BrxjoN, Esq., M.P.
Sydnkv BixTON, Esq.
H(.N. H. Cowj'Eii, M.P,
Jamks CiioiTiiU, Esq., M.P.
W. FowLKit, Eh(j.,I\[.P.
LkwisFiiv, Esq., M.P.
SiJi A. Galt.

HoWAUl) HonOKIN, Eh<,i.

A. Ti.uN(i\vonTii, Esc; , M.P.
II. Jaudink, Esq., M.l'.

LoKI) MoNTKAtiLK.

Hamvel Moklev, Esq., M.P.
Arnold Morley, Esc;., M.P.

John Mulhoi-land, Esq., M.P.
H. S. NoRTiu oTE, Es(^, M.P.
Sir. I. W. Pka.se, Bart , M.P.
Arthur Pease, Esq., ]M. P.
Fredk. Penninutun, Es(>i. , M.P.
PtoH'; Hon. D. Pi,i>kkt, M.P
W. Kathiione, Esq., IM.P.
M. Samielson, Est;., M.P.
F. 8ee1!()HM, Es<;.
lUtiHT Hon. W. H. Smith, M.P.
]\Iarqi'm ok Tavistoi k, M.P.
•J. TiloMA.ssoN, Esq., M.P.
.J. H. TiKi), Esq.

Sir H. Hissey Vivian, Bart. , M. P.
,1. Watnev, JiNR., Esq., M.P.
Samuel Whituread, Esq., M.P.
S. Williamson, Es(i., M.P.

Of whom tho following consented to form au Executive Committee :—

Arthur Pease, Est;., M.P.
William Rathbone, Esq., M.P.
The Mah(HIs of Tavlstock, M.P.
J. H. TuKE, Esq.

And subseciuently,
lliouT Hon. W. E. Fohsteh, M. P.

AllNOLU MOULEY, EhQ., Mi P.

The IlioHT Hon. W. H. Smith, i

M.P. (Chainnan). ;

Samuel Wiutbreau, Es<i., M.P.

(Deputy Chainuan). [

SirThomasFowellBuxton, Bakt, '
Hon. Henry Co\vi'er, M.P. '

H. S. Northcotb, Es<;., M.P.

With IIou. Treasurers :— -

J. GrliJ^EV Bahi'LaY, Esq.

And lion. Sees. : —

Sydney C. Buxton, Esq., 19( Eaton Place, S.W.
Howard HodokIn, E.sq., 12, Hereford Gardens, W.

The objects aimed at may be briefly summed up in tho terms
of a resolution adopted at the meeting :— *' 1st. To aid impoverished
families, or persons, desiring to emigrate from rural districts of
Ireland, especially those in the Western Unions, by the loan or gift
of sums of money towards the cost of transit and outfit. It is hoped
that if one-half of the cost be found by the Association, the remainder
will be forthcoming from local or individual sources. 2ud. To make
arrangements for the embarkation of emigrants and for reasonable
outfit, and to provide that on landing, either in the Colonies or the
United States, facilities shall be afforded them for reaching the fields
of labour to which they desire to go."

1(1

3e,

Einhfrattoti from Ireland.

US
ed
of
ift
ed
ler
ko
Ao
lie
ds

The following considorations 1
Executive Committee :— 1st. That

lavo g(jvoraed tl
those persons

nction
onh/ who

of tl

lie

were

anxious to emigrate were to be assisted. 2nd. Thut strong and
healthy adults alone were not to bo selected, but that, as a rule,
Y/hole families— or as many members as desired to go— were to be
assisted.

Immediately after the meeting, Mr. Tuke— who had been
requested at the meeting again to visit Ireland to undertake the
selection of emigrants and to carry on other necessary local work-
was kind enough to start for Clifden ; and the Committee arc under
great obligations to that gentleman for the zeal, enorgy, and
efticienoy uith which he has carried on the work in Ireland. Mr.
Tuke was absent seven weeks, and during that time he found that
thousands of persons were most anxious to einigrate, and that the
poverty and distress of the districts in question— Gal way, Oughterard,
Clifden, Newport, and Lelmullet— had in no way been exaggerated.
Difficulties have from time to time arisen in the work carried
on by the Committee, but for the most pait they have been met
and overcome. The Committee, however, suffered one considerable
disappointment. At the outset they determined, both as a sound
principle, and in order to make the funds at their disposal aa widely
useful as possible, primarily to assist those for whom a reasonable
portion of the cost of emigration should be forthcoming from local
or private soiu-ces. Acting upon this principle, and after full
communications with the Clifden Board of Guardians, the Committee
determined to apply £5,000 towards assisting emigration from
that Union, with the understanding that the Guardians would borrow
and hand over to the Committee a further sum of £2,000, to be
applied for the same purpose. In pursuance of this agreement the
Guardians passed a resolution, and took the first steps towards
applying for a loan of £2,000 from the Board of Works (unfor-
tunately the Emigration Clause of the Laud Act of 1881 is not
applicable to Boards of Guardians). Trusting to the gcod faith
of the Board of Guardians, the Committee made an-angements for
the emigration of a large number of families and individuals-
some had actually been shipped off— when the Guardians rescinded
their previous resolution, and deehned to borrow the money. As the
emigrants themselves were in a state of great destitution, and not
ill a condition to provide any portion of the cost, the action of the
Board threw on the Committee the whole expense of sending the
emigrants from the CHfden Union, necessitating an increased
expenditure on their part, and a consequent inability to assist

Ewigvatiou from Ireland.

other rersous to tbo extent tlioy had auticipatoa ; and at the same
time eoniewhat disoonrnprinp: theiv efforts.

A small numlier of ..orsons, able to find a considerable portion
of the whole cost, have been assisted from Newport and Belmullet.

The general romlt« of the work of the Committee have, howe^■er,
been successful. They have <lono the work cheaply and thoroughly,
having emigrated some 1,200 persons, chietly in families, at a cost
of a little over £G per Lead. Careful arrangements were, moreover,
made for the reception of the emigrants on the other side, and care
taken that they should be placed in a position to obtain work— for
thou-h mostly destitute, the adult emigrants were able-bodied,
capable, and willing to work. Those who wont to Canada were met
and taken charge of by the agents of the Canadian Government ;
the others were looked after on arrival by gentlemen in Boston and
Philadelphia-to whom the warm thanks of the Committee are duo
-and either sent on to join their friends, or placed where they would

obtain work.

Very satisfactory accounts have been received of the welfare of
the first two batches of emigrants, and the Committee have every
reason to hope that the emigrants will prosper.

Taking into account the distres-iug poverty of the people in
the special districts above named, and their proved desire to emigrate,
the Committee are convinced that a vast amount of work in the way
of emigration still remains to be done. The necessary outlay would,
however, be boyoud the means of any private society. But the
Committee trurt that the Government .nay be induced to take action
in the matter, and make a grant of money this summer to enable
some now in distress to escape before the winter ; and in particular,
that assistance may bo given to the large number of families recently
evicted in the districts referred to-tenants who, for the most part,
were not unwilling, but were unable to pay their rents-so that
they may have offered them the only present alternative to the
workhouse or starvation— emigration.

This, in the entire absence of any local employment, appears to
the Committee to be an immediate necessity ; but more remains to
be done. The population of these districts is so much congested, the
holdings are so small, and the soil generally so poor, that even if the
tenants had no rents to pay, they would for the most part be unable
to maintain themselves even in good seasons. Systematic emigration,
judiciously assisted, seems to be the only hope for the population
the best chance alike for those who go and for those who remam.

/'Jul i(/ rut ion from. Ireland. 7

Tlio faot that tho districts in wliioU such abject poverty provaiU
aro limitod in oxtont, oncouragos tlio Coramitteo to insist on the
nooossify and pnxctioability of affordin^r ndoquato assistance to those
TTniong. Elsowhcro, throughout Trohxnd, oniigration is steadily pro-
nooding unaided ; but in thoso congcstod Unions, so groat is tho over-
population and povorty, that uidoss outsido help bo fbrthooniing, tho
first stops towards emigration cannot bo taken. A niovomont in tho
direction of oniigration onco started, it may bo hoped that liere, as
cLsowhoro, it will gather strength as it proceeds ; thoso who have gone
will attract to them many of thoso whn remain, and enu'gratiou will
oonimonco its natural flow.

Tho (,'ommiltce believe that tho emigration ol fawilicH would
not moot with tho opposition which that of individuals so often
encounters ; they are certainly convinced that thoui^ands of persons
are ready to onn'grato from tho Unions above-named.

In addition to their gratitude to :Mr. Tuke, tho Committee desire
to oxi-ress their warm thanks to (amongst others) Mr. George Molly,
of Liverpool, for his valuable assistaiu'e in the matter of shipment,
and to Major (iask<>ll, who has succeodod Mr. Tidco in Ireland, for
Ids kindness in continuing tho work, and giving his servicej to the
(-'ommittee.

SYDNEY C. BUXTON,

Juno, 18,9?.

HOWAIJD IIODGKIN, j

ON. Sf.CS.

MR. TUKES REPORT.

•••♦-

It becomes my duty to lay before tlio Committee the chief results
of the eommi.«8ion with whicli I wns entrusted at the meeting held at
tho Duke of Bedford's, on the 'Ust of March last. The general
principles suggested by tho Committoo for my guidance are stated
iu the I'reface.

The spring being tho time best suited for emigration, it was
needful, at tho earlici-t possible moment after the meeting, to proceed
to tho West of Ireland, to carry out arrangements whereby the
emigrants might reach their clestination.s before the hot weather
set in. Leaving homo on tho 4th of April, and spending a day in
Liverpool and another in Dublin, for the purpose of making various
necessary enquiries and arrangements, I arrived at Glendalough,
Galway, tho centre of the Clifdeu Union, on the 7th. Before leaving
liome it had been determined, as far as possible, to confine tlio
operations of the Fund to a limited area in tlie West, comprising the
poorest Unions. Clifdeu, Co. Galway, with Newport and Belnndlet,
Co. Mayo, shared this unenviable position. Tho additional reason
for selecting Clifdeu was that tho Guardians had, by minute (in
February last), unanimously come to the conclusion that cnn'gration
was a necessity, and had applied to the Government for assistance.
The ton following days were chiefly spent in going througli the
district, making enquiries, investigating tho real demand for emigra-
tion and the condition of tho pooi>le, and to some extent iu eonforring
with tho Union authorities as to future arraugomonts.

At Glendalough, Mr. II, A. Ilobinson, Poor Law Inspector, met
me, and reported that on tlio 4th of April the Clifdeu Board of
Guardians — who were an'aro that the Committee were willing to
co-operate with them in assi.sting emigration — had iiiuniiu/oiis///
passed tho following resolution : — " That the Guardians now desiro
to intimate that, as they have ascertained that a fund Is fortlicoming
out of Avhich assistance will be given to persons desirous of
cinigrating-, tlio Board will now bo prepared to receive and consider

Emigration from TreJanJ.

appl lout ions from all suoli povsoiis, and will fako 'stops to procure
whatever monoy may bo rtMpiirotl for this purpose."

This resolution f viorcled with tho views of tho Conimitloo,
ftiul it Hconied evident that tho ri{?ht eourso wii.s to lut in eon-
junetion with tho Union authorities in all matters eonoerning
emigration from that district. Wiicn, therefore, I anived in
(Mifden, on tho morning of tho lOth, I eulled npon ^fr. IJurko,
tho Clerk of tho Union, and mado arrangement h with liini for
carrying on tho work, ho giving instruetions to tho relieving
officers, of whom there aro three in tho Union, to make onquiriea
throughout their respcetivo districts and to tako down tho names
of any who really wished to emigrate. i\\ tho afternoon I drove
with Mr. Burke for twenty miles along tho wild stony districts
in the south-west of tho Union, for tlie purpose of ascertaining
the feeling of the people as regards emigration. The general
residt of this enquiry convinced me that there existed a very
widespread desire for emigration. Many applications were mn<lo
to mo during this drive, as well as in Cliidon. In one place on the
coast we met a number of men engaged in maldng a rough stone pier,
working for Is. to Is. Id. a day, and on being asked whether any
of them wished to emigrate, the reply was " that they all did."

Two following days were similarly spent in making enquiries,
and with a like result. At Roundstone, at ( 'asliel, and at Carna, I
was told, audi found it was a fact, that many woTild gladly emigrate.
At Carna and at (flynsk Bridge I spent part of a day amongst tho
people who had been evicted in tho early part of the year. Several
of those I had seen on my visit a mouth previously had since
emigrated, many otliers were still lying in the same damp trenches,
tsome evidently suftcring from long exposure and want of food ; all
of them begged to be assisted to emigrate. It was a satisfaction io
be able to hold out some hope that their wishes would be granted,
though I could not make any definite promises to them at the
moment ; but as a matter of fact a very large nimiber of these
people were ultimately sent out.

Another day or two were spent in the northern portions of tho
Union, Letterfrack, llenvyle, &c., where some applications were
made both then and afterwards. During the days thus occu-
pied I occasionally met the relieving officers, and found on all
sides the opinion expressed that numbers of families, Avhether
evicted or no, were anxious to emigrate, and would do so if enabled.
One of the instructions given to the relieving officers was that
the amount which individuals could provide towards the cost of

Emigration from Ireland.

emigratiou slioukl be iakei. dowu, but at eadi step it became moro
and more evident that the poverty of the people, except in a very few
cases, would not allow of their finding any portion of the cost, and
that unless tlie proportion (one-half) demanded by the Committee were
found by the Guardians, very few of the people would be able to
avail themselves of tho assistance offered by the Fund. In order to
place before the Committee the class of cases for Avhicli the assistance
of the Fund was required, it may be well, in a note, to give
ono or two instances.*

^ After a week spent in preliminary encpiiriea in the Clifden
tJuion, I report' d to the Committee in the following terms the
genoral results of these enquiries :—(!) The great demand on
the part of the peopie for emigration. (2) Tlie extreme poverty
of large masses of small cultivators of land, (;3) As resulting
from this, the r.roossity which exists to give them assistance to an
extent varying from the whole to one-half the cost, and which
must in my belief bo left to tho discretion of those on the spot.

On the 13th of April I drove to Westport, and subsequently to

^(1) H. «., aged tliirty-fivc ; wifo thirty ; Inc diikh't-ii. Evicted tonanta.
Rent, £15 a-year,.iniutly witli anotlier. Twelve years a-,j had several head of
cattle and sheei) ; AVas tiien Avurth £200 or i»i..rc. Hid .sold hi.s last cow for
m lOs., and had now no milk to give his children, no meal Avliatover. (irai^in-^'
land nuicli reduced, said to bo cause. Saw children all in rags. He could tiud
nothing towards cost of emigration.

(2) C. D. AN'ifo and live children (thirteen, eleven, rune, six, one and a-
half years old). Evicted tenant, living in raiserable liut, in abject poverty ;
hardly any clothing ; stated t(j be a very g(jod workman wlien could tind
employment. "Could not find one halfi)enny." Had some <.ut-door relief for
a time.

(3) E. F.,forty-tive. Evicted. Wife and children. Had held a farm at
£13 a-year ; could not pay the arrears ; evicted in January. Had oil'ered, with
others who were evicted, to go into Court riid i)ay a year's rent and take the
benefit of tho Arrears Clause, and to have ais rent settled by Court. This was
refused.

(4) U. H., forty; wife and four in family, full grown. A small holder of
knd; couidpaysoi'ie p^ut ; could work at anything, build walls, bridges, or dig ;
had some of tho family in States; very auxious to join thorn ; two dau 'htJi'.s
working in Scotland ; could not live o-i the land. ^

(5) J. K. ; wife and three children. Husljand had gone to America three
years ago ; had at last sent them the tickets to join him ; had lived in desperate
poverty since her husband ha.l been away, ])ut had never and would never apply
to the (xuardians for relief ; neigliljours as poor as herself almost had IscipiHl
her a bit. Hut now, though she had the tickets, she had no clothing and no
means of getting to (;ahvay. 15,.re most excellent character.

((() C. M. ; wife an 1 tw.) children. Evicted touaiit. Hud);i,ml gone a short
time ago, with one daughter, intending to send luv tho rest of^the family.
Dwelling nn!ii '"oj human or other habitation.

Emigrntion from Irchind.

Newport (about fifty miles from ClifJcn), for the purpose of making
enquiries in a portion of tlio Newport Union wliicli Mr. Robinson
liail told me was verj'- poor and in great need of help. Althougli no
notice had been giveri of my coming, yet, when I arrived at
Eosturk Castle, Mr. ]{. V. Stoney's house on the north shore of
Clew Bay, a great number of applicants, principally from the
districts of Achill and Mulranny, had already assembled. The
whole day was spent in taking down the names of applicants. In
some instances Mio people promised to provide lialf of the cost, in
others a third or a part, but a very considerable number Avere too
poor to pay anything. Mr. Stoney, to wliom I was much indebted
for the assistance given, was with me dimugtho time these names were
being taken down, and confirmed the statements of absolute poverty
evident in many cases ; and as ho constantly resides among the
people his knowlctlge of their circumstances is undoubted. Indeed,
the simple fact that. In spite of the very short notice given in the
Union that tlie possibility of help for emigration exis-ted, I had from
one small district applications for assistance on behalf of about 300
persons, is most significnt, not cnly of the poverty of the people, but
of their determination to escape from it at all hazards. On previous
visits to Ireland I spent some time in going through this district, and
had been much struck with the minuteness and poverty of the
holdings — little bits of rocky land running all along the sea coast,
the holding often cut up into many portions by the great boulders.
No wonder that, placed in such circumstances, many of the popula-
tion are longing to emigrate.

On the 18th of April I returned to Clifden, ready to commence
the actual work of emigration. The lists which the relieving
olTicers had been preparing, according to \h\ Burke's instructions,
were brought in ; and it appeared that the result of less than a week's
enquiry' in the Union of Clifden, had sufficed to enrol on the lists
the names of 2'22 families, or 1,270 persons ; and the relieving oflicers
stated that further enquiry woidd at least double the number. It was
needful, therefore, to give notice that no more names could bo
taken for the present. Some names bavo been added and others
omitted, but as a wliolo tliese lists have formed the basis from
Avliich the plan of emigration has been carried out from that time
to this.

It will probably bo best, without entering minutely into a
detailed chronological account of the work, to give some idea of
the general lino of action which was adopted.

I. Firstly, then, as to the arrangement witli the Clifden Union.

Emigration from, Ireland.

At a meeting of tlio Eoard lieH on the lOtli of April, the
Guardians followed up their res(jlution of the 4th, already referred
to, by agreeing by a majority to apply to the Local Government
Board for a loan of £2,000. So far this was satisfactory, but
when tlio views of the Guardians came to be considered more
closely, it appeared that they were not likely to expend the
amount per head for emigration which the Committee deemed
needful to ensure its success. To the Union the object was, not
unnaturally, to expend the smallest sum which could emigrate the
largest number, and to tliem the sum of £2,000 appeared sufficient,
with another £2,000 added, to emigrate above 1,000 individuals. But
it was at once clear to me that £4,000 was a sum not nearly sufficient
properly to emigrate this number in the way desired by the
Committee, and sketched out in the resolutions adopted at the
inaugural meeting. In the lirst place, tlie scheme would utterly
break down if the emigrants were merely landed on the American
seaboard, and not forwarded from thence either to places to wliich they
speciidly wished to go, or at any rate to suitable fields of labour.
Again, it was evident that, as a rule, the emigrants would need
a large contribution towards clothing, their conveyance to Galway,
and other minor items,

UnJer these circumstances, as all enquiries proved most clearly
that the people couM advance little or nothing towards the cost of
emigration, it was necessary to consider whether the rule adopted
l)y the Committee, requiring one-half of the cost to be paid,
should bo enforced. I therefore felt it needful to apply to
the Committee for their sanction to an expenditure, if required,
of a sura of £0,000, in place of £2,000, in addition
to the £2,000 which was to bo received from the Guardians.
The principle of obtaining half tlie cost from local sources,
would in that casr have to be abandoned ; not to have abandoned
the principle would, however, have led to the complete collapse
of the scheme. Acting upon these considerations, the Committee
assented to this expenditure, and also consented temporarily to
advance another £2,000 until the Guardians should have effected
their loan.* Further, with regard to the question of cost, tlie
Committee decided that in fuh(re, instead of one-half of the cost,
£•"3 a-head only should be required from the emigrants, or other local
sources.

11. The difficult question of ocean transport was chiefly undertaken

* Tliia was not done.

Emigration from Irdand.

1 o

"by Mr. Georgo Melly, of Liverpool, to whoso hearty co-operation we
are much indebted. The first company of 200 emigrants left
by the Allan Line steamer on the 28th of April, this Company
calling regularly every fortnight at Galway. It was, however,
essential that other steamers should call at Galway in order to
avoid the great expense and trouble which must otherwise he
incurred in sending the emigrants to (iueenstowji or Liverpool
Mr. Melly, after considerable trouble, arx'anged that a steamer
of the Beaver Line should call at Gralway on the (Jth and
19th of May, we undertaking in each case to provide a certain
number of passengers. It Avas also arranged that the emigrants going
by this line should be forwarded by train to their various destina-
tions in the United States at low rates.

III. The xi'/crfioti of the chii[/rttiif'> for each shipment, the
arrangements which were necessary for bringing them from their
scattered and distant homes at the right time to the ship's side,
and for providing thsm with suitable clothing and outfit, involved an
immense amount of detail and work.

The lists of those anxious to emigrate, already referred to, were
four in number, one for each Disponsary district of the Union.
These were carefully enquired into, and about a week or ten days
before the arrival of the steamers, the relieving officers again
went through their districts, and marked off on these lists a certain
number of families who would be able and ready to leave on the
appointed dciy.

The lists of these selected cases were again brought before me,
and I went over them with the Clerk of the Union and relievinsr
officers, discussing the size and general condition of each family,
and their fitness to go, and rejecting those who did not seem to
be suitable. Most of the families, as before remarked, were very
destitute of clothing, particularly in the districts where evictions
had taken place, so that it was necessary in going through the list?
to allot to nearly every family a certain sum of money, usually
about £3 or £6 for the purchase of clothing.

The mode adopted for the distribution of clothing was as
follows: — Mr. Burke drew an order for eacli family for the sum
which we had fixed upon, and these orders were made available for
clothing at any shop in Clifden, &.c. The emigrants conUl therefore
choose their own shop or shop^-. Even in this way there was some
danger that the orders might be abused ; but it seemed the only
satisfactory mode of distributing the clothing, and the relieving
olfioers and others were constantly in and out of the shops to look

Emiqmtion from Ireland.

after tlieir pooplo. In fact, tlio oontingont from oacli distrlet oamo
into Clifdon under the cliargo of their respective relieving olfioers.

Ill addition to tliis revision and examination of the lists, in
almost every case I saw tlie head or some other member of tlie fam'ily,
either iu their own homos, or more usually at the Workliouse. Tliis'
of course, enabled mo to judge better of tlie condition of the people
and of tlieir suitability for emigration. All I saw confirmed my
belief as to the reality of their poverty. Some of tliose thus coming
to tlio Workliouse had borrowed the jacket or other clothing they
wore, to bo " a bit dacont." I must mention that as the Guardians
had at that time presumably some share in the emigration, many of
them, the shopkeepers in particular, used to como to the Workhouse
and, claiming to have tlio right to determine who wore and who were
not suitable to be assisted, took a very active part in scrutinising the
lists. This right I always admitted, but its exercise often caused
me considerable annoyance, and loss of time.

Another matter reciuiring much thought and arrangement was
the conveyance of the people from these reuioto districts to Galway—
usually fifty to sixty miles— so that, without being too long upon
the road, they should all bo at Galway the evening before the sailing
of the steamer. Tlie difficulty will be more fully understood when
it is remembered that among tlio emigrants were a considerable
number of small children, that tho districts from which
the emigrants came are extremely scattered, and that many
of the people live in places very difficult of access, to which
even a ear cannot approach within two or throe miles. In no
case was there any railway communication. It was, moreover,
no easy matter to obtain a sufficient number of cars or
other conveyances. Many of those engaged drove tho fifty miles
froniGalway the previous day, and back the next with the emigrants.
Some families travelled on the common carts of tho country— a slow
process for sixty miles— and some of the men walked a con-
siderable part of the way. Tho arrangements for conveyance were,
liowever, successfully carried out by local assistants, whom I
employed, and by the relieving officers, so that no family was
in any instance too lato, though many of them were not in
Galway till two or three o'clock in tho morning of tho day on
which the steamer left. Ihe cost of this conveyance necessarily
formed a considerable item in tho total cost of emigration.

Arrangements had also to bo made in Galway for lodging
the two, three or four hundred emigrants the night before the
vessel saikd, and for supplying thorn with food there and on the road.

Emhi ration from trdand.

After tlio people had arrived at Galvvay our agents aud others
weut round to the lodgings and gave the emigrants their tickets,
in excliange for the written orders which they had previously
received, and which Avero a guarantee of tlieir identity.

The following accounts of tlie embarkation of the people,
written at the time, may be of interest : —

Galway, Ma^J Ml, 1882.
You will, I know, liavo been much interested to hear by telegram of the
successful departure of the 350 emigrants in the " Nepigon." She arrived here
about Sdven, and lay in the Bay nearly a mile fr.im the ([uay. The tug, with
its first freiglit of 200 poor Connemara people, was soon alongside. The
C(jnfusiou and searches for missing children, bimdles of clothing, itc. , were
considerable, though perliaps not greater than might have been t-xpected. The
wish to change the place of destinati(jn on the tickets, the anxiety to know that
the ticket was all riglit on the part of those who could not read, the sense that
they were couunitting their all and their future to an unknown and distant
world, doubtless troubled and disturbed many, aud led to an endless amount of
(juestioniug and little diftieulties. Then, again, some families who had been
expected to come did not arrive, and others had been substituted ; two or three
brought other members of tlie family (or near relations), who had Jiot been put
down, earnestly begging for them to be accepted at the last moment. One girl
went into a paroxysm of grief because a sister was not allowed to go with her,
aud when she was admitted went into another because a brotlier was not allowed.
This was too nmcli ; and she became so excited that she and her bundles were
at length replaced on the tender. But, on the whole, the atl'air was very well
and (piietly conducted. Tiie greatest trouble really wm, that after all we had
done to clothe the people, many came up utterly unfit to travel. The £'3, iCo,
or £'0 allowed had not been sufficient ; and had it not been that Father Stephen
went back in the tug, and then returned in a sailing boat with two or three
bundles for the captain to distril)ute towards the end of the voyage, many would
have left very poorly provided for.

A local newspaper gives the following account ; —

"Family Emigration from Connemara.— Mr. Tuko . . shipped fifty-
five families, numbering over 300 souls, in the ' Lake Nepigon ' this morning iu
Ciahvay Harbour. The families arc all from Connemara, and had nearly all been
recently evicted. The 'Nepigon,' which belongs to the Beaver Ijine, is well-
fitted up ; the berths are bottomed with canvas instead of the ordinary boards.
The captain has the reputation of being most kind and attentive to his
passengers. The ' Citie of the Tribes ' steam tug nuule two trips to the
steamer, aud Mr. Keogh, of the Custnms, and Dr. Jlicc cleared and examined
the passengers. IMr. Tuke was prcs'.Mit, aud they all assembled on deck and
cheered lustily, men, women aud chilcren l)i'ing in the best s[>irits. '

A fortniglit later,

" The third and largest balcli of Connemara emigrants, numbering in
all 430 persons, had, with ihe invaluable aid of Major Gaskell, been gathered
together, and by car nv dnniibus or Ik inker, were, Avith no little ditiiculty,
collected in readiness fi>r tli'J ' Wimiipeg,' appointed to sail tlie following
morning. Punctual to her time, at five the following morning her steam whistle
told us that she was in the bay — that all hands were needed. It is not needful
to describe that which is involved in the collection from the lodging-houses
the exchange of lickt-ts, the transfer of so many men, women, and children from

{

Emigration from Ireland.

tlic tuy to the steamer, and the final shakedown on board. Hufficc it to say,
that with the aid of Major Gaskell, two Dublin gentlemen who became
interested in the work, and gave us nnich valuable help, the oHicers of the
ship, and our own hard-working assistants, it was done after six hours
strenuous toil, and with cheers the emigrants left— left on their voyage of
discovery to the New World. Through the kindness of Father Nugent,
of Liverpool; the Rev. J. O'Donnell, R.C. Chaplain of the Liverpool
Workhouse, had been induced to take charge of them."

I may perhaps be allowed here to say, that in any future work
which may l)e carried on I would most strongly advise, on all
accounts, t\\Q shipment of smaller numbers. Batches of not more
than ten or fifteen families at the utmost should be sent out. Tho
doing so would lessen the great strain on this side, and at the same
time reduce the cliances of any diflicnlty in finding employment in
America, which the larger numbers may cause.

Having said thus mueh of tlie arrangements on this side of the
Atlantic, it niay be well to give some account of the organization
on the other side for receiving and looking after the emigrants —
arraugomeiits which were essential if the scheme were to be a success.
As regards tlie emigrants going to (Janada, no ditficulty was
encountered, the Canadian Cfovernment undertaking through their
agents not only to meet tlie emigrants on their arrival, but also to find
employment for them, chiefly in Western Ontiirlo, where there is now
a great demand for agricultural labour. The authorities at the
Canadian office in London took a warm interest in the matter, and
advised their Agents as to tlie number of our emigrants going
out, requesting that especial attention should be shown them.
Besides these advantages gained by sending emigrants to
Canada, the Canadian Cfovernment offers £1 a-head towards the
passage of agricultural labourers and their families. It was,
howe\er, found that very few of the emigrants wished to go to
Canada. Most of them had relations in the United States, or
knew of friends who had done well there, and consequently preferred
going to the country of which they had heard such good reports. One
family only went to Canada by the first vessel, and by the second ten
families, or fifty-six persons. When it came to the third vessel, how-
ever, and tlie chances of emigrating iit all, became less, the people's
desire to get away anywhere, led them to accept willingly almost any
offer by which this oould be effected, and oonsequontly 170 persons
went to ( 'anada by the " Lake Winnipeg." The Canadian emigrants
were eliiefiy booked through to Toronto, where the Canadian
Government undertook to find them work.

A considerable proportion of those going to the United Stat es
went to join their friends ; but nerertheless it wa.s uviously needful

Emigration from Ireland.

that some arrangoments should Lo made for having all the einigrauts
met oil tlio other side, ospccially on account of the cliildren.
Before leaving homo I liad Avritfon to a personal fiiend in
Philadelphia, and he, together with some other gentlemen, havo
rendered most land and efficient services in looking after tho
emigrants arriving at Boston by steamer, or at New York and
Philadelphia by rail, from Ciuebeo, I have had accounts from
him of the arrival of the three first ships. Some of the people
at their own wisli were sent on to Pittsburg, Cleveland, and
other places, while my friends found employment for many of
them in the Eastern States, somo in village manufactories, tlie
masters being so anxious to engnge them that they not only paid
the railway fares, liut also provided liouses for the emigrants and
their families, in wliieh I hear that many of them are already
comfortably settled, and earning good wages.

Already some private accounts have reached Clifden of the
happiness and success of individual families who have gone to the
States. Information lias also been received that suitable agricultural
work has been found by the Canadian Government for tlie families
sent to Toronto.

On the '20{\\ of May, the day after the sailing of tlie
" Winnipeg," I returned to England, leaving Major Gaskell, who
had joined me nearly a fortnight previously, in Galway, to continue
the work. He is still in the West of Ireland, and some account of
what he has done up to this time has been appended.

Before concluding this lieport, there are one or two other
points to which it may be well to refer.

When the movement was commenced it was thought very
possible that opposition to the work of the Committee might arise
from certain quarters ; but after two months' experience, I can state
that no such opposition has .shown itself, at any rate openly, though
some has arisen from a quarter whence it had not been expected.
Some priests have openly helped and encouraged the work,
some have privately sympathised with it, while if others
have been hostile to it, their opposition has had no apparent
effect. Opposition, however, has come from tlie shopkeepers of the
district. I Jiavo iilready alluded to this on the part of some
who were Cfuardians, but it has not been confined to them. A
deputation of ten shopkeepers waited upon me one day at
Clifden, in the liotel, and rej)resented to me that the
assistance from the Eund should be given only to those tenants who

Emigration from Ireland.

hail boon evicted, or to labourers who coukl not find oniploynient.
Their cliiof complaint was, that many of Llio wonhl-bo emigrants
were in their debt, or well off, and tliey proposed that I sliould submit tho
lists to tlieir scrutiny, so that "those deeply in our books, having the
means of meeting their J!ist liabilities, but now taking advantage of this
emigration scheme in order to avoid them, may bo struck off." I
liave liad numbers of notes, more or less angry, to this effect,
objecting to names on tho lists, and asking me to pay their
debts, &c. Tliis opposition en tho part of many of the shop-
keepers had, indeed, a more serious effect. Many of them
are Guardians — perhaps it would not bo beyond the mark to
say that most of tlio elected Guardians are shopkeepers — and
it is probably dn.e to their influence tliat on tho 3rd of May tho
Board actually rescinded tlio resolution of tiio lOtli of April, already
referred to, by which the application for a loan of £"2,000 was
sanctioned. The application Jiad, in due course, been made to the
Local Government Board, and had been approved by them and by
the Public Works Loan Commissioners — though several further forms
would have been necessary before the money could be advanced ; —
the Guardians had, subsequently to the 10th of Ajiril, fully accepted
and understood their position, by alluding in one of their resolutions
of the 2Gth to the emigrants who were being sent out " by tho aid
of the funds of this Union," and yet on the 3rd of May they
abandoned the position they had token np, and broke with the
arrangement which only a fortniulit before they had come to with tho
Committee, and upon the faitli of which the Committee had com-
menced, and already partially carried out, an extensive scheme of
emigration from the Union. The work had in consequence to
be curtailed, and many persons who had their names on the lists, and
were hoping to emigrate, were thereby prevented from leaving.
Tho invaluable services rendered by Mr. John Burke, the Clerk to
the Union, must not be passed over without acknowledgment ; it is
hardly too much to say that without his assistance tho work could
not have been accomplished.

In reference to other Unions where the Committee had hoped to
have been able to assist, it may be needful to say that the Newport
Board of Guardians had passed a resolution somewhat to the same
effect as that passed by tho Clifden Board on the 4th of April. But
they never advanced beyond this, except to apply for a loan of £100
towards emigration, to bo devoted to cases in the Workhouse only.
It therefore seemed very doubtful whether assistance could be
given to any number of the poor people of Achill and Midranny

)

Tvmv/ratlon from Ireland.

' /

)

wlioni I had bcoii to soo, or to others in this Union. As the Union
decliuocl to borrow further, it remained that tlio only terms upon
which T was able to offer assistance were those already mentioned,
namely, that £;5 per faro (/>., per adult or two children) should
be forthcoming from the emigrants or from other local sources.
However, early in May, Mr. llodgldn, who had been assisting me with
the second shipment in Clifden, taking my former lists with him, went
to that district to see to what extent the people were able to avail
themselves of the assistance. But ho fomid that upon the above
terras it was almost impossible to help families, thougli there were a
certain number of individuals who were able to find the necessary £'."3.
To have helped iitdifiihiah to emigrate extensively Avoidd, however,
not have been in accordance avIUi the objects of the Fund. As a
matter of fact about twenty individuals ^^•ere assisted, while as regards
families only three were assisted, out of thirty who were nnablo to
find the required amount. The demand for emigration was still
very great, though owing to the knowledge of the £3 limitation,
the niti'licants did not come forward as thoy would otherwise
have done. But on all sides it was reported that almost every poor
family in the district would bo glad to emigrate if free emigration
were found for them. It was evident in this district, as elsewhere,
that the most suitable cases and those Avho most wish to go, are
those who arc least able to pay anything towards the cost.

The result of all I have seen and heard in the last two
months, more and more convinces mo of the extreme poverty of
the people in those Western Unions, and of the impossibility of their
contributing to any material extent towards the cost of emigration,
at the present time. A gentleman who has property in this
neighbourhood, in speaking of the extraordinary demand for emi-
gration, said that to his mind it was tlio most complete proof that
could be given of the abject poverty of the people, and he added
that he was certain that if <]io tenants were called on to pay any
portion of the passage money, it would at once stop the whole affair,
and that if even " the bit of clotliing " now given v/cro not granted
the people would not go; and this statement is confirmed by the
fact, that, in spite of the £3 or £-> that had been allowed to the
emigrants, a number of those who came on board tho "Ncpigon" were
most insufficiently clothed, and at tho last moment a considerable
amount had to bo expended on them. No Irishman would leave homo
willingly in rags, or without she.. ..id stockings, and the fact that so
many, after the allowance deemed needful by the ofiieials, were still so
ill-provided with clothing, is an added proof of the oft-repeated story

Kmigration from Ireland.

of tlio abject poverty of these poor people, niul of the usolessness
of offering to send them out at half-faros.

Another proof of tlie poverty of tlio people was the numerous
evictions that were taking place tliroughout the district, usually
ou account of the nou-paymout of rents so small, tliat even
if they were throe or four years in arrear, a tenant with £(> to £10
in his pocket could have paid them and remained on the land.
To quote one instance, evictions were to take place ou twenty-four
holdings, the rents of which ranged from £1 to £5 ; the arrears of rent
varied from five to seven years, but though the landlord offered to
wipe off all these arrears on condition of one year's rent being paid,
in no single instance had this as yet been done. A gentleman in the
district told me that a few weeks ago he liad uoi thought that the
people were so poor, or that it was impossible for them to pay their
rents, but now tliat he had seen the way in which such numbers of
the people had allowed themselves to be evicted, he was constrained to
believe it.

I was also much struck with a growing feeling among the
people themselves that cnugration is the only help for them. I hear
that within the last year or two they have become more and more
disheartened with their prospects, and have ceased to care, as they
formerly did, for the land which they now find fails to support them,
and leaves them in their present miserable condition.

^ Another fact, which very much complicates matters, is that,
owing to many accountable causes, the demand for labour in these
districts is very much loss than it used to be, and is continually decreas-
ing. ^ This growing dcartli of employment tliroughout the whole
district, and the hundreds of strong men demanding work and
unable to get it, is indeed most alarming.

The work of the Fund has, 1 am convinced, been of the greatest
use and ; benefit in lessening to some extent this tension,''and in
alleviating the unfortunate condition of this one Union. But to
apply an effectual remedy to this and to other districts lies beyond
the scope of any private society, and I am, therefore, more than ever
assured that it is the immediate and imiierative duty of the Govern-
ment to take up and investigate the condition of these Western
Unions, and adequately and promptly to deal witli their special
circumstances and special i)ovcrty in a special and liberal manner.

^ ^ The following statement will shew the numbers and dates of
Bailing of the three parties : —

April 28th, per "Austrian," 152 fares, families or parts ..t families ; total
201 persons.

■i-*i

Einitfmfion fjium. Tnlund.

■i-S

total

Mfty 5tli, iti'f " Nopigoii," 200 fivvcH, fuiiiilics or {'M'.th of fiimilies ; total

.'U5 pOl'HOllH.

iMfiy l!lth, yicc " Wiiinipoi,'," .'{."id ftircs, fjimilioa or piivts of familicH ; totiil
4152 i)uiHoiis.

In aiMitlon, 280 persons wore sout out by vavioua other
sbipmouts, m.-ilvinp^ a total of 1 ,267 persons.

In Lrlni'Ing this report to a conoluslon, I liopo it may not be
doomed presumptuous to offer one or two suggestions in reference to
any po.<siblo future working or objects of the Fund.

The " exporiment," as it was caUod at the beginning, has
been made, witli what success as to the individuals we must leave time
to say, but this much we can, we think, distinctly say has been proved.

1. The intouse desire of largo numbers io emigrate from the
impoverished Unions in the West of Ireland, and that this desire has
not been stopped by an}' adverse influences at present at work.

2. That the poverty of the people in the districts under con-
sideration is so great that very little, if any, of the cost of emigration
can be obtained from the emigrants themselves.

?). That it is not probable that the Union in these districts, unless
legally compelled, will tax themselves for this object, or the funds be
supplied by other local sources.

4. That the numbers requiring to bo assisted to emigrate from
certain well defined Western Unions is so large, that whether fifty, or
a hundred thousand, or more, it would be beyond the power of any
private association to supjjly the funds.

o. That, especially in certain of these Unions, in which a largo
number of impoverished families have boon evicted, it is essential that
this afsLstance should bo immediately commenced.

(J. That no emigration of families should bo encouraged without
corresponding and satisfactory arrangements having been made in
Canada, or tlio United States, or elsewhere, for the reception of tho
emigrants.

Prcsumiiig these conclusions to bo established, and with the
hope that the Government may take up the question of granting
assistance for emigration to impoverished Unions, it might seem
that the especial work of this Committee would shortly cease.

But, I would venture to urge, inasmuch as the function of tho
Government could hardly include much more than tho providing of
free passages, whether wholly or in i)art, there will still remain a most
important field of work for an association such as has been formed,
which, utilising the experience already gained, might be charged with
the general oversight of the embarkation, outfit, and other minor details

Ewitjration from Inland.

on this sitlo; and ns rogards tho plncinp; of the omigranta, whotlier in
Canada or tlio United States, might advise and direct them to tho
fields of kbour most suited to their circunistancos. An ollbr ou tho
part of siioh voluntary assoeiation to boar part of the cost, and take
charge of some abpolutoly needed arrangements, might, it is sug-
gested, materially influence tho Oovornmcnt to deal promptly with
tho question.

It only remains for me to express my deep sense of obligation
for tho kindness and confidoneo which has been shown mo by tho
Committee in carrying out this important task. No one is more
conscious than myself of how much bettor this work might have been
done l,y others, or how much more oniciontly with tho experience now
gained, any future work may bo carried out.

■'1^

I beg to ronuiin, &c.,

J. II. TUKR.

lliov ill
to tho
ou tho
il take
Bug.
r with

MAIOR CASK ELL'S R K P O RT .

jation
•y llio
inoro
been
3 now

-••i«>tc-4«>-

Sim,

Keckss, Oai,way,

21d< 3f<(i/, 1882.

Ah Mr. Tiikc liiis ^'oiic— to iilteiid tlio meetini;,' of tlio Coinmitteo, fHi tlio
S.'Jril iiist., aiul to niako ii report — I think it possiblo that you may look for
an iiulupciulont account of tho iinprcssioiiH made upon my mind by the work
which ho h'ls conducted, and in the last section of which I have takon tho
part of a disciple.

Tho area covered by his exertions is mainly that of tho Clifdon Union,
which must bo worked from a base line about thirty English miles long, through
branches extending from fifteen to thirty miles laterally. In consotiuence of
tho decision of tho Clifden Board of Guardians to cancel a previous resolution
to provide funds, the work, since I joined Mr. Tuko, has consisted in cutting
down tho lists of persons previously selected for emigration. This has been
no easy task, in view of tho uniform level of poverty apparent in tho district, and
of the pressing nature of the cases put forward by local ofHcials and others
from whom information has been sought. Throughout this district, containing
from four to five thousand families, there is a dearth of paid employment.
A few are engaged in trading turf for fuel to County Clare and Arran IslandH,
and seaweed for manure to Gahvay ; but tho bulk of tho population, now
that tho seed is in the ground, have nothing bettor to di> than to watch tho
growth of their potatoes. Without money to take them to England or
Scotland, with no store of provisions at homo, unable (happily) to obtain
credit at the shops, those people seem to have realised the impossibility t)f
living on their holdings, and tho prccariousness and hopelessness cf their
conditiori generally. For the past two years they have boon buoyed up Vvith
tho expectation of better times — I don't say reasonable expectation, for tlioy
appear not to reason but to look for blessings from the clouds — but expec-
tations have been held out to thorn which are proving unreal ; and they seem
now to bo sinking into despair. That is tho tone — to speak generally — of
all classes alike — clergy, owners of property, shopkeepers, ai'tisans (though
this is a very small class), labourers. No payments, no spending of money,
want of employment, want of industry, want of confidence between classes ;
evictions in many directions, a general doadncss and listlcssness prevailing
everywhere. Employment, the opportunity of earning money on the spot,
seems a necessiiry remedy, or failing that, emigration to ether fields of labour;
and there exists an epidemic desire to emigrate ; .an eager, inicalculating desire on
the part of thousands, as I believe, to bo helped to leave their country. If this
be true it is as significant as sad, in reference to a people, perhaps impulsive and
improvident, but certainly homo-loving. They are a fine population, teeming in
numbers, crowded on a narrow fringe of coast, with miles of moor and mount-ain
behind them, in holdings which, if the rent were nil, and the "farming"

Emigration from. IrelanJ.

many ti.nes better than it ,s, coukl not support tl.eni. The manufacture of
kelp used to bnng tlieni in money, but tlie demand now is small and only
for a .luahty d.thcult to make, l.ol.ster fisliing is profitable to a few durin^
two or three monthr, and other fish there must be in the sea. But there
IS no nuirket, the people are not fishennen, and the sea is the open Atlantie
l.nngration and on a large scale, seems a necessity pf the moment. Whom
Mr T'i.L /'''l them; and how to take them, are the questions which

Ml. ruke has been engaged in solving with a degree of success which I am
sure ho lumself has not had time to realise, but which others nu,st very
gratefully ackiiowledge. *

In a short month he has organised a double system of selection on this
side and of supervision on the other side (,f the water ; and sent 1,000 persons
rejoicing on the way which, subject to their own exertions, leads, by aM
accounts, to competence. ' ^

The season is late and it may be expedient that this feverish desire for
emigration should l>e a lowed to col, and some test applied as to the ability
o the people to help thnnselves ; but my own conviction is that any scheme
of emigrati^.n, to be useful to tliis coast and island population, should be
one providing lor the whole cost of passage from thi Lttage door to tie
des ination. The families are large ; and the most they can Scrape together
-and they will sell every particle of property in order to emigrate-will

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Vour obed-ent Servant,
Sydney C. Buxton, Es.,. ^^- ^'' ^'-^«l^ELL.

97 f

felK,

mil June, 1882.

Since the above letter was written 1 have been engaged in eompletin.'
*vork marked out by Mr. Tukc ; and in assisting whole families able to v,^ f.^J
per fiire to emigrate from the remote parishes of Killcen and Rossinuck, includ-
ing Carrowroe and the islands in Kilkieran Bay.

The result to this date is that J7:i fivres, with Hve infants, have embarked
m two vessels of the Allan Lin,>, the " Scandinavian ■ and " Waldensian • "
booked f<,r the most part to tl. s American ports; but in a considerable number
of cases to Pittsbt, ^,,. ; an.l a few t.. Minnesota. All will bo met on their
arrival at Boston, the port of disembarkation, by Mr. Smith or his repro-
seiuatives ; to whom, at Mr. Tuke's request, lists have been sent, -nvin- the
names, numbers, and description of emigrai.ts proceeding to each destinrtion.

H-inbarkation at Uahvay involves a .juarter of an hour's passage on the open
deck of a tug steamer to a somewhat exposed anchorage ; and this in wet and
stormy weather is an uncomfortable introduction to tUe voya-e But the
emigrants seem delighted to go ; and their bright countenances, th.e physique
and respectable appearance convey the impression that their transfe'r to a
country where they may e;.rn good wages cannot fail to assure to them a life
materially better than they jiave been accustomed to lead at home.

The rule under which whole families <mly are assisted on contributin- £o'
per fare, would almost entirely exc'liKie fmm Uk- operation „f tlu. Fund the bulk
of the population of the poorest districts in the West and elsewhere. In the
tnionsof Chfden and Oughterard, f.u' instance, there are nmnbeis of families
-safely to be estimated at 10 per cent, at least, of the population-whose
1 osition IS i.recarious, and who are most anxious to emigrate, but who, if they

Emigvatiou from Irdand.

9/t

sold everything they possessed at any time betv.-^oii 1st January and 1st August,
in any year, would n(jt be able to realize £7 or £8 per hiniily. There are many
I)oorer still, who have no land at all, no cattle, nor poultry even, nor pvf)perty of
any descrijition, so far as one can see, that would fetch a shilling ; who live in
the worst of cabins, miserably clad, and less than half fed on coarse Lulian
meal porridge, made with peat water, and tasting strongly of peat
smoke. The adult members work for their neighbours, when they can
get work, either on land or in boats. Such work is mere subsistence for the
time. The children, almost naked and untaught, go "herding'' cattle on
the exposed hill-sides and moorland, where often there is not only an utter
absence of such shelter as trees, or shrubs, or a bank would afford, but where
even the boulders are not big enough tu shelter a sheep. These familie.s are
" sfiuatters," who, evicted elsewhere in years gone by, have taken refuge and
root in the waste spots— the wildest and agriculturally the worst -of what is at
best a wilderness ; where no one else would think of settling ; no one disturb
them, nor grudge them the etlbrt to scratch or dig out a living; who have here
built themselves cabins of stone or turf, to exist no one can tell how. At least
they have space around them, and the purest air to breathe, and seaweed, if they
will futcli it, for manure ; while fish swim within reach if they had the means
and enei'gy to catch them. On the whole tlioy may be better off than tlio poor
in towns. I'ut they must bo classed as destitute ; they are most of all in need
of help ; they arc the least promising subjects for emigration l)ecauso their con-
dition altogether is so much below jxir ; yet no scheme of emigration would bo
complete wliicih left them out of accomit. And some, indeed, there are among
them who, spite of tlieir excessive poverty, maintain themselves in cleanliness
and decency ; and who deserve, as mucli as they need, assistance. Emigration
to them must be absolutely free ; and there is not much
hope that either landlords or Hoards of Guardians will C(nne forward
to help tliem ; for they are waifs and strays whom it is no one's interest to
claim. Nor will this emigration tend to clear the " holdings," for they are
outside the limits of these.

I regret not to be .able to state — o\\iii4 to pressure of work and w.ant of
time for enquiry— what impression the Fund has made on congested population
in any given locality ; how many " holdings " have been cleared, and into whoso
hands they have fallen. In no case, I b -lieve, has formal surrender of a hold-
ing been made to the landlord ; and the process of regaining possession of a
vacated holding has been described to n-.e as not altogether easy.

That emigration must be applied to the West of Ireland, alone or in
•combination with other remedies fur widespread poverty, is a conclusion
unavoidable, I think, by anyone who will live in the ditt'erent districts for a
time and study their resources. TJie land is worth little naturally, except
witliin easy reach of the sea ; and there it can only bo worked by manual
labour with crowbar and spade ; while manured with seaweed collected in boats,
landed at high tide on the rocks, and carried by men, women, and children, in
l)askets to the gardens. The search for minerals has, as yet, made no fortunes.
The institution of mannfacturos, othi'r than that of wool, in sucli remote
districts, entirely without railway or tramway, does not seem to cimimend itself
to any commercial mind : and the manufacture of wool is only carried on in the
cabins in rude though substantial fashion. Yet the people are numerous and
praying for employment : intellectually and physically a superior race, infinitely
capable, if they can be stimulated to industry, and taught method and order
— virtues at present by no means universal. Tiiere is at least one harbour
Avherc ironclads and ocean steamers may enter, and swing at anchor, without
;going sixty mili!S out of their coinse to (ialway ; and there should be plenty of
water power in the rivers. IJut there si>ems no demand for anything but
potatoes and jiigs the latter so dear that few of the jicople can atibrd to buy
them. The best eggs in the kingdom <id. a dozen ; chickens (id. each ; a f 'so

Emigration from Ireland.

Is. to l8. 3d. ; a sheep, with her lamb by her side, 8s. to !»3. ; single sheep sold
by the people to each other at 3s. and 33. (5d. each. Industrial schools would bo
of great value in fitting the people for work elsewhere : but until the number of
resident employers is increased- by the opening up of the country, or other
attractive means-it is to be feared that the instruction such schools would
spread would find but a limited field for practice.

That the emigrants who have gone have been deceived, or coaxed, or forced
into emigration ; that they have gone reluctantly ; is information truly surpris-
ing to those who have been anxiously but vainly striving to meet a small
proportion of the demands made upon this Fund. As far as crowds of
applicants, importunate, diligent and persistent ui mal<ing their wants known,
pressing their claims with uplifted hands and eager looks, and many signs of
passionate entreaty— as far as such indications may be taken to prove the wish
of the people to emigrate, that wish is assured just now. IJut the harvest is.
coming in sight, and with the work and truits of harvest the desire for emigra-
tion may abate. The exciting cause of that desire was probably not merely
poverty— for the condition of poverty is not new in these parts any more than,
elsewhere. What is almost new is the absolute stoppage of credit : and this has.
not only brought the people face to face with their real position, but led theiu
to compare their lot with that of others their kinsfolk across the Atlantic.

I have, Ac. ,

W. P. GASKELL.

Emirfvation from Ireland.

SUBSCRIPTIONS ALREADY PAID OR PROMISED.

His Grace the Duke of Bedford
His Grace the Duke of Devon-

shire

lit. Hon. W. E. Forster, M.P.

(in two years)

Wm. Katlibone, Esq., M.P.

{in two yearn)

Sam. Whitbread, E.>q., M.P.

(in two years)

J. Gurney Barclay, Esq.
Algernon Peckover, Esq.
John E. Wilson, Esci. (in two

years)

Arthur Kavanagh, Es(i. (in two
years)

Hugh Mason, Esq,, M.P. (in
two years)

B. Samuelson, Esq., M.P.

Sir Joseph Pease, Bart., M.P.

Arthur Pease, Esq., M.P.

James Cropper, Esq., M.P. ...

Samuel Morley, Esq., M.P. ...

Hon. Henry Cowper, M.P. ...

Alfred Illingworth, Esq., M.P.

(in two years)

S. Williamson, Escj. , M P. ...
A. H. Brown, Esq., M.P. (in

two years)

W. Fowler, Esq., M.P.
Arnold Morley, Esq., M.P. ...
Fredk. Pennington, Esq., M.P.
Rt. Hon. W. H. Smith, M.P.
J. Watney, Esq., Jun., M.P.
SirH. H. Vivian, Bart,, M.P.

(in two years)

R. Jardine, Es(i

J. P. Thomasson, Esq

Francis BuxtoD, Esq., M,P. ,..

£ R. d.

ICOO

1000

.500

500

250

500

300

200

100

200

100

200

100

200

100

20O

250

200

100

200

250

100

£ a. <i.

Sydney C. Buxton, Esq. (in two
years)

Sir T. Fowell Buxton, Burt.'...

100
2.50

G. Armitstead, Esq., M.P. (in
two years)

200

Lewis Fry, Esq., M.P

J. Mulholland, Esti.,M.P. (in
two years)

Miss Harris

ICO

250
15

Fredk. Seebohm, Esq

Wm. Bansom, Esq

50 a

Alfred Kanaom, Esq

Rt. Hon. G. Cubitt, M.P. ...

250

Mrs, Harrison

5 5

E. C. Baring, Esq

Balfour, Williamson, and Co...

iro
100

Lady Ashton

Mrs. Hodgkin

John Barran, Es(i., M.P.

10
10
50

Colonel LongstafI

Mrs. Charles Buxton

25
50

Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P.
T. C. Baring, E.sq

10
100

H. B. Mildnioy, E«q

100

M. W. Collet, Esq

Caleb R. Kemp, Es{i. ..
Samuel Hoare, Esq

5 5
10

T. Fowell Buxton, Esq

Lord Tavistock, M.P

.50
100

Albert Rutson, Esq

W. E. Russell, Esq

F. Bassett, Esq

100

Miss Holland

Alfred Buxton, Esq

James B. Ball, Esq

Total £9,613 10

Jiim\ 1882.