Chapter XVI: Appendix: B

THE SHRINKAGE OF IRELAND

(1.) THE DECREASE IN POPULATION SINCE 1841.

------+--------------+-----------+-----------+------------------------ Year. | Population. | Decrease. | Decrease | Great Britain. | | | per cent. | Increase per cent. | | | +-----------+------------ | | | | England. | Scotland. ------+--------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------ 1841 | 8,196,597 | -- | -- | -- | -- 1851 | 6,574,278 | 1,622,319 | 19.8 | 12.65 | 10.2 1861 | 5,798,967 | 775,311 | 11.8 | 11.9 | 6.0 1871 | 5,412,377 | 386,590 | 6.7 | 13.21 | 9.7 1881 | 5,174,836 | 237,541 | 4.4 | 14.36 | 11.2 1891 | 4,704,750 | 470,086 | 9.1 | 11.65 | 7.8 1901 | 4,458,775 | 245,975 | 5.2 | 12.17 | 11.1 1911 | 4,381,951 | 76,824 | 1.7 | 10.9 | 6.4 ------+--------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+------------

N.B.--This Table is compiled from the Preliminary Reports of the Census of 1911, which give the population returns only as far back as 1841. There was, of course, a Census of the United Kingdom as early as 1801, but the official returns extended at first only to England and Scotland, and it was not until 1813 that there was any official census of Ireland. Even then it was far from correct. The first trustworthy Irish Census was that of 1821. For 1821 and 1831 the Census figures are given in "Whitaker" as follows:--

1821 6,801,827
1831 7,767,401

It is probable that the apparent rise of the population from 1821 to 1841 amounts to little more than the more correct taking of the Census among an illiterate population. But on the whole subject of the rise of population between 1821 and 1841, see my remarks in Chapter VIII. p. 105. It was due of course very largely to the creation of faggot votes by Protestant landlords desirous of being returned to Parliament under the old law before the passing of Catholic Emancipation in 1829. It was an artificial rise in the poorest section of the population going along with a steady decline in the general material prosperity of Ireland. Hence the great collapse of the famine period.

(2.) IRISH FAMILIES SINCE 1841.

(From Preliminary Census Report, 1911.)

----------------+----------------------------------------
Year. | Number of Families.
----------------+----------------------------------------
1841 | 1,472,787
1851 | 1,204,319
1861 | 1,128,300
1871 | 1,067,598
1881 | 995,074
1891 | 932,113
1901 | 910,256
1911 | 912,711 _First Increase since 1841._
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(3.) INHABITED HOUSES SINCE 1841.

(From same source.)

----------------+----------------------------------------
Year. | Number of Inhabited Houses.
----------------+----------------------------------------
1841 | 1,328,839
1851 | 1,046,223
1861 | 995,156
1871 | 961,380
1881 | 914,108
1891 | 870,578
1901 | 858,158
1911 | 861,057 _First Increase since 1841._
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(4.) EMIGRATION.

For Decennial Periods, 1852-1910.

----------+----------------------+-------------------
Period. | Average Number of | Per 1,000 of
| Emigrants, per year. | Population.
----------+----------------------+-------------------
1852-9 | 115,842 | 15.2
1860-9 | 85,960 | 15.2
1870-9 | 60,327 | 11.2
1880-9 | 80,491 | 16.0
1890-9 | 44,955 | 9.7
1900-9 | 35,886 | 8.1
1910 | 32,457 | 7.4
1911 | 31,058 | 7.
----------+----------------------+-------------------