A LITTLE HISTORY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 3

A LITTLE HISTORY.

Sir,—By The Dominion I notice that a correspondent, who modestly classcs himself with those "other people who' know a little of Irish-history," makes a futile effort to disprove certain statements of mine in reference to tho Homo Rule question. His effort, I say, is futile, for the reason that -ho knows only a little of Irish history. Thcro is one part of his letter which merits a little attention. AYith your permission, sir, I shall attend to that part which is supposed to prove that I have been making statements which are not in keeping with facts. Well, I did say that just before tho Union, tho Irish Debt amounted to only a couple of million pounds sterling. In effcct, your correspondent agrees with this when, on tho authority of M'Gee, he says that the debt was less-than four millions in 1797 —or, to bo exact, just fivo years before tho Union. Why quarrel about that?

It is true that by 1801 this debt had increased considerably. Ono historian, quoting from a Parliamentary paper, says it theii reached the high figure of £28,545,134. But what brought about this rapid increaso of debt, which your correspondent feared had it continued for long would soon liavo caused Ireland to go bankrupt? In the four years from 1797 onward, Ireland paid £16,000,000 for tbo maintouanco of an English Army of 137,590 men on Irish soil. Sho also had to pay £1,500,000 for tho purchaso of her own Parliament, and £1.500,000 was required to settle the claims of those loyalists who suffered by tho rebellion. She actually had to pay the £53,547 spent by the English Secret Sorvico men employed in Ireland at that time. This will not bo pleasant for some; but the three items of expenditure which I have quoted were mainly responsihlo for the great increase in the Irish Debt during tho few years immediately preceding tho Union.

Finally, by the aid of ail English Ann;; and Irish money tho glorioua Union was consummated. Ireland's troubles were ended, she was told. In 1817, however, Ireland's debt had risen to tho fine total of £112,704,773. This increase of £84,000,000 since 1801 was caused by the wars of Napoleon. I havo never heard.hoiv much Ireland gained by tho wars England waged with Napoleon. I have heard that Ireland could have spent some of theso millions more profitably at homo than in wars with France. This is not all,, but it is enough to show intelligent peoplo that Ireland has not always received advances from her big sister kingdom. She did not requiro advances then. The Asquith Government, of course, will never let 500 unclected Tory peers obstruct tho House of Commons, in which there is now a good majority for Homo Rule. The Homo Rule cause, therefore, is as certain of early triumph as anything political can bo. A few prophets are already predicting the many and awful disasters that are about to befall Ireland, but sane men know from the lessons of tho past that these prophets will dio unhonoural, as prophets usually do. Thanking you for your courtesy,—l am, etc., NON-FACTIONIST.