The Marquis of Lansdownwished to advert to a subject which had been touched on during the last sitting of the House; namely, the means of ameliorating the state of the south of Ireland. In a conversation which had taken place on the proposal of his Majesty's government for withdrawing the bounty on Irish linen, he understood it to have been stated by the noble earl opposite, that the reason why the bounty was to be immediately taken from the coarse Irish linen was, that no exportation of that article had taken place from Ireland. Now, when the noble earl made this statement, he could not be aware of the real state of the case. The fact was, that during the two last years there had been an increasing exportation of coarse linens from the north of Ireland; and he was persuaded that the encouragement of this manufac- 707 ture might greatly assist in removing that poverty with which the country was afflicted. It might be rendered a valuable stimulus to the industry of the distressed population. He believed that all who had bestowed any attention on the improvement of that part of the united kingdom, looked forward to the establishment of linen manufactories in the south of Ireland as a great means of amelioration. He was no advocate for bounties, though he considered them far less mischievous to trade than prohibitions and restrictions: but, though he admitted the evil which was attached to bounties, he must observe, that there was a great difference between enacting them, and suddenly repealing them, after they had for a certain time existed. He therefore hoped that the noble earl would consider the effect of rashly discouraging, or even of appearing to discourage, a rising manufacture which had just begun to be profitable, and probably to find a demand in the markets of South America. It should also be recollected, that this manufacture was peculiarly calculated to give to the poor population of the South of Ireland that species of employment in which they could with the greatest facility be engaged, while it was at the same time that kind of enterprise in which the land-owners could, with the greatest safety embark their property. He should conclude with moving for an account of the quantity of coarse linen exported from Ireland during the years 1822 and 1823.
The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, that when be had stated that no coarse linens were exported from Ireland, he had been induced to make that observation from knowing that the bounty on it had never been drawn. At least such was the information he had received, and he believed it to be correct. He would, however, state8 for the satisfaction of the noble marquis and the House, that, as the bounty on fine linen, was not to be suddenly withdrawn, it was intended to adopt the same principle with respect to the bounty on coarse linen, and to reduce it gradually. Thus the evil apprehended from the abolition of the bounty on these two manufactures would be guarded against as far as possible. With regard to the encouragement which the noble marquis looked forward to for this manufacture, he trusted it would be realized. He was confident, that if the country continued to enjoy the blessings of peace, the diffusion 708 of capital would have the most beneficial effect on all branches of industry in Ireland. The motion was agreed to.