Mr. Henry Hall, in whose family it had been for certainly a century, the Inchiquin farm of 213 acres, valued at L258, 10s., came on my hands.  This farm was valued in 1873 by one valuer at L384, 10s., and by another at L390, 10s.  In an old lease I find that this farm was let at L3 an acre.  Mr. Henry Hall to the day of his death held it at L306, 7s. 6d., under a lease which I made a lease for life.  For this farm Mrs. Richard Doyle applied, agreeing to take it on a 31 years’ lease, at L370 a year.  I let it to her, and she became the lease-holder, putting in her son Maurice Doyle to take charge of it, though not as the tenant.  He was an active Land Leaguer from the moment he got into the place, and in 1886 he was a leader in promoting the Plan of Campaign.  Proceedings had to be taken against his mother in order to eject him, as she was the tenant, not he.  I objected to this, for I always have had the greatest regard for her.  Had she been let alone she would have paid her rent as she had always done.  But Mr. Lane and his allies saw it would never do to let Maurice Doyle retain his place on his mother’s holding.  All this will show you that Maurice Doyle did not inherit the Inchiquin farm.  The only inherited holding of his mother is the farm of 74 acres 1 rood in the townland of Ballykitty, held by his father in 1858.  I have no doubt you saw Doyle at Youghal, by the description you gave me, and you remembered his name at once.  He was a thickset heavy-looking man, florid, with a military moustache, the last time I saw him.  His mother is one of the ‘rack-rented’ tenants you hear of, having been able in ten years to increase her acreage from 74 acres to 376 acres, and her rental from L48, 11s. to L542!”

As to the general effect of all this business upon the tenants, and upon himself, Mr. Ponsonby spoke most feelingly.  “The tenants are ruined where they might have been thriving.  My means of being useful to them or to myself are taken away.  My charges, though, all remain.  I have to pay tithes for Protestant Church service, of which I can’t have the benefit, the churches being closed; and the other day I had a notice that any property I had in England would be held liable for quit-rents to the Crown on my property in Ireland, of which the Government denies me practically any control or use!”

NOTE G2.

THE GLENBEHY EVICTION FUND.

(Vol. ii. p. 12.)

In the London Times of September 15 appears the following letter from the Land Agent whom I saw at Glenbehy, setting forth the effect of this “Glenbehy Eviction Fund” upon the morals of the tenants and the peace of the place:—­

    To the Editor of the Times.