62 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE Mr.
private property in Ireland, but I fear there would be much difficulty in procuring ~ W-'itfjam JBaW.
them.
Tr"-" " ^ Can the ancient boundaries of townlands be ascertained; is there any way of ( ay 13.)
ascertaining them ?—The
ancient boundaries of townlands may in many instances
be ascertained, but in some cases they cannot.
The surveys of Sir William Petty might sometimes be of use in tracing defaced boundaries.
From your practical experience, would there be much difficulty in tracing the boun-daries of townlands?—No
difficulty in tracing the boundaries of modern townlands.
To what periods do those which you call modern divisions go back ?—The
names of the various townlauds in the county cess book are, in many instances, different from the names now in existence.
The modern townlands are sometimes not known by the ancient names; boundaries of holdings are constantly changing.
Are they not contained in the Down survey ?—The
ancient names are.
Do you then consider that the Down survey would be useless ?—I
do not say so ; it might sometimes be useful in tracing boundaries; but I would survey every townland according to the modern boundaries, and as far as might be useful, the ancient boundaries.
Have you had occasion to compare the Down survey, or parts of it, with any actual survey ?—I
have.
Have you found it correct or incorrect ?—I
have found it in some cases very nearly representing the boundary, and in others not.
Are there such inaccuracies as would make it impossible to be taken as the basis of any surveys?—It
never could be taken as the basis, from the smallness of.
the scale, and incorrectness of the outline in many cases.
.
On what scale is the Down survey r—40 perches to an inch.
Would it be difficult to ascertain the boundaries of townlands in bogs ?—The
boundaries of townlands in bogs are in general undefined, and frequently unknown.
Is there any important object to be attained by pointing out the boundaries of townlands in bogs ?—Yes,
to the extent of property in the event of a general drainage.,
of the bogs of Ireland.
Are disputed boundaries frequent ?—There
are many disputed boundaries; par-, ticularly in bog.
What would you do if there was a disputed boundary to be laid down; how would you attempt it?—I
would survey the respective boundary claimed by each townland, give the extent, describing it to be disputed land, and leaving it to be decided hereafter as a legal question.
If the boundary in the bog was unknown, what would you do as to that?—;
Exhibit it as an undefined boundary; boundaries through extensive tracts of bogs are very often unknown.
Do not you think, that if questions arose upon property, that the parties adjoining townlands would be able very, accurately to define them ?
—I have had on threq occasions, something to do with disputed bog boundaries of townlands; and in one instance, I remember 500/.
being lost in a lawsuit for one acre of bog.
, Was bog valuable there ?—It
was.
Do not you conceive that it was rather a fraudulent case than a case of ignorance?
—I cannot say.
,< , -
* • Do you not conceive, generally, that where the parties intend fairly, they are able.
to define the boundaries of the respective townships ?—I
think not, in many of the great bogs of Ireland.
, Do you think they have been fairly tried on the subject, because these grounds are left out of grand jury taxation?—In
surveying private property, I have had occasion to trace them through great bogs, and I have found a difficulty.
, What would be the best way of having the boundaries of townships pointed out?
—By the gentlemen of the country sending their most intelligent people to point out the boundaries, and always having two mearsmen, one, or even two, from each townland, assisted by the grand jury collector of tax.
In the county of Clare it was so arranged.
Did you proceed on that r—I did.
."
Did you find a facility in ascertaining the townlands ?—As
much as I surveyed 1 found no difficulty whatever, and I apprehend none.
Would it be difficult to have the features of the country described, the hills and valleys all over Ireland ?—I
have proposed it should be so done by the plan given in for the general territorial survey of Ireland.
What species of topographic representation would you advise ?—In
the topogra-
