The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-18 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DL ELI:, Jan. 16.

At the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce in
Belfast yesterday a very interesting report was read upon
the linen trade and the growth of flax. It states that the
past year was one of general prosperity. All the machinery
used in its different branches was in active operation, and
the production of linen yarns and goods has exceeded that
of any former time. Operatives were in constant employ-
ment at good wages, and the general trade of the town was
consequently very favourably affected. The crop of flax in
1863 was unprecedented in extent, no less than 214,000
acres having been sown. The yield per acre was also
above the average, and the crop was estimated at 60,000
tons, producing to the cultivators upwards of £5,000,000.
This is an immense amount to receive for a single crop in
one district of the country—but, unprecedentedly large as
the produce was, it found a ready sale at highly remune-
rative prices. Nor has the manufacture of linen been
overdone in Belfast, which is to the linen trade what
Manchester is to the cotton trade. On the con-
trary, the year closed with stocks of yarns and
linens reduced to the lowest point. It has been
stated that when the American war is brought to a
termination the demand for linen will be much reduced.
The council adduce arguments to prove that this will not
be the case. The supply of flax from all quarters has
hitherto been inadequate to meet the constantly increasing
requirements of the trade, so that in Scotland, where the
coarser descriptions of linen are made, large quantities of
hemp, jute, and other substitutes have been employed. The
United Kingdom imports on an average of years seven-
tenths of its supply of flax, the greater portion of which
comes from Russia, where it is grown of inferior quality
under great disadvantage as regards climate. In Ireland,
on the contrary, there are all disadvantages of soil and cli-
mate, and if it could meet the demand the importations
from Russia would be immensely reduced. The council,
therefore, come to the conclusion that not only the inte-
rests of Belfast, but the well-being of the agricultural
classes of the whole of Ireland, depend very much on the
extension of flax cultivation. The council report also that
the external trade of Belfast is making such progress that
the existing docks are quite insufficient for the commerce of
the port, and that the Harbour Commissioners have conse-
quently entered into contracts for the construction of a
large floating dock and a large graving dock, the works of
which will be immediately commenced. Shipbuilding
flourishes there also. Last year 80 vessels, all iron, of an
aggregate tonnage of 7;070, were launched, one being a
screw steamer of 2,000 tons, and there are now five ships on
the stocks. The report was unanimously adopted. Mr.
William E wart, president of the Chamber for last year, was
succeeded by Mr. Robert Henderson, who on taking the
chair thanked the meeting for the honour conferred on him.
A vote of thanks was then moved to the late president,
which was passed with acclamation.
The North-East Agricultural Association held its annual
meeting in Belfast yesterday, its founder, the Marquis of
Downshire, in the chair. Mr. Bingham, the secretary,
read the report for the last year, from which it appeared
that the prizes offered in money, medals, and honorary
certificates were increased last year to the sum of £llO, in
addition to the challenge cups, value £lB6. The report
notices with regret that there were no entries of farms in
the past year for the prizes offered for improved cultivation.
The committee refer with satisfaction to the attention paid
to their rules for the cultivation of flax, and give expres-
sion to the strong claims of the association on all persons
connected with the linen trade, in consequence of the
great expense incurred
,by it in promoting the cultivation
of flax. Res dutions were moved and seconded by the
Mayor of Belfast, Mr. W. Longtree, the Rev. Dr. Mont-
gomery, Major Maxwell, and Mr. Getty, M.P.
The industrial exhibition of the 12th Regiment, the
opening of which has bowl already noticed in Me Sun,
was closed last night. The 12th Regiment furnishes occu-
pation and amusement to its literary members by the
publication of a Gazette, and it is interesting to learn from
their own " organ" what they think of this industrial effort,
especially as it furnishes such an excellent example to
every other regiment, showing how the men may be saved
from the temptation and evils of idleness. The editor of
the Gazelle says :

"It is an exhibition of our industry—industry care led
on in hours that heretofore we have wasted in riot and
idleness; industry that has benefitted us in health and
feeling; industry that will prove ,to the world at large
and to our own personal friends that, soldiers though
we be, we have not forgotten the trades and teaching of I
our early life, and that we are fit for something more
than mere ' food for powder.' One of the first and,
we think, the most important features in our exhi-
bition, a feature which was early impressed upon
the men of the regiment, and has been attended with
the greatest success, was that the exhibition was open
to all ranks, from the colonel to the drummer boy, from the
recruit to the veteran of nigh 30 years' service, from the
latest denizen of the cells to the proud owner of five good
conduct stripes—to one and all was our exhibition open.
Character was to be of no account, for, indeed, it was
mainly for the sake of those of indifferent characters, and
whose weakness and:natural infirmities led them into temp •
tation and inevitable punishment and disgrace, that our
preseut undertaking was attempted. Many there were who
were without funds to purchase the materials for carrying
out their designs, and as it would have been mistaken kind •
ness to afford pecuniary assistance to those whose worst
enemies were themselves, a uniform system was adopted of
giving orders on tradespeople in the city through the trea-

-
surer, by which means the required material were delivered

to the men in b,trracks, thereby saving them a long walk,
and keeping the weak from temptation. All have worked
with ready zeal, all have been animated by the desire to up-
hold the credit of their regiment, and it is no small gratifi•
cation to 'Tact that, limited as our time has been, in no
way has the discipline of the regiment been relaxed, on no
account has working for the exhibition' been put forward
as a plea for exemption from military duties."
The oyster fisheries of Ireland aro now attracting serious
attention. The dredging system is fast exhausting our
most celebrated and productive public beds, such as those
of Carlingford, the Foyle, and Swilly. Mr. Barry, Commis-
sioner of Fisheries, has been making a series of inquiries at
Westport, Newport, and Sligo on the subject of oyster cul-
ture on the Atlantic coast. It is believed that were this pro-
perly attended to the oyster fishery would be far more valu-
able than the salmon fishery. No less a sum than £B,OOO
was paid at Arklow, on the Wicklow coast, for oyster brood,
to be laid down on French and English beds. Each brood
oyster casts off myriads of young during the spawning sea-
son, each being furnished with a transitory swimming ap-
paratus. They float about on the surface for a while,
and finally drop down to the sea bottom, and attach them-
selves by a natural gum to the pebbles, shells, and other
hard substances. The coasts of Ireland are peculiarly suit-
able for oyster culture in its highest perfection. Clew and
Newport Bays, the subject of the late inquiry by the Fishery
Commissioners, have upwards of 50 miles of sea bottom ad-
mirably fitted for this purpose. That coast is indented with
innumerable well-sheltered creeks and inlets, and an abun-
dance of fresh water flows into them under the most favour-
able conditions. Upon these facts the Freeman's Journal
founds a sensible exhortation to the inhabitants along the
Irish coasts :

" Let, then, the fishermen and the proprietors of the fore-
shores cordially combine in turning to profitable account
these great physical advantages. Let them, by benefiting
themselves, save from destruction this abundant source of
food, wealth, and employment. By pursuing the judicious
course of culture so advantageously adopted in France and
England the oyster fishery of Clew Bay alone will, upon the
testimony of most competent authority, surpass that of
Whitstable ; extensive and profitable employment will be
secured for thousands of our poor countrymen; and the
fishermen, by cultivating the now neglected mine of wealth
which lies at their own doors, and enriching themselves to
the public advantage, will dismiss from their thought that
besetting desire for emigration, which can only result in tha
ruin of our country."

The following document removes all uncertainty
as to the ultimate destination of the head of the
beautiful Princess do Lamballe, which was cut off, and
carried through the streets of Paris, at the end of a pike,
during the terror in 1793 Section of the 15-20. Per-
manent committee. September 3d. Year IV. of Liberty/
and I. of Equality. Citizen Jacques, Pointel of the Corn-
msrket,
6de which he had succeeded in obtaining
Rue des Yetits.Champs, applied to the com-
mitteeforp9ermission to inter the head of the ci-devant
Princess
possession of. As the patriotism and humanity of the said
citizen 'could not but be commended, we immediately pro.
Lamballe,
ceeded to the cemetery of the Enfans-Trouves, near the
place where our committee met, and within our section,
where we had the said head buried, and we have given the
present act to serve the said citizen as a dischage and
authorisation. Done in the committee, on the above-men-
tioned day and year.—DESEQUELLE, Commissioner of the
15-20."—This document was lately disposed of at a sale of
autographs in the Rue Drouot.
An Artesian well is at the present moment being
bored in the neighbourhood of La Chapelle, and another at
the top of the Butte-aux-Cailles, near the Gobelins, This
latter, from its great elevation, will supply water to the
highest parts of Paris on the left bank of the Seine.
The first steamer for conveying passengers to
Upper Egypt started last week. The arrangements are very
good. The cabins, 52 in number, are large, airy, and well-
furnishoi. The dining room is on deck, and holds over
60 people. A doctor goes with every steamer. The charge
is £3O first class, and £2O second, and the trip takes 20 to 25
days.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]—Holloway's Ointment.—All va-
rieties of ulcerations, bad legs, sores, wounds, and erup-
tions can be cured by the diligent use of this cooling,
soothing, and healing unguent. The old and often failing
fashion Jtf strapping the edges of ulcers together with
plaster has entirely given way beforo the more reasonable
treatment by Holloway's Ointment, which builds up from
the bottom of the wound with sound and healthy granula-
tions; these gradually grow till they reach the lever of the
surface, then contract. harden, and immediately become
covered with a new and whelesoma skin. The proper
application of this Ointment diminishes the inflammation,
causes the unhealthy discharge first to grow thick, then to
cease, when the swelling disappears and the natural shape
is restored.