The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1850-04-27
SOMETHING ABOUT IRELAND,
FLAX CULTURE.

1t wasa singular but true expression
of Daniel O'ConneIl, that ",he rivers of
Ireland are filled with the finest of fish.
bat the banks are lined with starving
people. Many inquiries have been made.
and many books written to investigate
the cause Of Ireland's mseries, the
most contradictory reports have been
furnished respecting the causes, but no,
one respecting the effects. Miserable
though Ireland is in the aggregate, yet
she Is not all wounded and FIJI! Of sores.
Ii the province of Ulster, there is eener-
al comfort, prosperity, intelligence and
increasing wealth. While Dublin has
declined, Belfast has progressed, and is
rapidly progressing. The cause Of this
has, with apparent truth, been attributed
10 her population, which is composed Of
descendants snd natives Of the adjoining
Island Nearly the whole linen trade
OF Ireland may be said 10 he II anagpd by
the manufacturers Of Glasgow, Scotland.
Tie linen trade OF Ulster, the northern
p'ovlnce, occupies the highest place,
IS OF vast extent, and rapidly inc.eas-
ing.
The export Of linens and linen yarns
from ireland to England, and all parts
OF the world, reaches e. 900, 900 annu-
ally, and in every market is this produce
OF Irish Industry TO be iouHd. AT The
present day, about 100000 souls derive
a means OF livelihood, directly or inll-
rectiy, from the linen manufacture. The
progress Of mechanical skill has effected
4 great revolution in this branch OF in
dustry. Twenty-Five years ago, it was
still essentially a rural manufacture. The
small Ermtr grew the material, his vile
ana daughters spun it into yarn, and
with the aid OF his sons, he wove it in.o
cloth, which was sold in the neares,
market TO the bleacher, who undertook
the aller-preparation until it was pro .u-
ced in state fiji for sale. But the ap-
pIlca'ion OF machinery to the process of
spinning changed all this. There are
mahy persons who si.h after the DAYS
when the busy whirrlng OIL the wheel
was heard throughout the winter nights
and the long summer evenings, in the
inland valleys OF Ulster. But however
interesting such a rural manufacture
may have been, however valuable as
source of employment around the cot
tage hearth, and however preferable,
IN a moral and sanitary pon! Of view, to
the employment of hundreds of Young
persons within the walls Of factory,
stern necessity compelled the adoption
OF tins Improvement. Had ireland then
tried, as Germany and Belgium hav.
since endeavored, to retain the hand
spinning, and TO neglect the advantages
offered by the newly discovered powers
OF machinery, she would undoubtedly
nave lost, as other countries have, a great
proportion OF her liner trade. About
1898 the first fax-spinning factory was
erected. This trade now counts 80
mills, and numbers $4,000 spindI-s.
In twenty years 1t has attained its pres
snt magnitude. 1t employs about IS,
900 individuals, and distributes among
them, IN wages 1900 600 annually. In
the buildings and machinery Il 900, 900
are invested, and 5000 tons oil FAX,
value three quarters of million ster-
ling, chiefly ofthe growth of Ireland,
are annually consumed. Abont $4,000
tons of coal are yearly required to
drive the steam engines Of the lax-mils
and bleach works, employing 10 or so
vesseI Is, and 900 to 800 seamen, to trans
port them from the collielies OF the sis
ter island.
The increase in Irish manufactures,
has been SO Per cent, wonderful IN
crease, truly. The cultivation Of flax
gives ample employment to the surround
ing population, old and young, from the
day the plough is put in the ground to
prepare it fer the seed, until the loom
turns out the finest cambria and linen.