The daily gazette., 1880-09-29
OUR EUROPEAN LETTER
sHP-YARDs ON THE CLYDE - TURF
Boes AND TURF DIGGING ! THE
GIANTS GAUsEwAY AND CAvERNs.
Special Correspondence of the Gazette.
DUBLIN, IRELAND. !

o1opD w N AMI Va v hnNbs
Special Correspondence of the Gazette.
DUBLIN, IRELAND, !
Aug. 20, 1880.
Passing up the river Clyde to Glas-
gov, we had the best opportunity of
seeiug the iron ship-yards, and the ex-
tent to which this important business
is carried on here.
For about five miles below the city,
both shores are crowded by the skele-
ton hulls in various stages of compile
ton. There are said to be more iron
ships built on the Clyde than in all the
world beside, and seeing the hundreds
now OH the stocks, we infer that this
is true.
There Is an immense steel ship of a
new and curious model nearly COM
pleted for the Emperor of Russia. She
is egg shaped and ests on the water
somewhat like an umbrella. She is
considered bomb and bullet proof pre-
senting only rounded surfaces from
which every missile will fly off at a
tangent.
From Glasgow we crossed the Chan
mel to Belfast, Ireland, and took our
first ride in a jaunting car. We were
just in time to see the home rule" de-
monstration aud it was a sight. The
streets for miles were a mass of strug-
Cling humanity women withoutshoes
or bOnnets forming great part. The
Honorables Parnell and Biggar, men,
bers of Parliament, were to address
the people, but the tumult was sd great
it was deemed prudent not TO show
themselves, and SO we missed the op-
portunity of hearing them.
Belfast is the centre of the linen
trade in Ireland. 1t has extensive
mills and the display of linen al some
of the stores is very beautiful.
A friend from home had intrusted us
with message to one of the important
citizens. We found him a kind and
convenient friend and he took as to
church, where we heard an eloquent
sermon by Bishop Dorian.
We were afterward introduced to
the venerable Bishop who invited US to
his palace and showed us many atten-
tlOns.
From Belfast to Fort Rush, where
we remained over night so as to have
the whole day for the Giants Cause
way.
Taking jaunting car early in the
morning we drove eight miles to the
Causeway and found the tide at its
lowest ebb and the sea smooth as a
mill pond, precisely the most favora-
BILE conditions, and which seldom oc-
cur.
With guide and four stout oars
men we trst visited the caves, which
can only be seen when the sea is tran
aHRsd fese G ELL these soS Gayerns is four hun,
feet long and sixty-five to the topmo I
arch. Both are open to the sea and
are filled with waves when the winds
blow briskly toward the shore. To-day
there was not q ripple, and we sailed
| into the cavernous darkness with
something of feeling that we were
on tie river Styx, and the phospores-
cent sights all around about us might
be taken for the glimmer from the
fires of the lower regions.
The boatmen held conversation in
whispers with the imaginary spirits,
| who seemed to reply-not singly, bu
| by the score. Every sound, however
slight, was multiplied by ecno into a
hundred, and shout went ringing
out with its repetitions until It reach
ed the open sea.
The caverns form no part of the
causeway proper. This is nearly a
mile below, aud is narrow pathway
from high hill or mountain out into
the sea, so narrow that two pedestri-
ans meeting could hardly pass, and SC
high that it makes one dizzy to look
up to it. We did not attempt to look
| down from it and believe no one now
attempts to walk upon it. We forget
the exact figures given by the guide
but think he made the height between
four and five hundred feet.
'It must have been toine sight to
see Phin McCool taking his morning 8
walk out for a look at the say" re-
marked the guide. 1t certainly must
have been If the size Of the giant was
| in proportion to that of his nose, which
is shown in the rock. The nose mea-
sures about twelve feet from base to
| tin. Mounted on the Causeway Phin's
head would be lost in the clouds.
Th, Giants wash basin is shown,
which is another cavern open az the
top, into which a waterfall leaps,
churning the water at The bottom into
foam.
The Causeway is formed partly OF
irregular sided columns of apparently
exquisite workmanship. They are
five, seven and nine sided, and so nice.
ly fitted together that a pin could
scarcely be inserted in the interstices
They mostly occupy a perpendicular
position though we observed them il
the hill in q horizontal form, and IL
the Causeway near the top they arr
eliptical in shape. The best place tt
see them is on the fiat rocks that rur
out into the sea a little above III
level.
Here the columns exist in almos
countless number aud in perfect form
Every column is made up OF joints O.
sections of about one foot in length, thu
int nf the upper section being of al
oval form to fit the corresponding socke
of the section und1r it. These sections
are so nicely joint"d that the eye woul'
not readily notice the joint were not at
tention callei to it. The weight of eacl
section would be about fifty pounds, AM
would measure about one foot acros
and one foot deep.
The whole northern coast OF lrelaa'
il of a form ,tion somewhat similar L
the Causeway, though now here is tn
| olu,nuar formation nearly 30 perfect eX