Evening star., 1942-05-24
Northern ireland
A Mixture of Values
Bp Frederic J. Hdsktn.

Ireland Will nave opportunity 70 Sec tne
country Of big ships and nne linen. It
Is q remarkable fact that while Northern
Ireland has to import its coal and iron.
1t builds leviathans of the sea. It raises
only about per cent Of the max 1t uses.
but Irish linens are sold around the
globe.
Northern Ireland, however, has Q way
Of going ahead, and the building Of ships
by importing coal and iron, and the
making Of linens out Of imported flax
are notable examples Of this progressive
spirit. Added, too, is the fact that the
country maintains q decent standard Of
living for its workers, yet competes Euc-
cessfully with low-wage countries. This
is no small achievement; and 1t is ac-
complished solely by initiative. determi-
nation and enterprise.
The shipbuilding yards at Belfast cover
an area Of nearly ESQ acres, and 1t seems
hardly possible that this vast industry
has sprung from such small beginning.
q start with only ten men back In the
last years Of the 18th century. Even
before the present war was declared
shipyards there were employing Is 900
men. and while no present statistics are
available, 1t is believed that more than
double that number of employees are
turning out sea-going vessels for Ireland,
and for Britain, Australia and other ma
uons hghting the Axis powers.
In the massive shipyards at Belfast
giant electric cranes nimbly pick up
steel girders and swing them into place.
High powered machines rivet plates fast
to frames and acetylene flames cut their
way through metal with the ease and
certainty Of scissors on paper. Scenes
like this could be expected In great in
dustrial countries with vast amounts of
coal and iron, but they seem somewhat
out Of place in a country which has
neither. Yet Belfast presents such Q
sight.
shipbuilding In Belfast took on its
major stride in the middle of the 10Th
century when James Harland came upon
the scene and later entered into a part
nership with G. w. Wolf which has
continued since that time. Recognized
as one Of the major shipbuilding Arms
Of Europe. If not of the world, some of its
recent productions include the Capetown
Castle, 26.500 tons gross, operated by the
Union Castle Line, and now said to be in
war service; the Andes, q $4,000 ton
giant; the H. M. s. Belfast, and the
aircraft carrier Formidable And back
through the decades this company has
supplied some Of the worlds largest and
fastest ships, q record nowhere surpassed
by country that started in the business
under such economic handicaps and still
handicapped to q large extent.
Aside from the giant liners which find
they way to the sea from the Belfast
yards, hundreds Of small craft are built
for long and short commercial lines en-.
gagged In sea-going trade. RepowerinR
and otherwise reconditioning of vessels
has long been major source of work for
The Belfast yards. A short time before
the war was declared five OF the largest
commercial vessels afloat were recovered
there and constituted the largest single
order OF its kind known to the shipbuild.
ing industry
Within the past four years there has
been added to Belfast's massive ship.
building plant factory for the produc-
uon OF ocean-fying boats, aircraft car.
riers and all the modern auxiliary eouip-
ment for warships. From this practically
new plant plane carriers are being
turned out at unprecedented speed to
help defeat the firm of Adolf Hirohito
and Benito.
A major industry in Belfast, and an
adjunct to shipbuilding, is that OF rope
| making. said to be the largest industry
OF its kind In the world, employing some
5000 people In normal times. Ropes.
cords and ship twines Of every descrip-
ton are produced while trawlinr ana
f1shing nets are also made RopemaktnR
Is one OF the oldest industries In Belfast
dating back to 1883. when the first rope
walk, or rope factory. was established
there.
The making of linen in Northern Ire
land. while not so spectacular as that
OF making ships, is huge enterprise and
employs approximately 100000 persons.
The bulk Of the fax imported comes
from the Baltic States, Belgium and
Soviet Russia. The Northern Ireland
farmer claims it does not pay him to
| grow hax. and he rebels against the un-
certainty OF price. So only about / Der
cent Of the fax consumed is domestically
| produced. A remedy for this state of
affairs Is being sought. however, and it
Is possible that In a few years a definits
move will be made to encourage the pro-
duction OF flax at home. England and
Scotland in the past have grown some
hax. but the quantity raised Was negliRi.
BILE in proportion to the amount required.
Within the past two years the acreage in
England devoted to fax has been utiI-
lied in the growing of potatoes, corn and
wheat to help meet the pressing need
for food.
An interesting sidelight on the Irish
linen handkerchief and other articles
made OF linen is that they are not always
complete products Of Ireland In recent
years the increased cost OF embroidering
has cut so deeply into profits that linen
makers. In order to maintain the usual
standard Of living. have found it advan-
tageous to sell unfinished goods to China
where labor is cheap. The Chinese finish
the Job and resell, and In that way China
has built up huge business In the com.
pleting OF merchandise made from Ire
lands linens. These exports Of linen
piece goods to China are normally
about 100000 yards annually.
Throughout Northern Ireland there Ia
industry and farming-and everywhere