men of invention and industry-第46章

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always　the　Man　society　wants。



The　influence　of　Belfast　extends　far　out　into　the　country。　　As

you　approach　it　from　Sligo；　you　begin　to　see　that　you　are　nearing

a　place　where　industry　has　accumulated　capital；　and　where　it　has

been　invested　in　cultivating　and　beautifying　the　land。　　After　you

pass　Enniskillen；　the　fields　become　more　highly　cultivated。　　The

drill…rows　are　more　regular；　the　hedges　are　clipped；　the　weeds　no

longer　hide　the　crops；　as　they　sometimes　do　in　the　far　west。　　The

country　is　also　adorned　with　copses；　woods；　and　avenues。　　A　new

crop　begins　to　appear　in　the　fieldsa　crop　almost　peculiar　to

the　neighbourhood　of　Belfast。　　It　is　a　plant　with　a　very　slender

erect　green　stem；　which；　when　full　grown；　branches　at　the　top

into　a　loose　corymb　of　blue　flowers。　　This　is　the　flax　plant；　the

cultivation　and　preparation　of　which　gives　employment　to　a　great

number　of　persons；　and　is　to　a　large　extent　the　foundation　of　the

prosperity　of　Belfast。



The　first　appearance　of　the　linen　industry　of　Ireland；　as　we

approach　Belfast　from　the　west；　is　observed　at　Portadown。　　Its

position　on　the　Bann；　with　its　water　power；　has　enabled　this

town；　as　well　as　the　other　places　on　the　river；　to　secure　and

maintain　their　due　share　in　the　linen　manufacture。　　Factories

with　their　long　chimneys　begin　to　appear。　　The　fields　are　richly

cultivated；　and　a　general　air　of　well…being　pervades　the

district。　　Lurgan　is　reached；　so　celebrated　for　its　diapers；　and

the　fields　there　about　are　used　as　bleaching…greens。　　　Then　comes

Lisburn；　a　populous　and　thriving　town；　the　inhabitants　of　which

are　mostly　engaged　in　their　staple　trade；　the　manufacture　of

damasks。　　This　was　really　the　first　centre　of　the　linen　trade。　

Though　Lord　Strafford；　during　his　government　of　Ireland；

encouraged　the　flax　industry；　by　sending　to　Holland　for

flax…seed；　and　　inviting　Flemish　and　French　artisans　to　settle　in

Ireland；　it　was　not　until　the　Huguenots；　who　had　been　banished

from　France　by　the　persecutions　of　Louis　XIV。；　settled　in　Ireland

in　such　large　numbers；　that　the　manufacture　became　firmly

established。　　The　Crommelins；　the　Goyers；　and　the　Dupres；　were

the　real　founders　of　this　great　branch　of　industry。＇18＇



As　the　traveller　approaches　Belfast；　groups　of　houses；　factories；

and　works　of　various　kinds；　appear　closer　and　closer；　long

chimneys　over　boilers　and　steam…engines；　and　brick　buildings

three　or　four　stories　high；　large　yards　full　of　workmen；　carts；

and　lorries；　and　at　length　we　are　landed　in　the　midst　of　a　large

manufacturing　town。　　As　we　enter　the　streets；　everybody　seems　to

be　alive。　　　What　struck　William　Hutton　when　he　first　saw

Birmingham；　might　be　said　of　Belfast：　　〃I　was　surprised　at　the

place；　but　more　at　the　people。　　They　possessed　a　vivacity　I　had

never　before　beheld。　　I　had　been　among　dreamers；　but　now　I　saw

men　awake。　　Their　very　step　along　the　street　showed　alacrity。　

Every　man　seemed　to　know　what　he　was　about。　　The　town　was　large；

and　full　of　inhabitants；　and　these　inhabitants　full　of　industry。　

The　faces　of　other　men　seemed　tinctured　with　an　idle　gloom；　but

here　with　a　pleasing　alertness。　　Their　appearance　was　strongly

marked　with　the　modes　of　civil　life。〃



Some　people　do　not　like　manufacturing　towns：　　they　prefer　old

castles　and　ruins。　　They　will　find　plenty　of　these　in　other　parts

of　Ireland。　　But　to　found　industries　that　give　employment　to

large　numbers　of　persons；　and　enable　them　to　maintain　themselves

and　families　upon　the　fruits　of　their　labourinstead　of　living

upon　poor…rates　levied　from　the　labours　of　others；　or　who　are

forced；　by　want　of　employment；　to　banish　themselves　from　their

own　country；　to　emigrate　and　settle　among　strangers；　where　they

know　not　what　may　become　of　themis　a　most　honourable　and

important　source　of　influence；　and　worthy　of　every　encouragement。



Look　at　the　wonderfully　rapid　rise　of　Belfast；　originating　in　the

enterprise　of　individuals；　and　developed　by　the　earnest　and

anxious　industry　of　the　inhabitants　of　Ulster！



〃God　save　Ireland！〃　　By　all　means。　　But　Ireland　cannot　be　saved

without　the　help　of　the　people　who　live　in　it。　　God　endowed　men；

there　as　elsewhere；　with　reason；　will；　and　physical　power；　and　it

is　by　patient　industry　only　that　they　can　open　up　a　pathway　to

the　enduring　prosperity　of　the　country。　　There　is　no　Eden　in

nature。　　The　earth　might　have　continued　a　rude　uncultivated

wilderness；　but　for　human　energy；　power；　and　industry。　　These

enable　man　to　subdue　the　wilderness；　and　develop　the　potency　of

labour。　　〃Possunt　quia　credunt　posse。〃　　They　must　conquer　who

will。



Belfast　is　a　comparatively　modern　town。　　It　has　no　ancient

history。　　About　the　beginning　of　the　sixteenth　century　it　was

little　better　than　a　fishing　village。　　There　was　a　castle；　and　a

ford　to　it　across　the　Lagan。　　A　chapel　was　built　at　the　ford；　at

which　hurried　prayers　were　offered　up　for　those　who　were　about　to

cross　the　currents　of　Lagan　Water。　　In　1575；　Sir　Henry　Sydney

writes　to　the　Lords　of　the　Council：　　〃I　was　offered　skirmish　by

MacNeill　Bryan　Ertaugh　at　my　passage　over　the　water　at　Belfast；

which　I　caused　to　be　answered；　and　passed　over　without　losse　of

man　or　horse；　yet　by　reason　of　the　extraordinaire　Retorne　our

horses　swamme　and　the　Footmen　in　the　passage　waded　very　deep。〃　

The　country　round　about　was　forest　land。　　It　was　so　thickly

wooded　that　it　was　a　common　saying　that　one　might　walk　to　Lurgan

〃on　the　tops　of　the　trees。〃



In　1612；　Belfast　consisted　of　about　120　houses；　built　of　mud　and

covered　with　thatch。　　The　whole　value　of　the　land　on　which　the

town　is　built；　is　said　to　have　been　worth　only　5L。　in　fee

simple。＇19＇　〃Ulster；〃　said　Sir　John　Davies；　〃is　a　very　desert　or

wilderness；　the　inhabitants　thereof　having　for　the　most　part　no

certain　habitation　in　any　towns　or　villages。〃　　In　1659；　Belfast

contained　only　600　inhabitants：　　Carrickfergus　was　more

important；　and　had　1312　inhabitants。　　But　about　1660；　the　Long

Bridge　over　the　Lagan　was　built；　and　prosperity　began　to　dawn

upon　the　little　town。　　It　was　situated　at　the　head　of　a　navigable

lough；　and　formed　an　outlet　for　the　manufacturing　products　of　the

inland　country。　　Ships　of　any　burden；　however；　could　not　come

near　the　town。　　The　cargoes；　down　even　to　a　recent　date；　had　to

be　discharged　into　lighters　at　Garmoyle。　　Streams　of　water　made

their　way　to　the　Lough　through　the　mud　banks；　and　a　rivulet　ran

through　what　is　now　known　as　the　High　Street。



The　population　gradually　increased。　　In　1788　Belfast　had　12；000

inhabitants。　　But　it　was　not　until　after　the　Union　with　Great

Britain　that　the　town　made　so　great　a　stride。　　At　the　beginning

of　the　present　century　it　had　about　20；000　inhabitants。　　At　every

successive　census；　the　progress　made　was　extraordinary；　until　now

the　population　of　Belfast　amounts　to　over　225；000。　　There　is

scarcely　an　instance　of　so　large　a　rate　of　increase　in　the

British　Islands；　save　in　the　exceptional　case　of　Middlesborough；

which　was　the　result　of　the　opening　out　of　the　Stockton　and

Darlington　Railway；　and　the　discovery　of　ironstone　in　the　hills

of　Cleveland　in　Yorkshire。　　Dundee　and　Barrow　are　supposed　to

present　the　next　most　rapid　increases　of　population。



The　increase　of　shipping　has　also　been　equally　great。　　Ships　from

other　ports　frequented　the　Lough　for　purposes　of　trade；　but　in

course　of　time　the　Belfast　merchants　supplied　themselves　with

ships　of　their　own。　　In　1791　one　William　Ritchie；　a　sturdy　North

Briton；　brought　with　him　from　Glasgow　ten　men　and　a　quantity　of

shipbuilding　materials。　　He　gradually　increased　the　number　of　his

workmen；　and　proceeded　to　build　a　few　sloops。　　He　reclaimed　some

land　from　the　sea；　and　made　a　shipyard　and　graving　dock　on　what

was　known　as　Corporation　Ground。　　In　November　1800　the　new

graving　dock；　near　the　bridge；　was　opened　for　the　reception　of

vessels。　　It　was　capable　of　receiving　three　vessels　of　200　tons

each！　　In　1807　a　vessel　of　400　tons　burthen　was　launched　from　Mr。

Ritchie's　shipyard；　when　a　great　crowd　of　people　assembled　to

witness　the　launching　of　〃so　large　a　ship〃far　more　than　now

assemble　to　see　a　3000…tonner　of　the　White　Star　Line　leave　the

slips　and　enter　the　water！



The　shipbuilding　trade　has　been　one　of　the　most　rapidly

developed；　especially　of　late　years。　　In　1805　the　number　of

vessels　frequenting　the　port　was　840；　whereas　in　1883　the　number

had　been　increased　to　7508；　with　about　a　million　and　a…half　of

tonnage；　while　the　gross　value　of　the　exports　from　Belfast

exceeded　twenty　millions　sterling　annually。　　In　1819　the　first

steamboat　of　100　tons　was　used　to　tug　the　vessels　up　the　windings

of　the　Lough；　which　it　did　at　the　rate　of　three　miles　an　hour；　to

the　astonishment　of　everybody。　　Seven　years　later；　the　steamboat

Rob　Roy　was　put　on　between　Glasgow　and　Belfast。　　But　these

vessels　had　been　built　in　Scotland。　　It　was　not　until　1826　that

the　first　steamboat；　the　chieftain；　was　built　in　Belfast；　by　the

same　William　Ritchie。　　Then；　in　1838；　the　first　iron　boat　was

built　in　the　Lagan　foundry；　by　Messrs。　Coates　and　Young；　though

it　was　but　a　mere　cockle…shell　compared　with　the　mighty　ocean

steamers　which　are　now　regularly　launched　from　Queen's　Island。　

In　the　year　1883　the　largest　shipbuilding　firm　in　the　town

launched　thirteen　vessels；　of　over　30；000　tons　gross；　while　two

other　firms　launched　twelve　ships；　of　about　10；000　tons　gross。



I　do　not　propose　to　enter　into　details　respecting　the　progress　of

the　trades　of　Belfast。　　The　most　important　is　the　spinning　of

fine　linen　yarn；　which　is　for　the　most　part　concentrated　in　that

town；　over　25；000；000　of　pounds　weight　being　exported　annually。　

Towards　the　end　of　the　seventeenth　century　the　linen　manufacture

had　made　but　little　progress。　　In　1680　all　Ireland　did　not　export

more　than　6000L。　worth　annually。　　Drogheda　was　then　of　greater

importance　than　Belfast。　　But　with　the　settlement　of　the

persecuted　Hugnenots　in　Ulster；　and　especially　through　the

energetic　labours　of　Crommelin；　Goyer；　and　others；　the　growth　of

flax　was　sedulously　cultivated；　and　its　manufacture　into　linen　of

all　sorts　became　an　important　branch　of　Irish　industry。　　In　the

course　of　about　fifty　years　the　exports　of　linen　fabrics

increased　to　the　value　of　over　600；000L。　per　annum。



It　was　still；　however；　a　handicraft　manufacture；　and　done　for　the

most　part　at　home。　　Flax　was　spun　and　yarn　was　woven　by　hand。　

Eventually　machinery　was　employed；　and　the　turn…out　became

proportionately　large　and　valuable。　　It　would　not　be　possible　for

hand　labour　to　supply　the　amount　of　linen　now　turned　out　by　the

aid　of　machinery。　　It　would　require　three　times　the　entire

population　of　Ireland　to　spin　and　weave；　by　the　old

spinning…wheel　and　hand…loom　methods；　the　amount　of　linen　cloth

now　annually　manufactured　by　the　operatives　of　Belfast　alone。　

There　are　now　forty　large　spinning…mills　in　Be