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for a public purpose. The money had been scattered throughout 
Ulster in the shape of looms, spinning wheels, machines for 
scutching, flax and bleaching apparatus, all of which had been lent 
to weavers, spinners, farmers, and owners of small bleachfields, 
not more than one half the value of which was ever repaid. It 
must have been highly gratitying, however, to the founder of the 
improved system of linen manufacture, to watch the growing 
success of his projects, and to see the rapid changes which greater 
profits and higher wages had produced in the circumstances of 
manufacturers and weavers; also to receive from the Board of 
Trustees appointed by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at this 
time, the following notice: “Louis Crommelin and the Huguenot 
Colony have been greatly instrumental in improving and pro- 
pagating the flaxen manufacture in the north of this kingdom, and 
the perfection to which the same is brought in that part of the 
country has been greatly owing to the skill and industry of the said 
Crommelin.” 
Lord Strafford, who was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at this 
time (1736), did all in his power to discourage the woollen trade, 
but used every means he thought fit to promote and improve the 
linen trade, and to assist in developing it. He spent out of his 
' own means £50,000. His first movement was directed to the 
improvement of flax in the field. For this purpose he imported 
seed from Holland, and brought over Dutchmen to instruct the 
Irish farmers in the best mode of growing the crop. He sold the 
seed which he imported to the farmers at cost price; and by his 
persevering exertions, he succeeded in bringing the flax from an 
average of twelve inches in length to three feet. The yarn now 
spun was also much more regular, and the cloth in every respect 
better. The prejudices of an ignorant class, not only against the 
Englishman’s rule, but also against the ideas he entertained, which 
were so contrary to: long established usage, and, moreover, the 
high handed imperious way in which he attempted to carry out his 
improvements, stirred up opposition and bitter strife amongst the 
native population which, to a great extent, frustrated his otherwise 
well intentioned measures. Had he adopted conciliatory measures, 
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