231 



^' Munfter, and Connaught, and fliould be duly afligned, or conveyed, 

 " with one approbation of the grand jury, for that county; fuch grand 

 " jury, may then prefent money for building a public ware-houfe, or market- 

 " houfe, in which flax, or hemp, or flaxen, or hempen yarn, may be lodg- 

 " ed, and expofed to faie; and alfo the fums in queftion are appointed, to 

 " be levied fromthe county." Their amount* might prove inadequate tothc 

 end propofed, but the law ferves to fliow the fentiments of the legiflature. 

 There is another claufef, in the fame ftatute, equally expreflive of their 

 opinion; by it — " no toll, cuftom, or duty, fliall be paid for linen, 

 " or hempen cloth, linen or hempen yarn, hemp feed, flax feed, hemp, 

 " flax, potafli, looms, wheels, or hatchels, for, or by reafon of their 

 " being brought to any market, or fair, or by reafon of their pafling over 

 " any bridge, or thro' any town, or place, turn-pike gates excepted." 

 Indeed, the fertility of foil in many parts of Munfter, and Connaught, 

 and the advantage of excellent harbours for the exportation of the ma- 

 nufactured fabrics feem, to point out thefe provinces for the favourite 

 abodes of this great, and moft improveable manufafture. 



It is to be obferved, that the pofition of Ireland, in the map of the 

 world, is fuch, as fhould lead her, to an intercourfe, with Spain, America, 

 and the Weji-Indies : and in faft, fuch an intercourfe prevails, Ireland, 

 therefore, fliould apply herfelf to the produftion of fuch commodities, as 

 will the mofl: readily find a fale, in thofe countries ; in which point of 

 view the linen manufafture, thro' its different members clearly holds 

 the firft place. 



Ireland, has been near a century, in the habits of carrying on the 

 linen manufafture, thro' its various branches; flie has acquired confura- 

 mate skill in its different operations, efl:abliftied an high chara£l:er,| for 

 the excellence of her produftions, and is in poflTeflion of great regular 



markets 



* £500 for building the market-houfe, £15 per annum for the falary of the officer. 



t § 37- 

 t Some late injudicious experiments in bleaching have fomewhat {haken it. 



