250 



aptitude for being fuccefsfuily carried on, in a country circumftanced like 



Ireland. 



This comparifon mud be infliituted, on the principles laid down in 



the foregoing feftions. I ftiall briefly revert to fome of them — in point 



of intrinfic utility, of univerfality and (lability of demand, independent 



of the empire of fafliion, the linen manufafture feems to hold the firft 



place, — the woollen comes next — the fiibricks of cotton are decidedly 



inferior to them both. 



With refpeft to circulation and foreign demand, the linen manufac- 

 ture of Ireland claims a proud pre-eminence, and difdains all comparifon. 

 Our exports of woollens and cottons are, at prefent, trifling ; our linen 

 manufafturc is, in truth, a magnificent branch of trade, fufficient, in 

 itfelf, to employ a nation, and enrich a cciir.try. The export of wool 

 manufaftured from this country, is nearly confined to yarn, the export 

 of the finifhcd woollen fabricks, though trifling at prefent, is yet rather 

 progreffive, than otherwife ; and capable of great extenfion. — Confidered 

 with refpect to demand, whether arifing from the home confumption 

 or foreign market, I think, the cotton manufaflure has lefs capabili- 

 ties of extenfion and profit, than either the woollen or the linen, and 

 I think this country has lefs profpeft of carrying the capabilities of the 

 cotton manufafture, as far as they will bear, than it has of improving 

 on thofe of the woollen, and the linen. Yet, certainly, in the coarfer 

 kind of cotton fabricks, we have now attained an equality with England. 



With refpeft to the prima, or raw materials, the manufadure of cot- 

 ton, is infinitely inferior, in merit, to thofe both of flax and wool; the 

 raw materials, which are worked up in the cotton manufafture, are 

 almofl; entirely foreign ; the raw materials of the principal part of the 

 woollen manufadure, and almofl entirely of the linen manufacture are, 

 or might be domeflic. If we except reeds, Spanijh wool, fuller's-earth, 

 and fome of the fluffs and materials ufed for dying,* there is nothing 



to 



* Many dying fluffs, and the materials for bleaching, might be obtained at home. 



