387 



Ireland, to the fruflees of the linen manufadure, for which they claim- 

 ed credit, was about 14,500/. yearly. Bounty, on the import of flax 

 feed, and bleaching materials, 1500/. per annum. The amount of the 

 parliamentary bounty, on the export of linens,* 4000/. yearly, making 

 the total yearly amount of, from 33,000/. to 34,000/. The total of the 

 fums applied to the encouragement of this manufaclure, from the year 

 1700, to the year 1777, is ftated to be 1,295,560/. 



Ireland, having been in the linen trade, fmce the beginning of the 

 prefent century, and having an encreafmg demand, both for home con- 

 fumption, and the foreign market ; it mud naturally be fuppofed, that 

 the trade would encreafe, in proportion to the demand. We are not, 

 therefore, to attribute Its prefent profperity to the operation of boun- 

 ties ; it would have thrived, and grown, at any rate. The linen ma- 

 nufafture was the only channel, in which the induftry of the people 

 was fuffered to flow ; and there it would have flowed ; though no 

 linen-board or bounty had ever been thought of, or exifted. It is 

 contrary to all principles of commerce, to think, that fuch an encrea- 

 fmg manufacture would want flax or flax feed, unlefs a bounty were 

 paid, on the import. It may be made a queftion, whether the bounty 

 on the importation of flax-feed does not tend to injure the agriculture 

 of the country, by preventing flax from being raifed, for the purpofe 

 of faving the feed. It is idle to fuppofe, that a manufafture, which 

 has employed a fourth part of the kingdom, for feventy years ; and 

 exports a million and half in fl:erling - value, yearly, wants the fapport 

 of boards, and bounties, and premiums. I fpeak, with refpeft to the 

 manufadure of the north ; but, in Connaught, and the South, the linen 

 manufafture wants both regulation and encouragement. The fertility 

 of foil feems to point out many parts of thefe provinces as the pecu- 

 liar and favourite flation of the linen manufa(n:ure. We' muft eonll- 

 der alfo, that, in thefe provinces are molt of the chief harbours of 

 the kingdom, and thofe, which are the moft conveniently fituated, for 



( 3 C 2 ) an 



* The bounty is one penny per yard. 



