7f 



BKI.FA8T. 



BEL) 



07 



Dunbar's dock fur I 

 nude from the quay* 

 lower down, him pro 



'.'.. . :.. . ' 



can now come up t 

 vater ca 



K of merchantmen. A cut recently 

 ep water at Oarmoy lo, about three miles 

 lianuel about 200 yards wide in which 

 water. Vessels drawing 16 feot water 

 i in neap tides, and those drawing 18 

 up in spring tide*. A light-house nnd pilot 



station hare been established at Oarmoyle : the light-house is erected 

 ,v piles, and stands 30 feet above high-water mark. From 

 High Street, Donegal Place conducts to a handsome square occupied 

 by the building and public walks of the White Linen Hall. The 

 north ami south sides of this square ore prolonged into parallel 

 utrects of half a mile in length respectively ; that on the north Rule 

 terminating westward in College Square, occupied by the buildings 

 of tin; Koyal Belfast Academical Institution. This part of Belfast 

 presents fine street views, the houses being large and well built, and 

 the streets wide and uniform. From Donegal Square and College 

 Square the leading roods southward conduct to the district of Molone, 

 where the ground rises, and a considerable space between the old 

 Dublin road and the river is nearly covered with a new town. The 

 prominent feature in this district is the Queen's College, a beautiful 

 ami picturesque pile of brick and stone in the Tudor collegiate style, 

 which occupies a commanding site in the midst of villas and park 

 scenery adjoining the Botanic Garden. In the same vicinity are the 

 school for the deaf and dumb, the district fever hospital, and district 

 lunatic asylum, all buildings of considerable extent and elegance ; also 

 the Union workhouse. 



The manufacturing division lies principally oa the rising ground 

 on the north and west, presenting a series of factories and chimneys 

 extending westward as far as the acclivities of the neighbouring moun- 

 tains. The general aspect of the town bespeaks activity and pros- 

 perity, nnd the numerous fine mansions and villas in the neighbourhood, 

 especially on the northern side along the shore of the bay, attest the 

 wealth and taste of the inhabitants. 



The following are among the principal public buildings in the cen- 

 tral part of the town : The Commercial Buildings, at the southern 

 extremity of Donegal Street, erected in 1822 at a cost of about 20,0002. 

 if this structure the north front is of granite, with attached Ionic 

 columns between circular-headed windows. The stone is discoloured, 

 and the aspect of the building is heavy. The interior contains below 

 n spacious public news-room, which is also used by the merchants as 

 an exchange; and an assembly-room of equal dimensions on the second 

 floor. The old Exchange, a well-proportioned substantial pile on the 

 opposite side of the street, was recently purchased by the Belfast 

 Banking Company, and remodelled in the Italian style ; it now forms 

 a v.-ry handsome object. The Custom-House is situated on Custom- 

 House quay ; it is an old brick edifice, quite insufficient for the large 

 amount of business now transacted in it. A new custom-house, inland 

 revenue, and post-office, will probably soon be built by the Govern- 

 ment ; and the town council design to erect in this vicinity, in con- 

 nection with a spacious new street, the site for which has lately been 

 cleared and laid out, a new town-hall and corn-exchange. On a ri-in:.' 

 ground north of the dock district are situated the barracks, with 

 accommodation for a regiment of infantry and a company of artillery 

 or troop of horse. Westward of the barracks stands the incorporated 

 Poor-House of the Belfast Charitable Society, for aged and infirm poor, 

 unpported by voluntary subscription, a brick building with extensive 

 wings and a pretty spire, which forms a pleasing termination to 

 Donegal Street on the north ; and farther westward, on an air}' site, 

 are the new county jail and county court-house. Till very lately the 

 county town of Antrim has been Carrickfergus ; but Belfast has 

 been proclaimed the county town, and the assizes are now held 

 here. The jnil is constructed on the radiating principle, with cells 

 for separate confinement, and occupies an area of five acres. It is an 

 imposing structure, with a handsome rusticated entrance. The new 

 court-holme stands opposite, separated from the jail by the breadth of 

 the street, under which is a communication for the passage of prisoners. 

 It is a compact and handsome pile, with a rich Corinthian portico of 

 eight columns, crowned by n colossal emblematic figure of Justice. 

 North of these establishments, on a higher site, are the new water- 

 works, copiously supplied by streams from the neighbouring heights, 

 and at such an elevation as commands tin- i,-.-'- -t houses. On the 

 southern side of the town the principal public buildings are the Theatre 

 and Music Hall in Arthur Street; the Linen Hall.n spaciousquadrangle, 

 with a cupola and a good suite of rooms, containing a library and 

 news-room, in Donegal Square; the Koyal Academical Institution, 

 and Natural History Society's Museum, in College Square ; t! , 

 of Correction and Sessions Court, a plain brick building in May 

 Street ; and the Ulster railway terminus, a rich and extend 

 bizarre structure on the Dublin road. A considerable nun 

 new houses has been erected in the town and its immediate outskirts 

 daring the last two years. 



The parish church of St Anne's, in Donegal Street, erected in 1 778 

 at the cost of the Marquis of Donegal, is the handsomest as well as 

 the oldest place of worship. It has a graceful cupola, although the 

 upper members are of wood, painted in imitation of brick and stone ; 

 and is fitted up in the interior with rich old mahogany. The addition 

 of an incongruous portico has deprived the exterior of unuli of its 

 original simplicity and elegance. St George's church, in High Street, 



is a plain building with a beautiful portico. The porti 

 adorned a superb mansion erected by Lord Bristol, the celebrated 

 bishop of Derry, at Ballyscullen in the county of I lorry. Trinity 

 church, a good specimen of the pointed gothic, with a spire 1:: 

 high, adjoining the incorporated Poor-House, was erected and endowed 

 by the munificence of Mr. and Miss Wilson of Belfast, at a cost of 

 about 50001. The other place* of worship of the Established Church 

 ore Christ church, St. John's Malone, St. Anne's chapel-of-ease, St. 

 Matthew's, St Mark's, St John's chapel-of-ease, St. Paul's chapel-of- 

 ease, and Magdalene Asylum. Belfast is the episcopal seat of the 

 diocese of Down and Connor in the Roman Catholic Church. The 

 cathedral of St. Malachi, in the perpendicular style, a brick -built cru- 

 ciform edifice, still incomplete, is situated in an open space on the 

 south of the town. There are three other Roman * relies. 



The Presbyterian places of worship, of various denominations, ore 

 19 in number. Some of them possess architectural pretensions ; but 

 wanting spires, and being rather clumsily furnished with porticoes, 

 they contribute much lees than could be desired to the ornament of 

 the town. There are eight places of worship for the Methodist com- 

 munion, three for Unitarians, and one each for Baptists, Independents, 

 Quakers, and Mormonites. 



The principal charitable institutions are, in addition to those 

 enumerated, the House of Industry, Sraithtield ; the (!eneral H 

 Frederick Street; and the Lying-in Hospital, Antrim Road, sup- 

 ported by voluntary subscriptions. There is a savings bonk at 

 Belfast 



The chief educational establishment is the Q aeon's College, "i 

 for the reception of students in November 1849. The collegiate body 

 consists of the president, vice-president, and 20 professors, distributed 

 into the three Faculties of Arts, Medicine, and Law. Thirty junior 

 scholarships of 242. each are awarded by the college among the under- 

 graduates of the Facidty of Arts; six of 202. each to the under- 

 graduates of the Faculty of Medicine ; and three of 202. each to the 

 classes of the Faculty of Law. Two scholarships of 202, each arc 

 provided for students of civil engineering, and four of 152. each for 

 students of agriculture. Ten senior scholarships of 4 

 awarded to the graduates. Civil engineering and the theory and 

 practice of agriculture form part of the course. The residences of the 

 president and vice-president are included in the collegiate buildings. 

 The annual sum of 7000?. from the consolidated fund is appr "j 

 to the maintenance of the institution. The cost of the buildings 

 has been upwards of 33,0002. During session 1850-51 then 

 110 matriculated students, and 74 non-matriculated ; in 1851-52 the 

 numbers were matriculated students, 119; non-matriculate 

 The senate of the Queen's University in Ireland, in October 1852, 

 conferred the degree of M.D. on five, and that of A.B. on nine 

 dates from Belfast College. At the same time two candidate* from 

 Belfast College received the diploma of elementary law, ami on.' 

 received the diploma of agriculture. The Royal A Insti- 



tution, consisting of a collegiate and elementary department and a 

 school of design, was commenced in 1807 by private sub-icri 

 amounting to about 26,0002., and was incorporated by Act of Par- 



in ]S]n. It is governed by a board of managers and a. 

 "f visitors. It enjoys an annual parliamentary grant of 

 19001, and is affiliated to the University of London. The (i 

 Assembly of tin- Presbyterian Church in Ireland recognises its i 

 cates as equivalent to a degree of Bachelor of Arts in the Tni 

 of Dublin. IWides the General Assembly's College for students of 

 divinity, the Belfast Academy instituted in 1786, the Government 

 School of Design established in 1849, a Lancostorian, now a ' Ragged ' 

 School, and several private academics, there are in the town and 

 vii-inity 28 National sehooN, having mvu-ly .limit pu 



There are several private literary and scientific societies, by one of 

 which, the Belfast Natural History Society, a very complete botanical 

 has been formed at Malone at a cost of upwards of 60002. 

 Belfast possesses three public libraries an.l four news-rooms. The 

 Royal S'.ei.-ty f.-r the Promotion and Improvement of the gr<> 

 Flax in Ireland has its office In the Commercial P.uildings. It was 

 lied in the year 1841 by some Belfast merchant* A stiff of 

 agriculturists trained in the most, appr.n of inanaf; 



is retained by the society, and sent to give intni<-ti..n.< in v 

 parts of Ireland. The cultivation of the flax-plant has by this means 

 been largely introduced into many parts of the country where it was 

 previously unknown. 



The |Miving, lighting, and eleonsingof the town ore vested in a police 

 committee, chosen by the town council under a special act The 

 Kiipply of pipe water is tinder commissioners incorporated in 1840. 

 The town has been lighted with gas since 1824. Public baths and 

 wash-houses were established in 1847. 



Belfast is the princi|d place of trade in Ireland, and has increased 



in wen!' illation with great rapidity. In 1758 the popula- 



. 8549. The number of looms in that year was 399. The 



pinning of cotton by machinery was introduced in 1777, and of linen 



8. In 1838 there were 60 steam-engines of an aggregate of 



PJ74 horse-power engaged in the spinning of linen and < 



There are now in Belfast and its vicinity 33 steam-mills for spinning 



linen yarn, which employ about 18,000 hands. In or near tin) town 



are fire cotton-spinning factories, containing 90,000 hpindlc.*. In 



