OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 231 



half of the time it formerly was, and, when properly 

 managed, with equal fafety. The profits of a bleach- 

 green are very confiderable ; in juftice they ought to 

 be fo, for the owner is liable to all loffes from thieves, 

 which are often very great, as well as thofe which 

 arife from accidental damage, which are not unfre- 

 quent ; that they are not more frequent is furprifing, 

 where fuch potent materials, as bleaching fluffs, are 

 applied to fuch delicate fabrics as linen and cambric 

 by the moft unfcientific hands. For how honeft foever 

 a foreman bleacher may be, and howfoever confidera- 

 ble his experience, having no other method of judging 

 of the ftrength of his bleaching materials than by 

 weight and meafure, he muft often be miftaken, to the 

 great detriment of his employer; and by one unfortu- 

 nate blunder, having no principle upon which to pro- 

 ceed, he may occafion more lofs than his fervices for 

 feven years could compenfate for. Some mode of in- 

 ftruftion might probably be ftruck out, by which the 

 old guefs-work way of proceeding might be exploded, 

 and fomething more certain fub diluted in its ftead. It 

 may be faid, certainly, that this is not a proper place 

 for an^nveftigation on the fubjeft of manufactures, nor 

 is it meant as fuch ; but when fas ejl et ab hofte doceri, 

 why not fometimes take a hint from a friend ? 



The different branches of linen manufacture carried 

 on in this county are firft, linen and cambrics; ie- 

 condly, table liaen, confifting of datnafk, damafk 



diaper, 



