BEING ERECTED IN WORKHOUSES. 127 



wrote to Earl Clancarty, and received the following reply : 



"Garbally, Feb. 21st, 1849. 



li SIR, There can be no difference of opinion as to the 

 benefit of having the population of a county employed, when 

 possible, upon the manufacture of that which the soil produces, 

 and it has been my anxious wish and endeavour to introduce 

 the manufacture of Flax into this district, with the indispen- 

 sable aid of machinery. Disappointed of finding at hand an 

 adequate water-power to erect a mill for the purpose, the 

 project is postponed until some arterial drainage (the drainage) 

 in this neighbourhood, now above two years in course of pre- 

 paration by the Board of Works, can be executed, by which 

 the requisite mill-power would be obtained in the best inten- 

 tion. It might, however, if it does not involve much expense 

 in the outset, be advantageous to establish a scutching mill, to 

 be worked by manual labour at the workhouse, in place of 

 carrying out, as is at present performed, the preparation of 

 Flax by the paupers in the ordinary way, which is certainly 

 defective. I should be glad to know from you, in order, if it 

 should appear advisable, to bring the matter under the notice 

 of the Board of Guardians of the Union, what would be the 

 price of a Flax-mill to be worked by hand, and whether any 

 and what expense beyond the price and r erection of the 

 machine would be required to enable the paupers properly to 

 use it. The object of the guardians will be to prepare as 

 much Flax as would give constant occupation in spinning to 

 about 200 wheels. 



" I am, Sir, your faithful servant, 



"CLANCARTY. 

 J. 1-1. Dickson, Esq., 



Palmerston Place, Dublin." 



When his lordship wrote me on the subject I was unfortu- 

 nately engaged in a Chancery suit in Dublin, which left me 

 minus over 3,000, all of which remains &simseUled,now in 1864, 



