I&ISH MANUFACTURES DISCOURAGEP. 51 



of land to breed wool, for setting- on work the same 

 number of hands wnich one acre of flax would employ; 

 and yet, in the end, tlie woollen manufacture will be 

 found to employ by far the greatest number of hands, 

 and yield the most profit to the public, as well as to 

 the manufacturers." 



(53.) Irish Manufactures discouraged. — In the 

 same year (1698), the English house of Peers address- 

 ed King William with the view of inducing him to dis- 

 courage the woollen manufactures of Ireland, which, in 

 spite of many restrictions, still continued to cause much 

 vexation to the monopolizers of England. The address 

 ran thus : — *' The growing manufacture of cloth in Ire- 

 land, both by the cheapness of all sorts of the neces- 

 saries of life,* and the goodness of materials for 

 making all manner of cloth, doth invite his subjects of 

 England, with their families and servants, to leave 

 their habitation to settle there, to the increase of the 

 woollen manufacture in Ireland, which makes his loyal 

 subjects in this kingdom very apprehensive, that the 

 further growth of it may greatly prejudice the said 

 manufacture here ; and praying, that his Majesty would 

 be pleased, in the most public and effectual way that 

 may be, to declare to all his subjects of Ireland, that 

 the growth and increase of the woollen manufacture 

 there, hath long, and will ever be, looked upon with 

 great jealousy by all his subjects of this kingdom." A 

 similar address was presented by the Commons, and 



♦ The people of Ireland produced worsted and woollen yarn at a 

 cheaper rate than we could, owing to their poor being able to work on 

 lower terms than those of England. This was owing to the rent oi 

 land being less in Ireland than in England. 



