THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 199 



three brethren of the Weavers' company, as well as 

 the Shearmen and Dyers of the city, presented ad- 

 dresses of thanks to the Society for their attention to 

 the trade, and erection of a silk warehouse. The 

 dyers were specially grateful for the translation of The 

 Jtrt of Dyeing Wool and Woollen Stuffs, made by M. 

 Helott, member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, 

 which was done at the expense of the Society. 



The value of stock in the Warehouse in 1769 was 

 ,13,897, i8j. ^d. The Society was of opinion that 

 the silk manufacture might be greatly stimulated if 

 patronesses were placed at the head of it, and fifteen 

 ladies were chosen yearly. Lady Townsend became 

 president, and among the earliest names as patronesses 

 appeared those of the Duchess of Leinster, Lady 

 Louisa Conolly, Lady Drogheda, Lady Shannon, Lady 

 Clanwilliam, and Lady Arabella Denny. 



Lord Arran, Thomas Le Hunte, Redmond Morres, 

 Dean Brocas, 1 and Dean Barrington 2 were directors of 

 the warehouse on behalf of the Society. Sir John 

 Gilbert says that popular toasts among the weavers 

 were " The Silk Manufacture of Ireland, and pros- 

 perity to the Irish Silk Warehouse " and " The 

 Duchess of Leinster, and the Patronesses of the Irish 

 Silk Warehouse ; may their patriotic example induce 

 the ladies of Ireland to wear their own manufactures." 

 For some time prior to 1780, a return of the sales 

 and of the value of goods in the silk warehouse 

 for each week was printed in the Proceedings. In 

 December 1782, the value of goods in the warehouse 

 amounted to 12,986, i8.r. lod. Unemployment 

 among the silk weavers was so rife in Dublin and its 

 liberties, that in 1784 they petitioned the Society for 



1 Theophilus Brocas, Dean of Killala, then resident in Dublin. 



2 See p. 145. 



