BALLYMOAT. 313 



winter of 1774, in order to erect the machine- 

 ry of a bleach-mill, upon the very beft con- 

 duction ; he went to all the great mills in the 

 north of Ireland to infped them, to remark 

 their deficiencies, that they might be improved 

 in the mills he intended to erect. This know- 

 ledge being gained, the work was begun, and as 

 water was neceffary, a great bafon was formed, 

 by a dam acrofs a valley, by which means 34. 

 acres were floated, to ferve as a refervoir for dry 

 feafons, to fecure plenty at all times. All the 

 machinery of the mill is perfectly well conftrud- 

 ed, and worthy of the artift who formed it ; in 

 general it is upon the common principle of other 

 bleach-mills, only executed in a manner much 

 fuperior to any other in Ireland, but in feveral 

 particulars it is much improved ; a wafhing- 

 wheel, on the new conftruction ufed inEngland* 

 is added j.beetlers are improved in their motion 

 on the cylinder, by giving fomething more of 

 time to their rebound; the motion given to the 

 rubbing boards is in a manner different from 

 the common, and in general, the wheels are all 

 fo proportioned, that every operation may go 

 on in the full velocity, without one part being 

 flopped at all upon account of another, which 

 is not generally the cafe ; the water wheel is 

 alfo formed to work with the leaft quantity of 

 water poifible ; all the works going on with no 

 larger quantity than will flow through a pipe of 

 a 9-inch bore. Here are two beetling cylinders, 

 three pair of rubbing boards, a pair of ilocks, a 

 waihing wheel, two large coppers for boiling or 

 bucking, a room for drying, and another for 



folding, 



