Kinahan — Slates and Clays (Bricks, 8fc.). 73 



than do those of the Irish. Boate also mentions that " tiles are 

 imported from Holland for covering houses," and comments on the 

 great abundance of slates which could he raised with little " charge 

 and labour." It is, however, worthy of note that about this period 

 tiled houses were the prevalent fashion in England, and it is 

 quite possible that the custom was introduced by the English 

 settlers. 



It would be impossible, in a Paper of this description, to enume- 

 rate all the various places throughout Ireland in which bricks have 

 been burnt formei-ly, because as now a kiln might be burnt, solely 

 for local use, and little or no record of it left. Nor are the prices 

 which are mentioned in general an indication of the quality of the 

 article. Local causes, such as the paucity of fuel in the neigh- 

 bourhood in which the bricks are burnt, or the distance same have 

 to be carted to a railway or shipping port, are often an important 

 factor in determining the price, as really inferior bricks in one 

 place, on account of local circumstances, will fetch a much larger 

 price than that obtainable for good bricks in other places. 



It may be generally stated that so far as the inferior or " Place " 

 brick is concerned, the demand has been always supplied from 

 home sources, but it is when the " Facing " brick is in question 

 that the lamentable want of enterprise on the part of Irish manu- 

 facturers becomes apparent. Indeed we need not pass the City of 

 Dublin to see how our brickmaking industries have decayed in 

 late years. Formerly the best streets were built exclusively of 

 brick, burnt in close proximity to the city ; and many bricklayers 

 remember when no foreign brick was imported. Whilst, on the 

 other hand, the houses in the more modern townships which have 

 sprung up around Dublin during the past 30 years are almost 

 exclusively faced with Bridgwater bricks, roofed with Welsh 

 slates, and floored with Baltic deals ; whilst the blue or white 

 ornamental brick which generally plays an important part, as well 

 as the coarse flue lining, and glazed sewage pipe, are imported from 

 Scotland or Cheshire. After this unpleasant retrospect, it is 

 agreeable to find that there are some exceptions in Ireland: the 

 most important one being in Belfast, where bricks of a very 

 superior class have long been made and used in the erection of 

 most of the magnificent buildings, largely or entirely composed of 

 brick, which are a prominent feature of that town. 



G2 



