44 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



such-and-such a piece was purchased at the Waterford glass house, thinkmg 

 therefore that this is conclusive evidence that it was made there. 



In the London Exhibition of 1851, George Gatchell exhibited a centre- 

 stand for a table consisting of forty pieces of cut glass ; quart and pint 

 decanters, cut in hollow prisms ; a centre-bowl on detachable tripod stand, 

 and vases with covers. 



The Waterford factory did not produce as much glass as some of the other 

 Irish glass houses, although, at the present day, almost every piece of cut 

 glass to be found in Ireland is said to be "Waterford." 



From 1786 to 1794 the value of the glass amounted to about £1000 

 annually, except in the year 1787, when it reached £3500, while in the Cork, 

 Dublin, and Belfast factories the value varied from about £3000 to £10,000. 



DuIfGA^^s^ON A^^) Belfast. 



About the year 1771 a Bristol glass-maker named Benjamin Edwards came 

 over to Ii-eland, and erected a glass house at Drumrea, a few miles north of 

 Dimgannon. He did this probably at the instance of the proprietors of the 

 Tyrone collieries, who foresaw that advantage might be gained from the glass 

 manufactui's. 



In 1772 the glass house was at full work, and in an advertisement in The 

 DvMin Journal, and also in The Belfast News Letter of December of that year, 

 the proprietor stated that he was making all sorts of the newest-fashioned 

 wine, beer, and cider glasses ; enamelled, cut, flowered, and plain decanters ; 

 water-glasses, plates, epergnes, and epergne saucers, candlesticks, cans, jugs ; 

 cut, flowered, and plain salvers, jeUy and sweetmeat glasses, hall-bells, globes 

 and shades ; confectioners' jars, with all kinds of glass fit for chemists and 

 mathematicians ; salts and salt linings, mustard-castors, white phials, and aU 

 kinds of bottles for perfumers, retorts, and receivers, green phials, green and 

 white mustard-bottles, and every other article in the glass way. 



In the foUowing year the glass house was advertised to be let, the 

 proprietors stating that clay fit for making the pots, sand, and coal were 

 to be had on the spot, and that there was no reason why as good flint glass as 

 any imported could not be made. They also stated that no person need apply 

 unless one who was determined to carry on the business in the best manner. 

 Whether the manufacture was continued or not is uncertain— perhaps it 

 was for a few years ; but in 1776 Benjamin Edwards went to Belfast, where 

 he erected a glass house at the east end of the Long Bridge. 



lu 1781 Edwards advertised his glass house,and stated that he had made and 



