established by the Romans — particularly those of Britain — and 

 stated that some of the Irish examples of Earthenware Urns, &c, 

 of a date previous to the Roman occupation of Britain, were some 

 of the best examples of the kind found in Britain, and that they 

 were constantly found in lasts, tumulii, and other forms of sepulture. 

 On referring to the Moorish enamelled ware, and the works of the 

 celebrated Pallissy, Mr. Gray said that several enamelled articles of 

 personal ornament have been found in Ireland, but that antiquaries 

 had not determined whether they were imported, or the result of 

 native skill. One of the earliest potteries in Ireland was that 

 established in Belfast at the close of the 17th century. Just then 

 there was a vigorous competition between the Dutch and British 

 potteries, but they were confined to the manufacture of delf, or 

 stoneware ; and, in all probability, the ware made at Belfast was 

 similar to the common white ware of the Staffordshire potteries, 

 such as was afterwards made at Youghal, in the County Cork. 

 Brown ware was also made at Belfast, and there was a pottery at 

 Larne. Those potteries have been abandoned for very many years. 

 Brown ware is still made in large quantities by Messrs. Drury, at 

 Youghal, and their ware is extensively used throughout the South. 

 At Belleek, ordinary white stoneware, of superior quality, is manu- 

 factured, and also the best Porcelain, not hitherto made in Ireland. 

 Mr. Gray explained the nature and origin of Porcelain— its intro- 

 duction into Europe, and the development of its manufacture in 

 England — particularly in Staffordshire, the great seat of the British 

 potteries. All the clay used for the manufacture of Porcelain in 

 Staffordshire has to be brought from Cornwall, where it occurs in 

 large quantities from the decomposition of the granite rock of the 

 district. Eighty thousand tons are annually sent to the potteries 

 from Cornwall. 



Granite is composed of three minerals — quartz, felspar, and mica ; 

 and the Cornish clay, or kaolin, is an accumulation of the felspar 

 from the decomposed granite, and has to be separated from particles 

 of the mica and quartz by laborious washing, &c. On the Castle- 

 caldwell estate, where Belleek is situated, there is no granite ; but 

 beds or veins of pure felspar occur over hundreds of acres, and it 

 is from this felspar that the clay for the various kinds of ware is 



