Irish Linen and sotne Features of its Production. 2 1 



per cent, above that of raw flax. Cotton on the other hand was 

 very uniform in quality, and was cheaply carded with less loss of 

 material or of weight. Its elasticity allowed of the employment of 

 machinery so largely automatic that the number of workers in a 

 cotton mill would be about one quarter of those in a flax mill of 

 the same number of spindles, while at the same time the turn-off 

 of a cotton spindle was considerably greater than that of a flax 

 spindle. The advantage in favour of cotton did not end with its 

 conversion into yarn, for it was more easily woven than linen, and 

 finally it was bleached more quickly with less risk of damage and 

 with less loss of weight. Nothing but the inherent beauty and 

 excellence of the flax fibre had permitted its survival of competition 

 so formidable. The position of the linen trade was a trying one, 

 but the experience of the past led to the hope that the staple trade 

 of Ulster would continue to survive during many future generations. 

 To have held the supremacy in the fine linen trade against the 

 world was, he considered, another flag saved by Ulstermen for the 

 British Empire. 



A cordial vote of thanks to the lecturer was passed, on the 

 motion of Mr. James Ireland, seconded by Mr, John MacKenzie, 

 J P., and the proceedings terminated. 



