Irish Glass. 35 



Ireland. This glass-house was completed in August, 1785, and 

 commenced making bottles on the 17th of April, 1786. 



In Benn's History of Belfast it is stated that thirteen persons 

 subscribed ;!^ioo each for starting the glass bottle manufacture 

 in the town, and among these were Cunningham Greg, James T. 

 Kennedy, Charles Brett, Robert Hyndman, Hugh Hyndman, 

 John Cunningham, and John Smylie, the firm being known under 

 the name of John Smylie & Co. The following advertisement 

 appears in the Belfast News-Letter for April 21st, 1786 :— "Glass 

 bottles equal to any imported here are now ready for sale at the 

 New Glass-house, Belfast, at 22s. per gross tor twelves, thirteens 

 and fourteens, and 20s. for pints. Vitriol bottles, bell glasses of 

 all sizes, bottles for garde de vins, gooseberry botdes and every 

 other article in the black glass way to be had. Gentlemen may 

 have their initials stamped on their bottles for an additional 4s 4d. 

 per gross, besides paying for the stamp, or their name in full at a 

 reasonable rate in proportion to its length. The proprietors beg 

 to inform the public that in a short time they will make window 

 glass." 



On Monday, January 14th, 1788, Smylie & Co. commenced 

 making wmdow glass, and in 1789 stated that the crown glass made 

 at their glass-house was then, though not at first, superior to any 

 Bristol glass, and was fourteen per cent, cheaper. 



In 1792 Smylie & Co. erected a new glass-house for making 

 bottles, the old one being retained for making window glass and in 

 1794 advertised that they "had an extensive assortment of glass 

 bottles of superior quality to any formerly made in this kingdom. 



From 1789 to 1724 the value of Smylie's window glass varied 

 annually from about ;^4,ooo tO;^9,5oo. Bottle and window glass 

 continued to be made by Smylie & Co. for some years, but in 

 1809 the surviving partners offered for sale the entire concern 

 with the two glass-houses, either as a whole or in parts to suit 

 purchasers. Probably the manufacture ceased shortly after 1800 

 and the concerns were left idle, but in 1823 the whole of the 

 ground with extensive buildings, and one glass-house which was 

 j:8o feet in circumference and 150 feet high, and said to be the 



