A War Memorial for Belfast. 11 



extension would open up a large and beautiful district for new 

 suburban residences. 



(/) Reclamation. A glance at the Map will show that we 

 have approximately four square miles of slob and shallows along 

 the sea front capalile of reclamation. Doubtless most of this is, 

 so to speak, ear-marked for docks and shipyards : but, bearing in 

 mind the direction of the prevailing wind, and the difficulties of 

 drainage, it would seem to me that most of the new industrial 

 enterprises which may be suggested in future should be located 

 on the flat reclaimed lands along the Shore Road. Any that 

 involve dirt or smoke or smell should assuredly be so limited ! 



(g) New Bouyidary. I have made a little sketch map 

 (Fig. 7) upon which I have indicated, very roughly, four or 

 five stages in the growth of Belfast. The little central oblong is 

 the city of 1685, the line around it is the boundary as it was 

 about 1789 : then comes a line which shows the present 

 populated area : outside these lines there is a heavy ])lack 

 line, with heavy dotted extensions. The first of these 

 indicates the territory which should be brought under the 

 control of the city as soon as it is possible to do so : and the 

 second is meant to suggest the directions in which still further 

 growth is likely to take place. It would be a principal function 

 of our Institute Committee to look into a whole series of 

 questions of this sort, and to suggest when and by how much the 

 borders of the city should be extended. 



{h) Government. One cannot look at a map such as this 

 without reflecting upon the manner of governing the community 

 which it represents. We have at least five separate local 

 authorities in Belfast, each of which is self-contained, and 

 each of which acts, to all intents and purposes, independent 

 of the other : these are the Corporation, the Harbour Board, 

 the Water Commissioners, the Board of Guardians and the 

 Commissioner of Police. Is it desirable that these should 

 forever be separated into the existing watertight compartments % 

 Or is it reasonable to hope that the City Government may 



