WEXFORD, capital of the county of that name, a seaport, and parliamentary and municipal burgh, is situated at the mouth of the river Slaney, 74 m. s. from Dub lin, with which it communicates by the Wicklow, Wexford, and Waterford rail way, now completed. The pop. in '71 was 12,077, of whom 11,196 were Roman Catholics, 717 Protestant Episcopalians, and the rest Protestants of other denominatiOns. The town is situated on the south-western shore of the estuary of the Slaney, which is known as Wexford harbor. and along which the quay extends nearly 1000 yards, form ing a spacious and not inelegant terrace. Behind this, the town extends in two nearly parallel streets. There are two Protestant and three Catholic churches. Of the latter, two are modern and handsome structures. One of the former, St. Selsker's, is ancient, part of its walls dating from the English invasion. There are also a Presbyterian, a Methodist. and a Quaker meeting-house; a convent of Franciscan friars, five nunneries, a Roman Catholic college, and' ational, Christian Brothers', and conventual schools. Besides the union work-house, there are also an infirmary and a fever hospital. The only manufactures of any importance pursued are those of distillation and the grinding of corn; the chief industry of the town being in connection with the export trade of the county, already described. The position of Wexford for export trade, favorable in
itself, is much marred by the shallowness and intricate character of the channel of the Slaney, which has the further disadvantage of being obstructed by a bar. Great have been made, a patent slip and dock have been constructed, steamers arc employed in the export of cattle and provisions, and an active shipping trade is carried ou. The Wexford fisheries also have long been reckoned among the most valuable on the eastern coast. The town is extremely ancient, and was occupied by the Danes as one of their strongest settlements. From the time of the invasion, it became an English stronghold against the native population. During the civil wars of 1641, it was occupied by the confederated Catholics, but was taken by Cromwell in 1644. The insurgents of 1798 also had possession of it for a short time. Wexford returns one member to the imperial parliament. In, '77, 817 vessels, of 76,082 tons, entered, and 842, of 76,958 tons, cleared the port.