Manufactures and The linen man ufacture early took root in Ireland, and still continues to be its most important staple; and in every article, except lace and cambric, competes successfully with all other countries. It has in creased in a remarkable manner within the last 40 or 50 years, and Belfast, its centre, has now become the first city of Ireland in population as well as in manufacturing industry. The linen manufacture, indeed, is of importance; a large number of the factories are in Ulster. The cot ton manufacture has had a very different his tory, the number employed in this industry hav ing declined steadily from 1868. The woolen manufacture appears at the outset to have out stripped that of linen. It had at least made such progress as to alarm the woolen manufacturers of England, who, in a spirit of petty jealousy, petitioned the English parliament for its dis couragement, and succeeded. The Irish were prohibited from sending their woolens abroad, and could not even send them into England without paying an oppressive duty. Had the manufacture been suited to the country it might have surmounted all this absurdity and in justice; and, at all events, when these ceased to operate, would have revived. But the woolens of Ireland continue to be of .very secondary importance, and indeed the manufacture seems to have much decreased in recent years. The tweed has retained its popularity. The manu facture of Irish poplins (of woolen and silk, or woolen and flax or cotton) is very flourish ing. There are about 20 mills engaged in paper making. The brewing of beer and dis tillation of whisky form important items in the national production. The making of shirts and other clothing for men is a growing in dustry. During the later years of the 19th cen tury shipbuilding became quite prominent. The largest yards are at Belfast, where some 14,000 men and boys are employed. The vessels of the White Star line are all built in Belfast, where 21 vessels were launched in 1914, with a gross tonnage of 239,819, not including warships. Later statistics are not available. Shipbuilding and repairing are also carried on at Dublin, Londonderry and Haulbowline. Home in dustries still flourish; and the Irish hand-made laces and embroideries are still popular.
That of Ireland is not at all proportioned to her natural capabilities, and to the admirable facilities afforded by the excellent harbors situated on her coasts. The laws made by the British government to destroy the com merce of Ireland account in a large measure for the present condition of trade. The most im portant articles of export find a market in Great Britain. They consist, beside agricultural prod uce, of manufactured articles, particularly linen, but as the bulk of, such articles is very small in comparison with their value, the trade, or at least the shipping connected with them, holds only a secondary place. The trade with foreign countries is also inconsiderable. The principal imports are colonial produce, woolen and cotton goods, wheat, wool, coal and salt. Of the shipping employed in this trade only a mere fraction is Irish. Belfast, Cork and Dublin are the chief shipping ports. In 1913, the last normal year, the total tonnage of British and foreign shipping entered at Irish ports was as follows: Cork, 1,140,578; Belfast, 516,654; Dub lin, 237,080; cleared, Cork, 572,945; Belfast, 132,906; Dublin, 34,363. These figures do not
include coasting trade. See GREAT BRITAIN COM MERCE.
rivers of • Ireland form excellent navigable channels. In several of them, however, when the water was low, the navigation became seriously impeded by rocky shoals. In removing these, or in making arti ficial cuts for the purpose of avoiding them, vast sums have been expended. Improvements of equal importance have been made by the con struction of canals; but since the introduction of railroads, canals have in Ireland, as else where, sunk to a position of secondary import ance. There are 848 miles of canals, mainly owned by railway companies. Close on a million tons are carried annually over these waterways, producing a revenue of about $700,000. The principal canals are the Grand Canal, 1653/4 miles in length; the Royal Canal, miles; the Barrow Navigation, miles; the Newry Navigation, 35 miles; the Lagan Navigation, 2654 miles. With the exception of the Barrow Navigation, the Grand Canal and the Lagan Navigation, the dividends paid by the Irish canals in the possession of public companies are almost nominal. The Royal Canal yields a profitable return, but it is merged in the Mid land Great Western Railway. The Grand and Royal canals connect the important systems of the Shannon Navigation, in all 158 miles in length, with Dublin. The railroad system of Ireland has attained a considerable development. The roads are all constructed on a gauge of five feet three inches, which is compulsory The average cost of construction, including car• rying stock, is about $80,000 per mile. The principal railroads are the Northern Counties Railway, with a total length of 250 miles; the Dublin and South Eastern Railway, 170 miles in length; the Great Southern and Western, 1,092 miles; the Midland Great Western Railway, 546 miles (including the Dublin and Meath, Great Northern and Western, etc.) ; and the Great Northern of Ireland, 540 miles (including the Dublin and Belfast Junction). The most profitable of them are a short one connecting Dublin with Kingstown, and the Northern Counties. The total length of railways open for traffic in January 1914 was 3,409 miles. The capital of Irish railways at the end of 1916 was $198,385,000; receipts for that year $26,555,000.
Public Large sums have been ad vanced in loan by the sanction of the imperial Parliament•under various acts for public works and improvements in Ireland. The Irish Board of Public Works has charge of such grants and their expenditure ; the objects to which they are applied include landed improvements and drain age, fishery piers and harbors, roads, bridges and public buildings, tramways, light railways and certain lines of inland navigation and the preservation of ancient monuments. The corn missioners have authority to lend for the pur pose of any work for which county or borough councils are authorized • to borrow. The largest item of their expenditure has been devoted to the improvement of lands, river drainage and navigation, while numerous grants are made for the upkeep of public institutions, roads, bridges and docks, reclamation of lands, dwell ings for the poorer classes, teachers' residences, dispensaries, public health service, etc.