BELFAST is the principal place of trade in Ireland, and has increased in wealth and population with great rapidity. In 1758 the number of looms was 399. The spinning of cotton by machinery was introduced in 1777, and of linen in 1808. In 1838 there were 50 steam-engines of an aggregate of 1274 horse-power engaged in the spinning'of linen and cotton yarns. In 1841 the number of steam mills for spinning linen yarn was 25 ; one of which employed 800 persons ; and since then the number and extent of the mills has greatly increased. In 1792 ship-building was first commenced here : there are now four large ship yards in full employment. The registry of shipping belonging to the port, the arrival and departure of laden ships, the quantity of imports and exports, and the amount of customs' revenue, have all increased with great rapidity during the last few years.
The manufacture of linens, damasks, and diapers is carried on in all its branches with great activity. In the ornamental wrappers alone in which the linens are made up for the foreign market, a sum of 80,0001. a year is said to be expended. In cottons the principal articles manufactured are velvets, fustians, jeans, ticking, ginghams, qualtings, calico mus lins. Calico printing is carried on extensively at Whitehouse, and there are in the town and vicinity numerous dye-works, bleach-works, and print fields. The total number of spin dles employed in the linen and cotton facto ries was computed in 1837 at 982,000. Since that time the number has probably increased more than half. There is also a very large trade in cured provisions. In the town and vicinity are several extensive foundries and machine making establishments, where all kinds of steam-engines and mill machinery are made. Orders have recently been exe cuted at the iron-works of Messrs. MacAdam for St. Petersburg and Cairo.
The Royal Society for the Promotion and Improvement of the growth of Flax in Ire land has its office in Belfast. It was esta
blished in 1811 by some Belfast merchants, who perceived the great importance of pro viding the market in Ireland and Great Bri tain, with a home-grown article, instead of purchasing it as heretofore from abroad at an annual average cost of 6,000,0001. A staff of agriculturists trained in the most approved methods of management is retained by the society, and sent to give instructions to all parts of Ireland where there arc farming so cieties or landed proprietors subscribing to the society's funds. The cultivation of the flax-plant has by this means been largely in , troduced into many parts of the country where it was previously unknown. The recent im portant experiments concerning the growth and manufacture of flax are likely to be of great moment to Belfast. The School of Design, at Belfast, is one of the most flour ishing in the three kingdoms. In the middle of 1850 the number of pupils was no less than 148, many of whom are designers for damask weavers and muslin embroiderers.
Few towns in the empire have entered with more earnestness than Belfast into the prin ciple and details of the Industrial Exhibition of 1851. A managing committee has been chosen, and local juries are to be formed for selecting the specimens to be exhibited. The flax fabrics generally are to be divided by the Belfast Committee into three classes. 1st. Plain linens, and lawns. 2nd. Damasks, diapers, drills, and other twilled linens. 3rd. Cambrics, printed linens and cambrics, and handkerchiefs—plain, bordered, embroi dered, printed, and dyed. Each class is to contain specimens bleached, unbleached, and dyed. There will also be a very rich exhibi tion of Irish produce from Belfast.