An ACCOUNT of the Total Number of Decked and Half-Decked VESSELS, together with Undecked or Open Boats, of every description, registered and employed in the FISHERIES; also their Tonnage and Number of Men employed therein, in the Year ended 5th April, 1825. GRAND JURY PRESENTMENTS. Abstract of the Accounts of Presentments of the Expense of Roads, Bridges, Gaols, Police, &c., made by the Grand Juries of the several Counties, Cities, and Towns in Ireland, pursuant to Act 4 Geo. IV. c. 33, § 18, in the Year 1824. £ 8. d. .36,813 6 8 .24,239 17 8 County of. .Antrim County of the town of Carrickfer. County of...... City of. County of.. LINEN TRADE. First REPORT from the Select Committee of the 1. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That it is expedient to place the Irish manufacturers of linen on the same footing in respect of the free use of British mill-spun yarn, 24,539 19 14 and foreign yarn, with the English and Scotch 6,150 8 0 471 17 6 .23,904 15 10 72,803 12 114 29,893 12 44 .Donegal ..25,528 8 94 .32,025 8 2 Down ...... County of the town of Drogheda 1,177 13 0 City of... King's County City of........... .18,128 10 ...15,410 13 0 ...... manufacturers. 2. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That it is expedient to repeal or lower the duties on foreign undressed flax, dressed flax and yarn. 6 May, 1825. Second REPORT from the Select Committee on the Linen Trade of Ireland. 1. Resolved,- That it is the opinion of this Committee, That Ireland has claims undoubtedly strong upon the Parliament of the United Kingdom, for every aid and encouragement necessary to the maintenance and support o the linen manufacture, at least to the extent of the Annual Parliamentary Grant made and confirmed under circumstances detailed in a docuLeitrim 13,028 13 11|ment in the Appendix, numbered 1. Limerick. ......31,195 10 G 2. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That the laws which relate to this important branch of the public industry of Ire. land require revision and amendment, and many of them that were wise and necessary at the time of their enactment, and under which the manufacture in its origin throve, would, if now enforced, produce much inconvenience, if not a serious injury, in many particulars, to the interests of the manufacture; and such laws ought therefore to be repealed. 3. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That, proceeding in the considera. tion of those laws according to the order in which they affect the manufacture, it appears to this Committee, that it would not be expedient to alter the system of the inspection of flax-seed previous to the first of July, 1826, before which time the policy of continuing that inspection may be further investigated. or restriction, unless when brought to public fair or market for sale. 4. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this 10. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That Irish flax would be in very Committee, That a fund being provided for the extensive and increased demand for exportation encouragement and advancement of the linen for the use of the British manufacturers of mill- manufacture of Ireland, and legislative enactspun linen yarn, if brought to market in a clean ments for the regulation of that manufacture regular made-up state, and would thus be being necessary, together with officers appointed equally applicable to and sought for by those responsible for the execution thereof, some manufacturers, and answer all the purposes of superintending authority is required to make their manufacture, as any foreign flax whatso- due application of such fund, to control the ever; but they supply themselves to a comparatively small extent with Irish flax, in consequence of the dirty imperfect state in which it is offered for sale, to the injury of the growers and vendors of the article, to the amount of from twenty-five to thirty per cent on the value. 5. Resolved,―That it is the opinion of this Committee, That it is therefore expedient to provide, that flax fraudulently made up for sale in public market shall be punishable by small fines, recoverable before a magistrate on the complaint of a purchaser:-And it is further the opinion of this Committee, That the attention of the Linen Board ought to be very particularly directed to the best practice of making up flax for sale, to the most effectual method of giving publicity to that system, and of encouraging the dealers in flax to adopt it. 6. Resolved,―That it is the opinion of this Committee, That the further advancement, prosperity, and success, of the linen manufacture in Ireland will very much depend upon bringing into general use the improved description of scutch-mill for dressing flax, and upon establishing mill-machinery for spinning linen yarn, which will not, in the opinion of this Committee, interfere with the interests of the spinner of hand-spun yarn, as both mill and handspun yarn are required, and in great demand, for different parts of the manufacture of linen. 7. Resolved,— That it is the opinion of this Committee, That it is expedient that Irish yarn, exposed for sale in public market, be subjected to regulations respecting length and count, and equal quality; such regulations to be enforced (not as at present, by the forfeiture of the yarn, but) by small fines, recoverable before a magistrate. 8. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That it is expedient to exempt foreign and British yarn, imported into Ireland, from any regulation, or by any inspection of any public officer. 9. Resolved,— That it is the opinion of this Committee, That all brown linen exposed to sale in a public market, shall be subject to the present legislative regulations in respect to the lengths, breadths, measurement, sealing and inspection of said linens; such regulations to be enforced by small fines, recoverable before a magistrate; but neither Irish yarn nor brown linen cloth shall be subject to any legislative rule conduct of such officers, to receive and decide upon the claims of those taking interest in promoting the manufacture, and in hearing and redressing the complaints of parties concerned in or connected with the trade. 11. Resolved,—That it is the opinion of this Committee, That the distribution of the small utensils, consisting of wheels and reels, heretofore placed at the individual disposal of the members of the Linen Board, may be discontinued for the future, without any injury to the linen trade. 12. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That the linen trade having acquired a degree of advancement in the north of Ireland highly beneficial to the industry, wealth, and moral habits of the people, a most zealous attention ought to be exerted for the purpose of extending that trade into the other parts of Ireland. 13. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That the rooms, buildings, and premises, in the Linen and Yarn Halls of Dublin ought to be let for any term not exceeding seven years, to the factors and others engaged in the linen and yarn trade of Ireland, or to persons concerned in any of the other manufactures of Ireland, for their accommodation, and for the storing the produce of these manufactures. 14. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That the Chairman do report these Resolutions to the House; and move for leave to bring in a Bill grounded thereon. 7 June, 1825. An Appendix to the foregoing Report contains an account of the origin and particulars of the Annual Parliamentary Grant for the maintenance of the Linen and Hempen Manufactures of Ireland. Third REPORT from the Select Committee on the Linen Trade of Ireland. AMONG the many parliamentary inquiries which have lately been made into the internal condition of Ireland, your Committee feel that the subject referred to them for investigation is amongst the most important; inasmuch as the linen manufacture (tracing it through all its various stages, from the culture of the flax to the weaving of the linen,) affords employment and support to a far greater portion of the people of that country, than any other branch of public | flax are extremely defective, and very injuri industry, and is intimately connected with the ously so to the cultivators and manufacturers, peace and prosperity of Ireland. and ought to be brought to public market in a state perfectly free from any fraudulent mode of making it up that could impose upon a pur. chaser; and it has been made clear to your Committee, from the evidence of intelligent persons, that Irish-grown flax, if properly managed and judiciously made up for sale in a clean and uniform state, would eventually supply the British manufacturer of linen, and thus become a branch of very profitable export. Your Committee accordingly entered on the subject submitted to their consideration, with an anxiety proportionate to its importance, and called before them several witnesses well informed in the business of the linen trade, as it is carried on in Ireland, and some persons also, who are extensively engaged in it in England and Scotland. Your Committee have thereby been enabled to compare the different habits of pursuing the same manufacture in different parts of the same empire. The evidence of these witnesses is annexed to this Report, together with an Appendix, containing a document illustrative of the origin of the manufacture in Ireland, and its continued claim to parliamentary support; also returns shewing the present extent of the trade, the expense of the establishment under the direction of the Linen Board, and the appropriation of their funds. Your Committee have likewise subjoined several Resolutions, containing their opinions upon some of the principal divisions of their inquiry, which have been already reported to the House; but in presenting them again as a part of their final Report, they deem it necessary to accompany them with a few observations. In considering the laws relating to the linen trade of Ireland, your Committee found that many of them, which were deemed wise and necessary at the time of their enactment, have become inapplicable to the present usages of the trade, and if now enforced would produce great inconvenience, and ought therefore to be repealed; and as others of them required much revision and amendment, your Committee have therefore thought it expedient to propose the consolidation into one Act of all such provisions as are found to be necessary for the future regulation of the trade. A bill for this purpose has been accordingly prepared, which does not, however, notice the duty on the importation of foreign dressed flax, a reduction of which duty, already recommended by your Committee in their first Report, has been adopted and provided for in the Customs bill. With respect to foreign and British yarns, your Committee recommend that they should be henceforth exempted from all examination by a public officer; but that the existing regula tions, in regard to the sale of Irish yarns and brown linens, should be continued under certain modifications and diminutions of penalties; but with this provision, affecting each of these three different branches of the trade, that none of these regulations shall affect any Irish flax, or Irish yarn, or Irish brown linen, except such as shall be exposed to sale in public and open market; leaving, at the same time, all persons free to sell at other times and places, when and where they may think most convenient. But while, from an unwillingness to force any hasty changes upon the settled habits of a people long engaged in an established manufacture, your Committee thus recommend to the Legislature the policy of continuing to give a legal sanction to some parts of the system of regula. tion by which it has been governed, they still hold it to be their duty to this House, as well as to those who are engaged in the linen trade of Ireland, to state unreservedly their own opi nions upon this most important subject. The system of conducting the linen manu facture in England and Scotland, as described to your Committee by the witnesses from those countries, appears to be in many instances preferable to that which is pursued in Ireland. The different branches of the trade in Great Britain are divided among different persons, each of those branches becoming a separate business in itself; and this division of labour necessarily leads to a better economy of time, and the production of more even and better The inspection of foreign flax-seed by a public fabrics, all which advantages might be radu. officer on importation, for the purpose of ascer-ally introduced into Ireland; and it is only by taining its soundness and fitness for sowing, had gradual measures these improvements can be hitherto been carefully provided for by law. The necessity of such inspection has, however, been lately questioned; and, pursuant to a recommendation of your Committee, the bill provides for the repeal of such inspection from and after the 1st of July, 1826; by which time the policy of continuing that inspection, in respect to which there exists so much diversity of opinion, may be further considered and investigated. obtained. Your Committee abstain from offering any opinion on the policy of collecting the peasantry into towns or villages, or disturbing their present habits of mixing agricultural with manu. facturing occupation. With a view to the introduction of this im. proved division of business, your Committee would chiefly direct the attention of the Linen Board to forward, by every means in their It has appeared to your Committee, that the power, all possible improvement in the culti preparation and management of Irish-grown | vation and the dressing of the flax. The efforts which the Board have already made towards last twenty years in Great Britain in the maencouraging the erection of flax mills, should chinery for spinning yarn. Mill-spun yarn, therefore be followed up with increased anxiety, about twenty years ago, could not be made finer so as to have the flax brought to market in the than fifteen cuts to the pound; but within that cleanest condition and at the cheapest rate. time it has been raised to near fifty, and very Your Committee are disposed to dwell upon considerable advance in the fineness of mill. this subject, as it is of considerable importance, spun yarn is still further expected. not merely to the interests of Ireland, but to those of the empire at large; for so long as we are obliged to import from foreign countries this elementary part of the linen manufacture, so long must those countries who engage in that manufacture themselves possess an advantage over our own; and there is every reason to believe that Ireland, by an extended cultivation and improved treatment of her flax, might, without at all encroaching upon the quantity necessary for her home consumption, supply the demands of the British market. In recommending the establishing of the spinning mill, your Committee do not apprehend any injury to the hand spinners. Every thing that tends to improve and cheapen the manufacture, will increase the demand for it; and therefore, instead of fearing any want of employment for them, an increased consumption of their yarn is rather to be looked for; and the more so, if greens for the bleaching of yarn shall be established. With respect to the business of weaving, your Committee are of opinion, that it is now carried on more beneficially in England and Scotland for the weaver than in Ireland, who is generally the owner of the cloth he makes, mostly performing all those previous processes in his own imperfect way, each of which would be better executed if made a separate business in itself, and carried on with better means and more intelligence than the weaver is found to possess. It will, however, be the duty of the Linen Board, so long as the present system lasts, to assist the weaver by procuring information for him upon every improvement adopted in Great Britain; such as models of the newest fly shuttles and most approved looms, with which he ought to be made familiar. Your Committee do not, however, recommend the weaving business in Ireland to be assimilated to the better system of Great Britain by any interference of the Legislature, which never should concern itself, except when it was abso Next in importance to the dressing of the flax, is the spinning and sale of the yarn, which, from the evidence before your Committee, are carried on in Ireland in a way very capable of improvement. It has been stated to your Committee, that the Irish spinner too often endeavours to get the greatest possible length of thread out of a given quantity of flax, without any regard to what may be the quality of that thread when produced. Thus, four to five hanks of yarn are often spun out of that quantity of flax, which, to make good cloth, ought not to have been spun into more than two. A poor raw thread, incapable of producing a good stout fabric, is thereby sent among the weavers, to the great injury of the manufacture. But the evils of this branch of the trade do not end here. Almost the whole of the spinning is carried on by poor people, who naturally look with anxiety to the time the market-day comes round, for which they seek to provide them-lutely necessary, with the internal management selves with as much yarn as they are able, of any manufacture. This system has already gathering it up from every member of their own begun in the North, and it is chiefly through families, sometimes from those of their neigh- that intelligent portion of the country that we bours, and always more anxious about the bulk can hope to establish any great improvement of of their bunches, than desirous of sorting them this kind. A very well-informed witness, who according to the different grists of the different carried on the linen trade in Scotland, says, yarns that compose them. Thus the two things" The best sheeting that I have ever seen made Essentially necessary to enable a weaver to make" in Ireland, is made by a manufacturer who good linen are too often denied to him; namely," employs a number of weavers, and which cloth good and even yarns well assorted. Towards "never came to the brown market, but was accomplishing these important objects, your" sold directly to the bleachers." This is by Committee look forward to the introduction of no means a single case, as there are extensive the spinning by machinery, and the establishment of yarn greens, to be kept by persons who would buy up the yarn from the hand spinners, and bleach and assort it, and prepare it for the weavers, so that each man who came to buy from them might be able at once to provide himself with as much as he wanted of that particular kind of yarn, unmixed with any other, that was suitable to the particular quality of linen he was preparing to weave. It appears from the evidence before your Committee, that considerable improvements have been made in the manufacturers who buy and give out the yarn to weavers to be woven into cloth, and have become a numerous class of persons in the North; and the more they increase, the more it will be for the benefit of Ireland. The weaver, who works for another, must save all that time which he now consumes in going to and returning from market; and all those fluctuations in the price of linen, which now fall upon himself, would in that case fall upon the person who employed him. Thus the situation of the working weavers would be improved without necessitat. ing any change in their numbers, or in their a material degree against the general trade of dispersed residences throughout the country the country. The manufacture he was conparts of Ireland, or any alteration in their local comforts in any way whatsoever. Your Committee have endeavoured thus shortly to offer their views of the present state of the linen manufacture, which is of such essential importance to Ireland, together with their suggestions for its improvement; and beg leave to state, that the continuation of a superintending authority to regulate its concerns, so long as they shall be affected by legal provisions, is, in the opinion of your Committee, necessary, as well as to make judicious appropriation of the annual grant of Parliament, still usefully voted for the encouragement and advancement of the state of the manufacture of Ireland. 22 June, 1825. To this Report are attached Minutes of the evidence taken before the Committee. The number of witnesses examined was seventeen. The following is the substance of the evidence given by a few of the principal witnesses. Lived at cerned in was a different one from the general manufacture of the country; which was, that every man wove for himself, bought his yarn in the market, brought his cloth, and exposed it for sale: now those regulations were quite sufficient to prevent foreign yarn being exposed ; for according to the order of the Linen Board, which he believed was the law of the land, all yarn must be made up in a particular manner. The effect which would be produced upon the home-manufactured yarn of Ireland, by doing away the regulations that prevented the sale of foreign linen yarn in the country, he should think would be to reduce the price of it something, by creating a greater supply. He did not think the regulations to which the homemanufactured yarn in Ireland was subjected, could safely be abandoned; because he thought all the linen yarn exposed to sale in the markets, every piece of it, the hank, as they called it, should contain a certain quantity, that was a certain length; all the weavers had been in the Substance of Evidence. habit of buying it of that certain length, and Mr. GEORGE GRIER examined. they knew the degree of fineness of it; and in Largan, in the north of Ireland. Up to last the manufacture every hank of each particular year was an extensive manufacturer of diaper, fineness must be sorted and put together; and damask, and sheeting. Was also a linen there would be no check on the sale of that hank bleacher. Had been in the habit of purchasing of yarn, if it was not known to contain a certain linen yarn, the manufacture of Ireland, to a quantity; of course the price could not be fixed. considerable extent, which he gave out to He was of opinion, that subjecting the linen weavers to be wove for him. Was in the habit yarn of Ireland to regulations was eventually of employing from one hundred to one hundred for the advantage of all parties. He was not and fifty weavers. The Irish manufactured clear that the trade in general had a greater yarn that he purchased, answered for the dif-interest in admitting freely foreign yarn; but ferent descriptions of linen he had wove on his his opinion was, that as it was admissible into own account. The yarn that he made use of England and Scotland, it should also be into hitherto was exclusively of Irish manufacture. Ireland. He should think it of more advantage In fact it was necessary it should be so; for he to Ireland, if it was not admitted into either bleached the cloth of his own manufacture, and country. He conceived that the free admission they got a drawback on the ashes that they of it into Great Britain gave that country great used, on the potashes and the barilla; and they advantage over Ireland. The weaver of the had to swear that the cloth they bleached was north of Ireland had not been in the habit of made of yarn of Irish manufacture, otherwise using the foreign yarn. In some very fine yarn they would not get the drawback. Was not they had had some partial experience; very fine aware of the quality of foreign linen yarn made French yarn had been imported from time to use of in Scotland and in England. Could not time in small quantities in the neighbourhood say, therefore, how far it was better or worse, of the town he lived in, and it was preferred to for the purpose of carrying on his manufacture, the home-spun. The finest yarn he had ever except from the linen; the damask and diaper seen was not French-spun yarn. He had seen that he saw here, manufactured in Scotland, hanks of yarn that had been exposed for curiosity was of a superior quality to the Irish, which he | — Irish linen yarn. The yarn of commerce in attributed to the yarn. He thought, as a manufacturer, he should derive advantage from having the facility of making use of foreign yarn. One of the impediments to his making use of foreign yarn at present was what he mentioned before, with respect to the drawback on the materials made use of in bleaching. He was aware that there were regulations that would subject foreign yarn, if exposed to sale, to be seized. He did not conceive that that would operate with him as a large manufacturer, but it would operate in Lurgan, some ten or twenty years ago, was made of the very finest kind; but then there was an alteration in the duties on French cambrics, which knocked up their fine cambric trade: since that, none of their yarn of com. merce had been made so fine. When he said that he conceived it would be better if foreign yarn were excluded from the United Kingdom, he conceived that, so excluding foreign yarn, the trade of the United Kingdom would be able to compete with Germany and Russia in the |