February; our Cod is efteemed preferable to thofe taken in the North American feas, as Canada, the Banks of Newfoundland, &c. tho' at present very few are falted for exportation. The Ling are excellent in their kind, from three to four feet long, and are generally falted and dried, principally for home confumption. Mackerel are generally very plenty in their season, but for fome years they are not fo much about the coast of Dublin as formerly, feldom in Dublin markets above three days in the year. Turbot is commonly plenty and fold very reasonable. Herrings vifit our coafts yearly, generally about September, when amazing quantities are cuaght, particularly in the harbour of Dublin, which are large and juftly admired. The Nymph Fishing bank about 11 leagues S. S. E. from Dungarvan abounds with Cod, Hake, Ling, Skate, Bream, Whiting, RedGurnard and other fish, in 38 fathom water. If well-boats, fuch as are employed by the Hollanders in the North feas, were built in Ireland and ufed in our fisheries, it would tend greatly to the advantage of this kingdom; as fishermen could fish on the coaft for fome days and the fish would be preserved, and as we have great plenty of Fish of all 1 kinds upon our coafts, and our ports and bays are most happily fituated to carry on that valuable branch of trade, which all our neighbours, even upon our coaft, make fo great profit by and even fupply our markets

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with them fometimes at very exhorbitant prices. If our fishermen would exert themfelves, what advantages might not accrue from it, especially now, that the legislature has given us fo great a bounty and encouragement, as they have done by a late act of parliament, and by the many premiums offered yearly by the Dublin fociety?

a

FOUR COURT S.

In 1695 the Courts of Chancery, King's Bench, Common Pleas and Exchequer, were opened, for the diftribution of juftice, which were previously held in the Caftle of Dublin, and at Carlow and other places.

TRAD E

When the natural fituation of Ireland is confidered, its extended coafts, harbours, bays and rivers which are commodious for navigation, we may easily perceive how well it is formed and furnished for an extenfive traffic. All articles of wool and woollen goods; for wool and bay yarn are allowed to be freely exported by an act paffed in 1780, yet confiderable quantities are fmug gled into France to the great detriment of the English woollen manufactures. The chief manufactures of Ireland and the principal branch of its commerce, confift of woollen and linen cloth, yarn, lawns and cambricks, which are the principal source of whatever wealth there may be in this nation.

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In fome years they export confiderable quan tities of corn to Portugal, but when their crops fail, they are fupplied from England. A great number of hands might be employed in fhip-building, no inconfiderable branch of bufinefs. The chief articles of the importations of Ireland, consist in the following: Wine, brandy, tobacco, fpices, hops, coals, copper, block-tin, lead, all West India commodities, mercery, grocery and haberdashery, which are allowed by the late act to be imported immediately from abroad, yet the greater part of these are imported from England; cloths, equipages, houfhold furniture, and filks are manufactured in Ireland, as well as fine woollen cloth, under the encouragement and protection of the Dublin Society, and every day demonstrates our improvement in those manufactures, which only want encouragement, confiderable quantities of English fuperfine cloths are nevertheless daily imported. The prefent revenue of Ireland is estimated at about half a million yearly, the greatest part of which is appropriated in the fapport of government. It is acknowledged that it is the most advantageous trade which takes off the greatest quantity of the produce of a country, and especially of its manufactures, and which imports feweft commodities and thefe capable of farther improvement; for in that cafe there will be the greatest return in fpecie to make up the ballance. On the

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contrary, that is the moft difadvantageous trade, which takes off the smallest quantity of the produce of a country, and that unmanufactured, and in return imports the greateft quantity of commodities for luxury, and fully wrought up; in which cafe, the imports will exceed the exports in value. Agreeable to this rule, the trade of this kingdom with England is of great importance; fince it takes off about 1,659,000/ worth of our different commodities, which, according to the Cuftom-Houfe books and other authentic teftimonies, is nearly equal to two thirds of all our exports, and amongst the reft the greatest part of our linen manufacture; yet in one refpect it is in fome measure disadvantageous, as that trade, takes from us many articles quite raw and unmanufactured, and others not near half worked up to that height and perfection they carry them. It appears there have been in one year exported from hence to England, 33,600 untanned hides, 388,000 Ct. weight of tallow, 31,715 Ct. weight of linen yarn, 13,450 ftones of woollen yarn, 149,900 ftones of worfted. And we take of their commodities the following: near 30,000 barrels of beer and ale (porter breweries are now established in Ireland) 44,000 dozen of bottles (a free export is granted in this article) 230,000 tons of coals, befides confiderable quantities imported into creeks and havens, which are not entered in the Custom

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House books; 48,000 barrels of barley, large quantities of new and old drapery, numbers of creights of earthen ware and china, from Liverpool, &c. and above 23000 barrels of herrings, near 10,000 of which are imported from Holland-30,000 yards of bone lace, 180,000 yards of kentings, near 1,000,000 yards of muflin, 18,000 yards of linen, cotton, and filk, of British manufacture, befides confiderable quantities of India goods, filken manufactures, tobacco, rum, fugar, wines, &c. &c.

*

Several gentlemen who are great proficients in trade having intimated to me that a concise yet general account of our exportations and importations would be highly ac ceptable, I have mentioned them, and I hope it may tend to general information and improvement, as it is wrote with a liberal motive, and intended for the use of those who have not had fo good an opportunity of knowing that part of the trade of Ireland.

* Some of the greatest obftructions to the be→ nefits and encrease of the manufactures of Ireland, are the frequent riots and combinations among the manufacturers; it would be highly becoming the wifdom of our legislature to endeavour to adopt Some method to prevent them, as the legislature of England bath done. For this purpose beads of a bill were introduced in the Irish parliament in the feffions 1780.

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