Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/240

Rh BEL! 230 BELFAST. v celebrated for their durability and are five Uon-mills, in which velvets, ieo, muslins, ic., arc manufactured. The. tlax-s|>i:. .10 has grown into grout importance, employing now, in the town and iU vicinity, 500,000 spindles. Calico- printing, bleaching, und dyeing arc carried on on a largo scale. There are 10 or 12 bleach-grounds within the parish. Other large and important establishments are the iron- foundries and mauufactoii works, glass-works, distilleries, extensive breweries, flour-mills, tanneries, &c. The making of rujK-s and sailcloth also employs many persons. Shipbuilding was introduced about 179'-, and luis grown into un imi branch of busiii' -The port of Belfast, now ranking .second in In land, was sub- ordinate to Carricktcrgus till nearly tho middle of the 17th century. In 17on there were not more than iiva vessels of small burden belonging to it, and its customs amounted, several years later, to not more than Xl/Jon. In 1786 the commerce had increased to 772 vessels entered inwards and outwards, with an aggregate ton- nage of 31,287 tons. After tho establishment of the linen manufacture its trade rapidly increased ; and the introduction of steamboats, about 1824, gave it still further extension. Since 1835 there is no accurate return of tho value of the imports and exports, but in that year tho imports were 3,699,438, and tho exports wore 4,341,701. They are now probably double ; and tho number of vessels registered as belonging to tho port vary in the last ten years from 450 to 460, with an average tonnage of 80,000 tons. The foreign commerce is chiefly with the Un terranean, and tho Baltic ; the colonial, with British North America, West Indies, &c. It has also u extensive and important coasting and cross-channel trade, about 30 steamers being regularly engaged in plying between Belfast and the chief ports of Great Britain. The imports consist principally of linen yarn, woollens, cotton, coals, flax-seed, hemp, tallow, timber, &.c. ; and tho exports, of corn, flour, linen and cotton manufactured goods, provisions, eggs, flax, &c. The lough, about 12 miles in length, C miles broad at tho entrance, and having an average breadth of 4 miles, forms one of tho safest and best harbours in tho world. Tho port and harbour are under the management of n corporation constituted in 1831, when tho old Ballast Board was abolished. Great improvements have been made in tho harbour by the formation of docks and quays, and by cutting a deep channel from the quays to Garmoyle, 3 miles distant. In this cut, which is 200 yards wide, there is never less than feet c.f and at high water of spring tides, vessels drawing 1 can approach the quays. In the process <. the channel, three islands have been formed ; the largest, named Queen's Island, has been planted and laid out in public walks, and a building of iron and glass within it i bazaars, &c. A lighthouse hat also been erect it is of wood, and i on piles about 30 feet above the level of high water. Do- naghadee and Larne are subordinate ports to )' A magnificent building for the II offices has been erected, in the Italian My].-, with a fine tower, fronting the Clarendon dock. Under the I Act the borough is divided into live wards nr mnn districts, and is govern) 1 by a mayor, 10 aid. and 30 councillors. It returned two to the Irish Par; on 1613 till the Union ; one m to tie Parliament from t of the Reform ' which it has re! Tho suburb of 1' 'tt, in tbe county of. is included within tin 1 limit." of t'i" bm-nut;h, which itb a |KI], illation of i v. horn tiitls; 218 are of the Society of Friends | 11. 209 of otii A com by the corporation, has the mann. u. Tho w: Belfast is a coastguard und chief ]wlitu h ' >a *^^B| head-quarters of the north military i!. .iily militia, and tl Union ad excise districts. Tho ani formerly hold at ' u>, have i since 1850. Quarter sessions for th held here in -ith four other sessions for the borough are h. M daily, and goun sessions once a quarter. Kino we. published in the town. Belfast gn and baron t. . The living ia a vie. in the dioc. of !>: Dromore, of the vul. of 501, in the ; Marquis of Donegal. The parish chinch, v. Inch >!:.. i in Don jal-itreet, was built in 1778 by : Donegal, and is dedieati d to St. Anne. It i> i.f Orecui | architect me, with. copper and a wooden spire. The old portico has been remort and a new one erected, not in harmony with the rot o: ' tho building. Tho living of St. George's >* a ovHNI] 111, in the patron, of the vicar. The church, ^^^B in High-street, stands on the bite of an ui.. : i:t ouu. It is chiefly remarkable for its fine Coii: originally part of the palace built at 1' the Earl of Bristol, Bishop of 1 hither on the takii of Christ Church, .Mm, are ita curacies, in the patron, of the i :r. '1 i other churches of the i nt. BulfMl^^HI seat of the Roman Catholic s( I Down and the residence of the bishop. The elegant structure i;i the form of a cross, and in I alar stylo of architecture, i.-, side of the town. It is de< Roman ( '.itholie-, have tin. the town. There are 18 belongiiu ! of which are lui to the different sections of Method! rians; and others to the Baj of Friends, and Monnonites. 11. presbytery. The educational, literary, and institutions of Belfast arc numerou their head is the Queen's College, found passed in 1845, and n].. :. .1 in ' liuildings are in the Tudor style, and architectural ornament of the town. good situation in the south suburbs, and, grounds belonging to them, cover an a 1 They comprise a large hall, several 1' labor*: :nn, and library. A botanic connected with the college. The college is i >'irs in tin and law. Al.ove 50 scholar..! The Pres i is.'i.'i. The l;. i. ting to -J.;.OtlO. Tin a college and n n i It lias about 400 I v, in I). .n< fou and t : . i teachers of the classics, nutM A mod. 1 training sch style of architecture. '1! oil. - rf, . for ],r.. m .;in:r KIP -. 1~H i library, &i l.snl ; the II ii 1811 ; tli in 1S21, with a good museum; thel rmcd in 1827, by members of tho 1
 * 0.700 are