men of invention and industry-第50部分

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fishing　trade；　and　consequently　adding　to　their　shipping；

commerce；　and　wealth。　　〃Surely；〃　he　says；　〃the　stream　is

necessary　to　be　turned　to　the　good　of　this　kingdom；　to　whose

sea…coasts　alone　God　has　sent　us　these　great　blessings　and

immense　riches　for　us　to　take；　and　that　every　nation　should　carry

away　out　of　this　kingdom　yearly　great　masses　of　money　for　fish

taken　in　our　seas；　and　sold　again　by　them　to　us；　must　needs　be　a

great　dishonour　to　our　nation；　and　hindrance　to　this　realm。〃



The　Hollanders　then　had　about　50；000　people　employed　in　fishing

along　the　English　coast；　and　their　industry　and　enterprise　gave

employment　to　about　150；000　more；　〃by　sea　and　land；　to　make

provision；　to　dress　and　transport　the　fish　they　take；　and　return

commodities；　whereby　they　are　enabled　yearly　to　build　1000　ships

and　vessels。〃　　The　prosperity　of　Amsterdam　was　then　so　great　that

it　was　said　that　Amsterdam　was　〃founded　on　herring…bones。〃　

Tobias　Gentleman　published　in　1614　his　treatise　on　'England's　Way

to　win　Wealth；　and　to　employ　Ships　and　Marines；'＇16＇　in　which　he

urged　the　English　people　to　vie　with　the　Dutch　in　fishing　the

seas；　and　thereby　to　give　abundant　employment；　as　well　as

abundant　food；　to　the　poorer　people　of　the　country。



〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃on　these　fellows；　that　we　call　the　plump

Hollanders；　behold　their　diligence　in　fishing；　and　our　own

careless　negligence！〃　　The　Dutch　not　only　fished　along　the　coasts

near　Yarmouth；　but　their　fishing　vessels　went　north　as　far　as　the

coasts　of　Shetland。　　What　most　roused　Mr。　Gentleman's　indignation

was；　that　the　Dutchmen　caught　the　fish　and　sold　them　to　the

Yarmouth　herring…mongers　〃for　ready　gold；　so　that　it　amounteth　to

a　great　sum　of　money；　which　money　doth　never　come　again　into

England。〃　　〃We　are　daily　scorned；〃　he　says；　〃by　these　Hollanders；

for　being　so　negligent　of　our　Profit；　and　careless　of　our

Fishing；　and　they　do　daily　flout　us　that　be　the　poor　Fishermen　of

England；　to　our　Faces　at　Sea；　calling　to　us；　and　saying；　'Ya

English；　ya　sall　or　oud　scoue　dragien；'　which；　in　English；　is

this；　'You　English；　we　will　make　you　glad　to　wear　our　old

Shoes！'〃



Another　pamphlet；　to　a　similar　effect；　'The　Royal　Fishing

revived；'＇17＇　was　published　fifty　years　later；　in　which　it　was

set　forward　that　the　Dutch　〃have　not　only　gained　to　themselves

almost　the　sole　fishing　in　his　Majesty's　Seas；　but　principally

upon　this　Account　have　very　near　beat　us　out　of　all　our　other

most　profitable　Trades　in　all　Parts　of　the　World。〃　It　was　even

proposed　to　compel　〃all　Sorts　of　begging　Persons　and　all　other

poor　People；　all　People　condemned　for　less　Crimes　than　Blood；〃　as

well　as　〃all　Persons　in　Prison　for　Debt；〃　to　take　part　in　this

fishing　trade！　　But　this　was　not　the　true　way　to　force　the

traffic。　　The　herring　fishery　at　Yarmouth　and　along　the　coast

began　to　make　gradual　progress　with　the　growth　of　wealth　and

enterprise　throughout　the　country；　though　it　was　not　until

1787less　than　a　hundred　years　agothat　the　Yarmouth　men　began

the　deep…sea　herring　fishery。



Before　then；　the　fishing　was　all　carried　on　along　shore　in　little

cobles；　almost　within　sight　of　land。　　The　native　fishery　also

extended　northward；　along　the　east　coast　of　Scotland　and　the

Orkney　and　Shetland　Isles；　until　now　the　herring　fishery　of

Scotland　forms　one　of　the　greatest　industries　in　the　United

Kingdom；　and　gives　employment；　directly　or　indirectly；　to　close

upon　half　a　million　of　people；　or　to　one…seventh　of　the　whole

population　of　Scotland。



Taking　these　facts　into　consideration；　therefore；　there　is　no

reason　to　despair　of　seeing；　before　many　years　have　elapsed；　a

large　development　of　the　fishing　industry　of　Ireland。　　We　may　yet

see　Galway　the　Yarmouth；　Achill　the　Grimsby；　and　Killybegs　the

Wick　of　the　West。　　Modern　society　in　Ireland；　as　everywhere　else；

can　only　be　transformed　through　the　agency　of　labour；　industry；

and　commerceinspired　by　the　spirit　of　work；　and　maintained　by

the　accumulations　of　capital。　　The　first　end　of　all　labour　is

security；security　to　person；　possession；　and　property；　so　that

all　may　enjoy　in　peace　the　fruits　of　their　industry。　　For　no

liberty；　no　freedom；　can　really　exist　which　does　not　include　the

first　liberty　of　allthe　right　of　public　and　private　safety。



To　show　what　energy　and　industry　can　do　in　Ireland；　it　is　only

necessary　to　point　to　Belfast；　one　of　the　most　prosperous　and

enterprising　towns　in　the　British　Islands。　　The　land　is　the　same；

the　climate　is　the　same；　and　the　laws　are　the　same；　as　those

which　prevail　in　other　parts　of　Ireland。　　Belfast　is　the　great

centre　of　Irish　manufactures　and　commerce；　and　what　she　has　been

able　to　do　might　be　done　elsewhere；　with　the　same　amount　of

energy　and　enterprise。　　But　it　is　not　land；　or　climate；　or

altered　laws　that　are　wanted。　　It　is　men　to　lead　and　direct；　and

men　to　follow　with　anxious　and　persevering　industry。　　It　is

always　the　Man　society　wants。



The　influence　of　Belfast　extends　far　out　into　the　country。　　As

you　approach　it　from　Sligo；　you　begin　to　see　that　you　are　nearing

a　place　where　industry　has　accumulated　capital；　and　where　it　has

been　invested　in　cultivating　and　beautifying　the　land。　　After　you

pass　Enniskillen；　the　fields　become　more　highly　cultivated。　　The

drill…rows　are　more　regular；　the　hedges　are　clipped；　the　weeds　no

longer　hide　the　crops；　as　they　sometimes　do　in　the　far　west。　　The

country　is　also　adorned　with　copses；　woods；　and　avenues。　　A　new

crop　begins　to　appear　in　the　fieldsa　crop　almost　peculiar　to

the　neighbourhood　of　Belfast。　　It　is　a　plant　with　a　very　slender

erect　green　stem；　which；　when　full　grown；　branches　at　the　top

into　a　loose　corymb　of　blue　flowers。　　This　is　the　flax　plant；　the

cultivation　and　preparation　of　which　gives　employment　to　a　great

number　of　persons；　and　is　to　a　large　extent　the　foundation　of　the

prosperity　of　Belfast。



The　first　appearance　of　the　linen　industry　of　Ireland；　as　we

approach　Belfast　from　the　west；　is　observed　at　Portadown。　　Its

position　on　the　Bann；　with　its　water　power；　has　enabled　this

town；　as　well　as　the　other　places　on　the　river；　to　secure　and

maintain　their　due　share　in　the　linen　manufacture。　　Factories

with　their　long　chimneys　begin　to　appear。　　The　fields　are　richly

cultivated；　and　a　general　air　of　well…being　pervades　the

district。　　Lurgan　is　reached；　so　celebrated　for　its　diapers；　and

the　fields　there　about　are　used　as　bleaching…greens。　　　Then　comes

Lisburn；　a　populous　and　thriving　town；　the　inhabitants　of　which

are　mostly　engaged　in　their　staple　trade；　the　manufacture　of

damasks。　　This　was　really　the　first　centre　of　the　linen　trade。　

Though　Lord　Strafford；　during　his　government　of　Ireland；

encouraged　the　flax　industry；　by　sending　to　Holland　for

flax…seed；　and　　inviting　Flemish　and　French　artisans　to　settle　in

Ireland；　it　was　not　until　the　Huguenots；　who　had　been　banished

from　France　by　the　persecutions　of　Louis　XIV。；　settled　in　Ireland

in　such　large　numbers；　that　the　manufacture　became　firmly

established。　　The　Crommelins；　the　Goyers；　and　the　Dupres；　were

the　real　founders　of　this　great　branch　of　industry。＇18＇



As　the　traveller　approaches　Belfast；　groups　of　houses；　factories；

and　works　of　various　kinds；　appear　closer　and　closer；　long

chimneys　over　boilers　and　steam…engines；　and　brick　buildings

three　or　four　stories　high；　large　yards　full　of　workmen；　carts；

and　lorries；　and　at　length　we　are　landed　in　the　midst　of　a　large

manufacturing　town。　　As　we　enter　the　streets；　everybody　seems　to

be　alive。　　　What　struck　William　Hutton　when　he　first　saw

Birmingham；　might　be　said　of　Belfast：　　〃I　was　surprised　at　the

place；　but　more　at　the　people。　　They　possessed　a　vivacity　I　had

never　before　beheld。　　I　had　been　among　dreamers；　but　now　I　saw

men　awake。　　Their　very　step　along　the　street　showed　alacrity。　

Every　man　seemed　to　know　what　he　was　about。　　The　town　was　large；

and　full　of　inhabitants；　and　these　inhabitants　full　of　industry。　

The　faces　of　other　men　seemed　tinctured　with　an　idle　gloom；　but

here　with　a　pleasing　alertness。　　Their　appearance　was　strongly

marked　with　the　modes　of　civil　life。〃



Some　people　do　not　like　manufacturing　towns：　　they　prefer　old

castles　and　ruins。　　They　will　find　plenty　of　these　in　other　parts

of　Ireland。　　But　to　found　industries　that　give　employment　to

large　numbers　of　persons；　and　enable　them　to　maintain　themselves

and　families　upon　the　fruits　of　their　labourinstead　of　living

upon　poor…rates　levied　from　the　labours　of　others；　or　who　are

forced；　by　want　of　employment；　to　banish　themselves　from　their

own　country；　to　emigrate　and　settle　among　strangers；　where　they

know　not　what　may　become　of　themis　a　most　honourable　and

important　source　of　influence；　and　worthy　of　every　encouragement。



Look　at　the　wonderfully　rapid　rise　of　Belfast；　originating　in　the

enterprise　of　individuals；　and　developed　by　the　earnest　and

anxious　industry　of　the　inhabitants　of　Ulster！



〃God　save　Ireland！〃　　By　all　means。　　But　Ireland　cannot　be　saved

without　the　help　of　the　people　who　live　in　it。　　God　endowed　men；

there　as　elsewhere；　with　reason；　will；　and　physical　power；　and　it

is　by　patient　industry　only　that　they　can　open　up　a　pathway　to

the　enduring　prosperity　of　the　country。　　There　is　no　Eden　in

nature。　　The　earth　might　have　continued　a　rude　uncultivated

wilderness；　but　for　human　energy；　power；　and　industry。　　These

enable　man　to　subdue　the　wilderness；　and　develop　the　potency　of

labour。　　〃Possunt　quia　credunt　posse。〃　　They　must　conquer　who

will。



Belfast　is　a　comparatively　modern　town。　　It　has　no　ancient

history。　　About　the　beginning　of　the　sixteenth　century　it　was

little　better　than　a　fishing　village。　　There　was　a　castle；　and　a

ford　to　it　across　the　Lagan。　　A　chapel　was　built　at　the　ford；　at

which　hurried　prayers　were　offered　up　for　those　who　were　about　to

cross　the　currents　of　Lagan　Water。　　In　1575；　Sir　Henry　Sydney

writes　to　the