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LETTER III.

BELFAST.

An unusual Disturbance-Orangemen and Catholics-Military called out-Fatal result―Imprudence and impolicy of such Disturbances-Belfast a Commercial and Manufacturing Town -Population-Low Situation of-Environs-The Bay of Belfast-Improvements suggested; as to its navigation, docks, &c -Change of the Packet-Stations-Cotton and Linen Manufactures-Chief Exports and Imports.

Belfast, 1st September, 1835.

It was not long after our return to this city before Captain Skinner proved to me, from an event that had recently taken place, and in which, as a magistrate, he had a very unpleasant part to act, that Belfast was not altogether exempt from those lamentable effects produced by the demons of discord, which, in other parts of Ireland, are perpetually disturbing the public peace. It appears that some four or five thousand raw, uneducated Catholic labourers from the south had, within a few years, poured into the city, to supply the demand for labour, which the emigrations to America, and the flourishing state of its commerce and manufactures, called for; a call that was soon answered from that inexhaustible hive, which is also pouring, in a constant succession, its swarms into the commercial and manufacturing

cities of Great Britain; a supply which, at the same time, produces a mixture of good and evil, a benefit and a nuisance.

As it is very likely that you may have heard of the disturbances to which I allude, and which took place at Belfast on the 12th July, when Captain Skinner was under the painful necessity of ordering the military, who had acted with the utmost forbearance, to fire upon the people, as the only means of suppressing a prolonged and dangerous riot, it may not be uninteresting to you to know something of the particulars of this affair.

It occurred on the Sabbath day, which was the 12th of July, the anniversary of the "Glorious Memory." An arch had been erected by the Orange party on the previous evening, without the authority, as far as I can learn, of any of the Orange lodges. Of course the "Romans," as they are familiarly called in Ireland by those of the opposite party, were not idle. A green arch was thrown across Sandy-row, which, in a severe conflict, had been torn down by the Orangemen, who had taken up their position in the vicinity of Christ Church. The usual ammunition, so plentifully supplied by Mr. M'Adam, was brought into play on the present occasion. Many of the military were severely injured, and Captain Skinner, shortly after reading the Riot Act, was knocked from his horse to the ground by a stone, which struck him on the side of his head, and was carried away senseless.

In this present instance there is no doubt that the Orange party were greatly to blame. The Catholics were willing to take down their arch, indeed they actually did so, but it was with the understanding that their opponents should do the same. Every persuasion was made use of to induce the Orangemen to follow the good example set by the Catholics, but all to no purpose. The disturbances had commenced at an early hour, and night closing in, it became necessary to take effectual means to disperse the mob, which filled the streets.

As generally happens on similar occasions, a poor woman lost her life under the fire of the military. An inquest was held on the body, which, being taken up as a party affair, lasted three or four days, and all the particulars of the affray were carefully inquired into. One of the most respectable witnesses stated his conviction, that Captain Skinner and the military acted with the greatest and most exemplary forbearance; and that to such. a degree was it carried on the part of the Captain, that it had almost the appearance of timidity. The Jury returned a verdict, that "Ann Moore came to her death, in consequence of a gun-shot wound inflicted by one of the military whilst in the execution of his duty, in quelling a dangerous riot, under the orders of the civil magistrate at Belfast, on the 12th of July."

Though riots of this kind are not of unusual occurrence in the great towns of Ireland, and happen

but too frequently in some of those of Great Britain; yet here, in Belfast, where every one is too much engaged in his own business, and where neither religion nor politics have interfered to disturb the harmony of society, it could not fail to create a great and uneasy sensation.

It appears to me to be a wrong feeling, as well as mistaken policy, to exhibit those ostentatious displays, which "The Glorious Memory of William III." annually calls forth in various parts of Ireland, but hitherto with less violence and less fatal results, as I understand, in the province of Ulster than in any of the other three. To triumph over and to insult five-sixths of an unoffending population would appear to be as unmanly as it is indiscreet. It is not the province of man "to visit the sins of the fathers upon the children." It is a great want of discretion, to say the least of it, perpetually to remind the existing and blameless generation of what they have lost by the offences of their forefathers, as is too frequently done by the exhibition of insolent exultation, which tends to no better purpose than to stimulate the offended and-be it always remembered the losing party, to use their best energies for the recovery of what they consider themselves to have been unjustly deprived. I am much mistaken if these be not the sentiments of the respectable and right-thinking inhabitants of this city.

You will not expect me to say much of Belfast.

It is a large, and I may say, a very improving commercial and manufacturing town, containing, as was supposed, not less than sixty thousand inhabitants, eighteen thousand of whom are said to be of the Established Church, eighteen thousand Roman Catholics, and the remainder composed chiefly of Dissenters of the various sects of Presbyterians, Methodists, and other seceders from the Establishment. The number of Catholics, as above stated, I have reason to suppose is exaggerated, but they are increasing rapidly in proportion to the rest. But the state of the population of this prosperous city in 1831 will be seen accurately from the tables of Mr. Marshall, who has, with an extraordinary degree of labour and intelligence, digested the Parliamentary Returns into tables of ready reference. By these it is stated to have been, in 1831, fifty-three thousand two hundred and eighty-seven, of which the male population, of twenty years of age and upwards, was twelve thousand two hundred and thirtyone, and of this number, one hundred and twentysix only were employed in agriculture; five thousand six hundred and fifty-four retailers and handicraftsmen; eight hundred and eight manufacturers; one thousand three hundred and sixty-eight capitalists and professional men; labourers, other than agriculturists, three thousand and sixty-seven, and nine hundred and thirty-eight various; male servants, two hundred and eighty-three, and female servants of all ages, two thousand four hundred and