Wehaveaccordingly，duringthelastfewyears，builtsomeofthelargestironandsteelsailingshipsthathaveevergonetosea。
Theaimhasbeentogivethemgreatcarryingcapacityandfairspeed，witheconomyofworking；andtheuseofsteel，bothinthehullandtherigging，facilitatestheattainmentoftheseobjects。In1882and1883，webuiltandlaunchedfourofthesesteelandironsailingships——theWaiterH。Wilson，theW。J。
Pirrie，theFingal，andtheLordWolseley——eachofnearly3000
tonsregister，withfourmasts，——theownersbeingMr。Lawther，ofBelfast；Mr。Martin，ofDublin；andtheIrishShipownersCompany。
Besidestheseandothersailingships，wehavebuiltforMessrs。
Ismay，ImrieandCo。theGarfield，of2347registeredtonnage；
forMessrs。ThomasDixonandSon，theLordDownshire2322；andforMessrs。Bullock’sBayLine，theBayofPanama2365。
In1880wetookinanotherpieceofthelandreclaimedbytheBelfastHarbourTrust；andthere，incloseproximitytotheship-yard，wemanufactureallthemachineryrequiredfortheserviceofthesteamersconstructedbyourfirm。Inthiswayweareabletodoeverything“withinourselves“；andthewholelandnowoccupiedbytheworkscomprisesaboutfortyacres，withtenbuildingslipssuitableforthelargestvessels。
ItremainsformetomentionaBelfastfirm，whichhasdonesomuchforthetown。ImeantheMessrs。J。P。CorryandCo。，whohavealwaysbeenamongstourbestfriends。Webuiltforthemtheirfirstironsailingvessel，theJanePorter，in1860，andsincethentheyhaveneverfailedus。Theysuccessfullyestablishedtheir“Star“lineofsailingclippersfromLondontoCalcutta，allofwhichwerebuilthere。Theysubsequentlygaveusordersforyetlargervessels，intheStarofFranceandtheStarofItaly。Inall，wehavebuiltforthatfirmelevenoftheirwell-known“Star“ships。
WehavebuiltfiveshipsfortheAsiaticSteamNavigationCompany，Limited，eachoffrom1650to2059tonsgross；andwearenowbuildingforthemtwoships，eachofabout3000tonsgross。In1883welaunchedthirteenironandsteelvessels，ofaregisteredtonnageofover30，000tons。Outofelevenshipsnowbuilding，sevenareofsteel。
SuchisabriefandsummaryaccountofthemeansbywhichwehavebeenenabledtoestablishanewbranchofindustryinBelfast。
Ithasbeenaccomplishedsimplybyenergyandhardwork。Wehavebeenwell-supportedbytheskilledlabourofourartisans；wehavebeenbackedbythecapitalandtheenterpriseofEngland；
andwebelievethatifalltruepatriotswouldgoanddolikewise，therewouldbenothingtofearfortheprosperityandsuccessofIreland。
FootnotesforChapterXI。
[1]AlthoughMr。Harlandtooknofurtherstepswithhislifeboat，theprojectseemswellworthyofafairtrial。WehadlatelythepleasureofseeingthemodellaunchedandtriedonthelakebehindMr。Harland’sresidenceatOrmiston，nearBelfast。Thecylindricallifeboatkeptperfectlywater-tight，andthoughthrownintothewaterinmanydifferentpositions——sometimestumbledinonitsprow，atothertimesonitsbackthedeckbeingundermost，itinvariablyrighteditself。Thescrewsforeandaftworkedwell，andwerecapableofbeingturnedbyhumanlabourorbysteampower。Nowthatsuchlargefreightsofpassengersarecarriedbyocean-goingships，itwouldseemnecessarythatsomesuchmethodshouldbeadoptedofpreservinglifeatsea；forordinarylifeboats，whicharesosubjecttodestructivedamage，areoftenoflittleuseinfiresorshipwrecks，orotheraccidentsontheocean。
[2]AfullaccountisgivenintheIllustratedLondonNewsofthe21stofOctober，1868，withillustrations，oftheraisingoftheWolf；andanother，morescientific，isgivenintheEngineerofthe16thofOctober，ofthesameyear。
“Ifirstlearnttoreadwhenthemasonswereatworkinyourhouse。Iapproachedthemoneday，andobservedthatthearchitectusedaruleandcompass，andthathemadecalculations。
Iinquiredwhatmightbethemeaninganduseofthesethings，andIwasinformedthattherewasasciencecalledArithmetic。I
purchasedabookofarithmetic，andIlearnedit。IwastoldtherewasanothersciencecalledGeometry；Iboughtthenecessarybooks，andIlearnedGeometry。Byreading，IfoundthereweregoodbooksinthesetwosciencesinLatin；Iboughtadictionary，andIlearnedLatin。Iunderstood，also，thatthereweregoodbooksofthesamekindinFrench；Iboughtadictionary，andI
learnedFrench。Itseemstomethatonedoesnotneedtoknowanythingmorethanthetwenty-fourletterstolearneverythingelsethatonewishes。“——EdmundStonetotheDukeofArgyll。
’PursuitofKnowledgeunderDifficulties。’
“TheBritishCensusproperreckonstwenty-sevenandahalfmillioninthehomecountries。Whatmakesthiscensusimportantisthequalityoftheunitsthatcomposeit。Theyarefreeforciblemen，inacountrywherelifeissafe，andhasreachedthegreatestvalue。Theygivethebiastothecurrentage；andthatnotbychanceorbymass，butbytheircharacter，andbythenumberofindividualsamongthemofpersonalability。“——Emerson:
EnglishTraits。
FromBelfasttotheHighlandsofScotlandisaneasyroutebysteamersandrailways。WhileatBirnam，nearDunkeld，Iwasremindedofsomeremarkablecharactersintheneighbourhood。
Afterthepublicationofthe’ScotchNaturalist’and’RobertDick，’Ireceivednumerouslettersinformingmeofmanyself-taughtbotanistsandstudentsofnature，quiteasinterestingasthesubjectsofmymemoirs。Amongothers，therewasJohnDuncan，thebotanistweaverofAberdeen，whoseinterestinglifehassincebeendonejusticetobyMr。Jolly；andJohnSimofPerth，firstashepherdboy，thenasoldier，andtowardsthecloseofhislifeapoetandabotanist，whoselife，Iwastold，was“asinterestingasaromance。“
TherewasalsoAlexanderCroall，CustodianoftheSmithInstituteatStirling，anadmirablenaturalistandbotanist。Hewasoriginallyahard-workingparishschoolmaster，nearMontrose。
Duringhisholidaywanderingshecollectedplantsforhisextensiveherbarium。HisaccomplishmentshavingcomeunderthenoticeofthelateSirWilliamHooker，hewasselectedbythatgentlemantopreparesetsofthePlantsofBraemarfortheQueenandPrinceAlbert，whichhedidtotheirentiresatisfaction。Hegaveuphisschool-mastershipforanill-paidbutmorecongenialoccupation，thatofLibrariantotheDerbyMuseumandHerbarium。
Someyearsago，hewasappointedtohispresentpositionofCustodiantotheSmithInstitute——perhapsthebestprovincialmuseumandartgalleryinScotland。
Icouldnot，however，enterintothehistoryoftheseremarkablepersons；thoughIunderstandthereisaprobabilityofMr。Croallgivinghisscientificrecollectionstotheworld。Hehasalreadybroughtoutabeautifulwork，infourvolumes，’BritishSeaweeds，Nature-printed；’andanythingconnectedwithhisbiographywillbelookedforwardtowithinterest。
Amongtheotherpersonsbroughttomynotice，yearsago，wereAstronomersinhumblelife。Forinstance，IreceivedaletterfromJohnGrierson，keeperoftheGirdlenessLighthouse，nearAberdeen，mentioningoneofthesepersonsas“anextraordinarycharacter。““WilliamBallingall，“hesaid，“isaweaverinthetownofLowerLargo，Fifeshire；andfromhisearlydayshehasmadeastronomythesubjectofpassionatestudy。IusedtospendmyschoolvacationatLargo，andhavefrequentlyheardhimexpounduponhisfavouritesubject。IbelievethatveryhighopinionshavebeenexpressedbyscientificgentlemenregardingBallingall’sattainments。Theywerenodoubtsurprisedthatanindividualwithbutaverylimitedamountofeducation，andwhosehoursoflabourwerefromfiveinthemorninguntiltenorelevenatnight，shouldbeabletoacquiresomuchknowledgeonsoprofoundasubject。Hadhepossessedafairamountofeducation，andanassortmentofscientificinstrumentsandbooks，theworldwouldhaveheardmoreabouthim。Shouldyoueverfindyourself，“
mycorrespondentconcludes，“inhisneighbourhood，andhaveafewhourstospare，youwouldhavenoreasontoregretthetimespentinhiscompany。“Icouldnot，however，arrangetopaytheproposedvisittoLargo；butIfoundthatIcould，withoutinconvenience，visitanotherastronomerintheneighbourhoodofDunkeld。
InJanuary1879IreceivedaletterfromSheriffBarclay，ofPerth，tothefollowingeffect:“Knowingthedeepinterestyoutakeingeniusandmeritinhumbleranks，Ibegtostatetoyouanextraordinarycase。JohnRobertsonisarailwayporteratCouparAngusstation。Fromearlyyouthhehasmadetheheavenshisstudy。Nightafternighthelooksabove，andfromhissmallearningshehasprovidedhimselfwithatelescopewhichcosthimabout30L。Hesendsnoticesofhisobservationstothescientificjournals，underthemodestinitialsof’J。R。’Heisagreatfavouritewiththepublic；anditissaidthathehasmadesomeobservationsincelestialphenomenanotbeforenoticed。Itdoesoccurtomethatheshouldhaveawiderfieldforhisfavouritestudy。Inconnectionwithanobservatory，hisserviceswouldbeinvaluable。“
Nearlyfiveyearshadelapsedsincethereceiptofthisletter，andIhaddonenothingtoputmyselfincommunicationwiththeCouparAngusastronomer。Strangetosay，hisexistencewasagainrecalledtomynoticebyProfessorGraingerStewart，ofEdinburgh。HesaidthatifIwasintheneighbourhoodIoughttocalluponhim，andthathewouldreceivemekindly。Hisduty，hesaid，wastoactasporteratthestation，andtoshoutthenameoftheplaceasthetrainspassed。IwrotetoJohnRobertsonaccordingly，andreceivedareplystatingthathewouldbegladtoseeme，andinclosingaphotograph，inwhichIrecognisedagood，honest，sensibleface，withhispersoninclosedintheusualstationporter’sgarb，“C。R。1446。“
IstartedfromDunkeld，andreachedCouparAngusinduetime。AsIapproachedthestation，Iheardtheportercallingout，“CouparAngus！changehereforBlairgowrie！“[1]ItwasthevoiceofJohnRobertson。
Idescendedfromthetrain，andaddressedhimatonce:afterthephotographtherecouldbenomistakinghim。Anarrangementforameetingwasmade，andhecalleduponmeintheevening。I
invitedhimtosuchhospitalityastheinnafforded；buthewouldhavenothing。“Iammuchobligedtoyou，“hesaid；“butitalwaysdoesmeharm。“Iknewatoncewhatthe“it“meant。ThenheinvitedmetohishouseinCausewayendStreet。Ifoundhiscottagecleanandcomfortable，presidedoverbyanevidentlycleverwife。Hetookmeintohissitting-room，whereIinspectedhisdrawingsofthesun-spots，madeincolouronalargescale。
Inallhisstatementshewasperfectlymodestandunpretending。
Thefollowingishisstory，sofarasIcanrecollect，inhisownwords:——
“Yes；Icertainlytakeagreatinterestinastronomy，butIhavedonenothinginitworthyofnotice。Iamscarcelyworthytobecalledadaylabourerinthescience。Iamverywellknownhereabouts，especiallytothetravellingpublic；butImustsaythattheythinkagreatdealmoreofmethanIdeserve。
“Whatmademefirstdevotemyattentiontothesubjectofastronomy？Well，ifIcantraceittoonethingmorethananother，itwastosomeeveninglecturesdeliveredbythelateDr。Dick，ofBroughtyFerry，tothemenemployedattheCraigs’
BleachfieldWorks，nearMontrose，whereIthenworked，abouttheyearl848。Dr。Dickwasanexcellentlecturer，andIlistenedtohimwithattention。HisinstructionswerefullyimpresseduponourmindsbyMr。Cooper，theteacheroftheeveningschool，whichIattended。Aftergivingtheyoungladsemployedattheworkstheirlessonsinarithmetic，hewouldcomeoutwithusintothenight——anditwasgenerallylatewhenweseparated——andshowustheprincipalconstellations，andtheplanetsabovethehorizon。
Itwasawonderfulsight；yetweweretoldthatthesehundredsuponhundredsofstars，asfarastheeyecouldsee，werebutamerevestigeofthecreationamidstwhichwelived。IgottoknowthenamesofsomeoftheconstellationstheGreaterBear，with’thepointers’whichpointedtothePoleStar，Orionwithhisbelt，theTwins，thePleiades，andotherprominentobjectsintheheavens。Itwasasourceofconstantwonderandsurprise。
“WhenIlefttheBleachfieldWorks，IwenttoInverury，totheNorthofScotlandRailway，whichwasthenincourseofformation；
andformanyyears，beingimmersedinwork，Ithoughtcomparativelylittleofastronomy。Itremained，however，apleasantmemory。Itwasonlyaftercomingtothisneighbourhoodin1854，whentherailwaytoBlairgowriewasunderconstruction，thatIbegantoreadupalittle，duringmyleisurehours，onthesubjectofastronomy。Igotmarriedtheyearafter，sincewhichtimeIhavelivedinthishouse。
“Ibecameamemberofareading-roomclub，andreadalltheworksofDr。Dickthatthelibrarycontained:his’TreatiseontheSolarSystem，’his’PracticalAstronomer，’andotherworks。
TherewerealsosomeverygoodpopularworkstowhichIwasindebtedforamusementaswellasinstruction:Chambers’s’InformationforthePeople，’Cassell’s’PopularEducator，’andaveryinterestingseriesofarticlesinthe’LeisureHour，’byEdwinDunkinoftheRoyalObservatory，Greenwich。Theselastpaperswereaccompaniedbymapsofthechiefconstellations，sothatIhadarenewedopportunityofbecomingalittlebetteracquaintedwiththegeographyoftheheavens。