Illustrationsofthisneglectedindustrymightbegiventoanyextent。Herringfishing，codfishing，andpilchardfishing，arealikeuntouched。TheIrishhaveastrongprejudiceagainstthepilchard；theybelieveittobeanunluckyfish，andthatitwillrotthenetthattakesit。TheCornishmendonotthinkso，fortheyfindthepilchardfishingtobeasourceofgreatwealth。
ThepilchardsstrikeupontheIrishcoastfirstbeforetheyreachCornwall。WhenMr。Brady，InspectorofIrishFisheries，visitedSt。Ivesafewyearsago，hesawcaptured，inoneseinealone，nearlytenthousandpoundsofthisfish。
Notlongsince；accordingtoanorthernlocalpaper，[13]alargefleetofvesselsinfullsailwasseenfromthewestcoastofDonegal，evidentlymakingfortheshore。Manysurmisesweremadeabouttheunusualsight。SomethoughtitwastheFenians，otherstheHomeRulers，otherstheIrish-AmericanDynamiters。Nothingofthekind！ItwasonlyafleetofScotchsmacks，sixty-fourinnumber，fishingforherringbetweenTorryIslandandHornHead。
TheIrishmightsaytotheScotchfishermen，inthewordsoftheMorayshirelegend，“Rejoice，Omybrethren，inthegiftsofthesea，fortheyenrichyouwithoutmakinganyoneelsethepoorer！“
ButwhiletheIrishareoverlookingtheirtreasureofherring，theScotcharecarefullycultivatingit。TheIrishfleetoffishing-boatsfellofffrom27，142in1823to7181in1878；andin1882theywerestillfurtherreducedto6089。[14]YetIrelandhasacoast-lineoffishinggroundofnearlythreethousandmilesinextent。
ThebightsandbaysonthewestcoastofIreland——offErris，Mayo，Connemara，andDonegal——swarmwithfish。NearAchillBay，2000mackerelwerelatelytakenatasinglehaul；andClewBayisoftenalivewithfish。InScullBayandCrookhaven，nearCapeClear，theyaresoplentifulthatthepeasantsoftenknockthemontheheadwithoars，butwillnottakethetroubletonetthem。
Theseswarmsoffishmightbeasourceofpermanentwealth。A
gentlemanofCorkonedayborrowedacommonrodandlinefromaCornishminerinhisemployment，andcaughtfifty-sevenmackerelfromthejettyinScullBaybeforebreakfast。EachofthesemackerelwasworthtwopenceinCorkmarket，thirtymilesoff。
Yetthepeopleroundabout，manyofwhomwereshortoffood，weredoingnothingtocatchthem，butexpectingProvidencetosupplytheirwants。Providence，however，alwayslikestobehelped。
SomepeopleforgetthattheGiverofallgoodgiftsrequiresustoseekforthembyindustry，prudence，andperseverance。[15]
Somecryformoreloans；somecryformoreharbours。Itwouldbewelltohelpwithsuitableharbours，butthesystemofdependenceuponGovernmentloansispernicious。TheIrishoughttofeelthattheverybesthelpmustcomefromthemselves。Thisisthebestmethodforteachingindependence。LookatthelittleIsleofMan。Thefishermenthereneveraskforloans。Theylooktotheirnetsandtheirboats；theysailforIreland，catchthefish，andsellthemtotheIrishpeople。Withthem，industrybringscapital，andformsthefertileseed-gronndoffurtherincreaseofboatsandnets。SurelywhatisdonebytheManxmen，theCornishmen，andtheCockenziemen，mightbedonebytheIrishmen。Thedifficultyisnottobegotoverbylamentingaboutit，orbystaringatit，butbygrapplingwithit，andovercomingit。Itisdeeds，notwords，thatarewanted。
Employmentforthemassofthepeoplemustspringfromthepeoplethemselves。Providedthereissecurityforlifeandproperty，andanabsenceofintimidation，webelievethatcapitalwillbecomeinvestedinthefishingindustryofIreland；andthattheresultwillbepeace，food，andprosperity。
WemustrememberthatitisonlyofcomparativelylateyearsthatEnglandandScotlandhavedevotedsomuchattentiontothefisheryoftheseassurroundingourisland。InthisfactthereisconsolationandhopeforIreland。AtthebeginningoftheseventeenthcenturySirWaiterRaleighlaidbeforetheKinghisobservationsconcerningthetradeandcommerceofEngland，inwhichheshowedthattheDutchwerealmostmonopolisingthefishingtrade，andconsequentlyaddingtotheirshipping，commerce，andwealth。“Surely，“hesays，“thestreamisnecessarytobeturnedtothegoodofthiskingdom，towhosesea-coastsaloneGodhassentusthesegreatblessingsandimmenserichesforustotake；andthateverynationshouldcarryawayoutofthiskingdomyearlygreatmassesofmoneyforfishtakeninourseas，andsoldagainbythemtous，mustneedsbeagreatdishonourtoournation，andhindrancetothisrealm。“
TheHollandersthenhadabout50，000peopleemployedinfishingalongtheEnglishcoast；andtheirindustryandenterprisegaveemploymenttoabout150，000more，“byseaandland，tomakeprovision，todressandtransportthefishtheytake，andreturncommodities；wherebytheyareenabledyearlytobuild1000shipsandvessels。“TheprosperityofAmsterdamwasthensogreatthatitwassaidthatAmsterdamwas“foundedonherring-bones。“
TobiasGentlemanpublishedin1614histreatiseon’England’sWaytowinWealth，andtoemployShipsandMarines，’[16]inwhichheurgedtheEnglishpeopletoviewiththeDutchinfishingtheseas，andtherebytogiveabundantemployment，aswellasabundantfood，tothepoorerpeopleofthecountry。
“Look，“hesaid，“onthesefellows，thatwecalltheplumpHollanders；beholdtheirdiligenceinfishing，andourowncarelessnegligence！“TheDutchnotonlyfishedalongthecoastsnearYarmouth，buttheirfishingvesselswentnorthasfarasthecoastsofShetland。WhatmostrousedMr。Gentleman’sindignationwas，thattheDutchmencaughtthefishandsoldthemtotheYarmouthherring-mongers“forreadygold，sothatitamountethtoagreatsumofmoney，whichmoneydothnevercomeagainintoEngland。““Wearedailyscorned，“hesays，“bytheseHollanders，forbeingsonegligentofourProfit，andcarelessofourFishing；andtheydodailyfloutusthatbethepoorFishermenofEngland，toourFacesatSea，callingtous，andsaying，’YaEnglish，yasalloroudscouedragien；’which，inEnglish，isthis，’YouEnglish，wewillmakeyougladtowearouroldShoes！’“
Anotherpamphlet，toasimilareffect，’TheRoyalFishingrevived，’[17]waspublishedfiftyyearslater，inwhichitwassetforwardthattheDutch“havenotonlygainedtothemselvesalmostthesolefishinginhisMajesty’sSeas；butprincipallyuponthisAccounthaveverynearbeatusoutofallourothermostprofitableTradesinallPartsoftheWorld。“Itwasevenproposedtocompel“allSortsofbeggingPersonsandallotherpoorPeople，allPeoplecondemnedforlessCrimesthanBlood，“aswellas“allPersonsinPrisonforDebt，“totakepartinthisfishingtrade！Butthiswasnotthetruewaytoforcethetraffic。TheherringfisheryatYarmouthandalongthecoastbegantomakegradualprogresswiththegrowthofwealthandenterprisethroughoutthecountry；thoughitwasnotuntil1787——lessthanahundredyearsago——thattheYarmouthmenbeganthedeep-seaherringfishery。
Beforethen，thefishingwasallcarriedonalongshoreinlittlecobles，almostwithinsightofland。Thenativefisheryalsoextendednorthward，alongtheeastcoastofScotlandandtheOrkneyandShetlandIsles，untilnowtheherringfisheryofScotlandformsoneofthegreatestindustriesintheUnitedKingdom，andgivesemployment，directlyorindirectly，tocloseuponhalfamillionofpeople，ortoone-seventhofthewholepopulationofScotland。
Takingthesefactsintoconsideration，therefore，thereisnoreasontodespairofseeing，beforemanyyearshaveelapsed，alargedevelopmentofthefishingindustryofIreland。WemayyetseeGalwaytheYarmouth，AchilltheGrimsby，andKillybegstheWickoftheWest。ModernsocietyinIreland，aseverywhereelse，canonlybetransformedthroughtheagencyoflabour，industry，andcommerce——inspiredbythespiritofwork，andmaintainedbytheaccumulationsofcapital。Thefirstendofalllabourissecurity，——securitytoperson，possession，andproperty，sothatallmayenjoyinpeacethefruitsoftheirindustry。Fornoliberty，nofreedom，canreallyexistwhichdoesnotincludethefirstlibertyofall——therightofpublicandprivatesafety。
ToshowwhatenergyandindustrycandoinIreland，itisonlynecessarytopointtoBelfast，oneofthemostprosperousandenterprisingtownsintheBritishIslands。Thelandisthesame，theclimateisthesame，andthelawsarethesame，asthosewhichprevailinotherpartsofIreland。BelfastisthegreatcentreofIrishmanufacturesandcommerce，andwhatshehasbeenabletodomightbedoneelsewhere，withthesameamountofenergyandenterprise。Butitisnotland，orclimate，oralteredlawsthatarewanted。Itismentoleadanddirect，andmentofollowwithanxiousandperseveringindustry。ItisalwaystheMansocietywants。
TheinfluenceofBelfastextendsfaroutintothecountry。AsyouapproachitfromSligo，youbegintoseethatyouarenearingaplacewhereindustryhasaccumulatedcapital，andwhereithasbeeninvestedincultivatingandbeautifyingtheland。AfteryoupassEnniskillen，thefieldsbecomemorehighlycultivated。Thedrill-rowsaremoreregular；thehedgesareclipped；theweedsnolongerhidethecrops，astheysometimesdointhefarwest。Thecountryisalsoadornedwithcopses，woods，andavenues。Anewcropbeginstoappearinthefields——acropalmostpeculiartotheneighbourhoodofBelfast。Itisaplantwithaveryslendererectgreenstem，which，whenfullgrown，branchesatthetopintoaloosecorymbofblueflowers。Thisistheflaxplant，thecultivationandpreparationofwhichgivesemploymenttoagreatnumberofpersons，andistoalargeextentthefoundationoftheprosperityofBelfast。
ThefirstappearanceofthelinenindustryofIreland，asweapproachBelfastfromthewest，isobservedatPortadown。ItspositionontheBann，withitswaterpower，hasenabledthistown，aswellastheotherplacesontheriver，tosecureandmaintaintheirdueshareinthelinenmanufacture。Factorieswiththeirlongchimneysbegintoappear。Thefieldsarerichlycultivated，andageneralairofwell-beingpervadesthedistrict。Lurganisreached，socelebratedforitsdiapers；andthefieldsthereaboutareusedasbleaching-greens。ThencomesLisburn，apopulousandthrivingtown，theinhabitantsofwhicharemostlyengagedintheirstapletrade，themanufactureofdamasks。Thiswasreallythefirstcentreofthelinentrade。
ThoughLordStrafford，duringhisgovernmentofIreland，encouragedtheflaxindustry，bysendingtoHollandforflax-seed，andinvitingFlemishandFrenchartisanstosettleinIreland，itwasnotuntiltheHuguenots，whohadbeenbanishedfromFrancebythepersecutionsofLouisXIV。，settledinIrelandinsuchlargenumbers，thatthemanufacturebecamefirmlyestablished。TheCrommelins，theGoyers，andtheDupres，weretherealfoundersofthisgreatbranchofindustry。[18]
AsthetravellerapproachesBelfast，groupsofhouses，factories，andworksofvariouskinds，appearcloserandcloser；longchimneysoverboilersandsteam-engines，andbrickbuildingsthreeorfourstorieshigh；largeyardsfullofworkmen，carts，andlorries；andatlengthwearelandedinthemidstofalargemanufacturingtown。Asweenterthestreets，everybodyseemstobealive。WhatstruckWilliamHuttonwhenhefirstsawBirmingham，mightbesaidofBelfast:“Iwassurprisedattheplace，butmoreatthepeople。TheypossessedavivacityIhadneverbeforebeheld。Ihadbeenamongdreamers，butnowIsawmenawake。Theirverystepalongthestreetshowedalacrity。
Everymanseemedtoknowwhathewasabout。Thetownwaslarge，andfullofinhabitants，andtheseinhabitantsfullofindustry。
Thefacesofothermenseemedtincturedwithanidlegloom；butherewithapleasingalertness。Theirappearancewasstronglymarkedwiththemodesofcivillife。“
Somepeopledonotlikemanufacturingtowns:theypreferoldcastlesandruins。TheywillfindplentyoftheseinotherpartsofIreland。Buttofoundindustriesthatgiveemploymenttolargenumbersofpersons，andenablethemtomaintainthemselvesandfamiliesuponthefruitsoftheirlabour——insteadoflivinguponpoor-ratesleviedfromthelaboursofothers，orwhoareforced，bywantofemployment，tobanishthemselvesfromtheirowncountry，toemigrateandsettleamongstrangers，wheretheyknownotwhatmaybecomeofthem——isamosthonourableandimportantsourceofinfluence，andworthyofeveryencouragement。
LookatthewonderfullyrapidriseofBelfast，originatingintheenterpriseofindividuals，anddevelopedbytheearnestandanxiousindustryoftheinhabitantsofUlster！