In consequence of an address from the English House of Lords, the king desired that the Irish woollen trade should forthwith be interred with decent silence. He wrote accordingly to Lord Galway:—
“Though I have fully explained to the Chancellor of Ireland my sentiments upon Irish affairs, I wish to write to you, to tell you that it never was of such importance as at present, to have a good session of parliament, not only with respect to my affairs in that kingdom, but still more with respect to my affairs here. The chief thing is to prevent the Irish parliament taking notice of what has passed in the English one; and that you make effectual laws for the linen manufacture, and to discourage, as far as possible, the woollen; these are two of the most material points you have to accomplish. And the third is the necessary supply for the maintenance of the army, of which you know the importance, and to try to get as much as you can, since after this session I should be very glad not to be obliged for a good while to have another parliament in Ireland. I have sent orders for embarking at Ostend the five French regiments, and instead of my own regiment of Eppinger’s dragoons, I will send you two regiments of foot, which will be much the same as to expense. Blathwayte [Secretary-at-War] will write to you about the establishment and appointment of the pay of the forces.
“I must tell you I am well satisfied with the Chancellor of Ireland. At his first coming here to the parliament he committed a great oversight, which has got him many enemies, and all the ministry here are much incensed against him, as well as the Whig party. But in Ireland it is just the contrary, it is the Tories; so he will find it hard to behave in such a manner as not to be involved in difficulties. If bad success attends you in parliament, it is certain that here the blame will be laid upon him. I thought it necessary to inform you of this circumstance, that you may take your measures accordingly. Be ever assured of my esteem.
“P.S. — I shall set out in two days for Holland. I send you back the Prince of Conti’s letter, and approve much of your answer to him. I had not an opportunity to let you know before.”
The Prince of Conti, Francis Louis de Bourbon, was one of the most brilliant Lieutenant-Generals of France. As a hunter after vacant dominions, he had been disappointed of Poland in the preceding October. Probably his eye was at this time turned to the Principality of Neufchatel, possessed by the Duchess de Nemours. William himself was a prospective claimant, and prevailed on Louis XIV. to decide about a year after this, that France should be neutral until the Duchess’s death. The Prince of Conti had thus to quit his hold of Neufchatel also, and to return uncrowned to Paris. In 1698 he may have sounded Lord Galway as to the likelihood of King William’s claim being pressed. The Prince died in Paris in 1709, aged forty-five.
The Parliament of 1698 was very agreeable in the matters about which the king felt anxiety. The Lords-Justices in their speech said: “The linen and hempen manufactures will not only be encouraged, as consistent with the trade of England, but will render the trade of this kingdom both useful and necessary to England.” The English Parliament had already passed Acts to encourage both the Irish linen manufacture, and the importation into England of unmanufactured wool from Ireland. The Irish Parliament now passed an Act for laying additional duty upon woollen manufactures exported out of Ireland. And the division of trade came into practical operation accordingly. Whatever material prosperity Ireland enjoys, may be said to be due to the refugee manufactures, and to the Acts for their encouragement under Lord Galway’s administration. The Linen Bill was planned and drawn up by James Hamilton, Esq., of Tullymore.
The House of Commons, otherwise so complying, enlivened the pacific monotony by one or two divisions. On or before the 15th September, a motion being made to go into a committee of supply, an amendment was proposed, That an Address be presented to the Lords-Justices to intercede with his Majesty that the five regiments of French Protestants should be disbanded. These were the Earl of Galway’s regiment of Horse, and the Marquis de Miremont’s regiment of dragoons, and the infantry regiments of the Comte de Marton, Monsieur La Meloniere, and Monsieur Belcastel. The house divided, when there appeared for the amendment, 72; against it, 101. Another amendment for delay was rejected, there being, for delay, 55; against it, 105. On the 15th of September the supplies were granted according to the estimates. No division being expected, the opposition divided the house; the numbers were, Yeas, 98; Noes, 64. (See Secretary Vernon’s Letters.)
In July of this year, says Luttrell, the Marquis of Winchester and the Earl of Galway went to visit most of the maritime garrisons, and to furnish them with what necessaries they want, and to take a view of the camp at Clonmel.
