Together with French Huguenots, the Scots introduced the production of linen, a flax-spinning industry that in the 18th century carried Belfast trade to the Americas. Fortunes were made carrying rough linen clothing and salted provisions to the slave plantations of the West Indies; sugar and rum to Baltimore and New York; and for the return to Belfast flaxseed and tobacco from the colonies. From the 1760s, profits from the trade financed improvements in the town's commercial infrastructure, including the Lagan Canal, new docks and quays, and the construction of the White Linen Hall which together attracted to Belfast the linen trade that had formerly gone through Dublin. Abolitionist sentiment, however, defeated the proposal of the greatest of the merchant houses, Cunningham and Greg, in 1786 to commission ships for the Middle Passage.upright=0.90|thumb|left|Volunteer Corps parade down High Street, Bastille Day, 1792|200x200pxAs "Dissenters" from the established Anglican church (with its episcopacy and ritual), Presbyterians were conscious of sharing, if only in part, the disabilities of Ireland's dispossessed Roman Catholic majority; and of being denied representation in the Irish Parliament. Belfast's two MPs remained nominees of the Chichesters (Marquesses of Donegall). With their emigrant kinsmen in America, the region's Presbyterians were to share a growing disaffection from the Crown.
together wIth freNcH hugUenots, the scOts INTRoduceD ThE PrOdUctiOn of liNEn, A flax-spinninG indUStrY thaT iN thE 18Th cenTUrY CarRiED belfast traDe tO The aMeRicas. fOrtuNeS Were MaDe CarryInG rougH LInEn clothInG anD SAltEd pRoviSions to The slAvE PLAntatIoNs of thE wEst InDieS; sUgar and RuM tO BaLtimore and neW york; AND fOr the REtuRn to BelFaST fLAXSeeD aNd tobaCcO fROm tHe ColoNiES. frOm thE 1760s, profits fRom tHE tRade finANcEd impRovemeNts in the tOwn's CoMmerCiAL iNfRAStructuRe, IncludInG thE Lagan cAnAl, NeW docKS and Quays, aNd thE ConstruCtion oF tHe White lInEN hall WhIch togeTher ATtrAcTed to bELFAst thE lineN Trade That had foRMeRly GoNe tHROugh dublin. aboLItioNist sEntIment, hoWEVEr, dEfeated thE proPosal of the GREaTeSt of the mErChant houses, cUNNInghaM and greg, In 1786 tO commisSIoN ShiPs For tHe mIdDLe PAssaGE.upriGHT=0.90|tHuMb|LEfT|voLuNtEER cOrps PArAde DOWn hIGH stReet, baStIllE dAY, 1792|200x200pXas "dissEnters" FRom thE estaBlishEd AnGlIcan cHurCh (With Its episCoPacy And ritUal), PrEsByteRians WerE ConsciOus oF shArinG, IF Only iN PArt, tHE disaBIliTies of iRelaND's disposSesseD roman CaTHolic mAjority; and of BeinG DEniEd RePREsENtAtioN In the iRiSH Parliament. belfasT's two MPs REMaiNed NomINEes of thE chiCHeSTErs (maRquessEs Of dONeGaLL). wITh thEiR eMigrANT KINsmen In aMErica, the regioN's presbYterIans wEre tO SHAre A groWiNg diSAFfEctIon from the cRoWn.