Belfast became a major shipbuilding centre in the 1850s, which in turn led to the development of engineering and ropeworks. By 1900 it was a city of 400,000, from a town of 19,000 a century before. As the number of Catholic immigrants grew, especially after the Famine, sectarian riots periodically erupted (in 1857, 1864, and 1886) over the question of employment and related issues. In 1911, Belfast had the largest shipyards in the world - testament to resourceful entrepreneurs and cheap labour, since all coal and iron had to be imported. Workers in the shipyards were almost exclusively Protestants, per "The Irish Century," M. M. Morrogh. The other great industry in the north was linen. The Huguenots, Protestant religious refugees from France, had developed this textile manufacture in the Lagan valley in the late 17th century. Linen remained the bedrock of Ulster's prosperity until the early 20th century. The "unsinkable" British steamer (White Star Line) built in Belfast, said to be the safest ship afloat, sank on its first voyage across the Atlantic (night of April 14-15, 1912) after striking an iceberg. The lifeboats had room for less than half of the approximately 2,200 persons on board and took on mostly women and children from first class. The ship sank in about 2-1/2 hours. The liner "Carpathia" picked up 705 survivors. The "Titanic" had been the largest ship in the world, 882.5 feet long, with a gross tonnage of 46,328. Per "World Book" encyclopedia, the British inquiry reported 1,490 dead, while the British Board of Trade stated 1,503, and the United States, 1,517. "The Irish Aboard The Titanic," by S. Molony was published in late year 2000 by "Wolfhound Press," (ISBN 0-86327-805-1) Per review, it is said to be one of the most absorbing, fascinating books ever produced about the "Titanic," with emphasis on the fate of the Irish passengers. An excellent resource is the website Encyclopedia Titanica, with its many interesting stories about the survivors, etc.