Towns > Dundee > 1822 - Dundee delineated; or, A history and description of that town, its institutions, manufactures and commerce

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was. proposed to be carried on. It made a great
and plausible appearance for a time ; but being
founded in hasty and improvident speculation, it
soon went to ruin, and dragged some worthy mem-
bers of the community in and about the place, into
its destructive vortex.
Of the different manufactures mentioned above,
as having been carried on in Dundee, some had
their season of flourishing prolonged for a consider-
able time, others soon began to languish ; while
many went so rapidly and completely to decay, as
not to leave a trace behind them, but the mere
name of their having existed. During the most
prosperous period of any of these manufactures,
none has been so permanent, and of such various
success, as the manufacture of linen of different
kinds, and under several denominations. This at
present is the chief and most thriving staple manu-
facture in the place ; and is carried on to the great-
est extent in all its branches, — affording support
and employment to thousands, and a due return to
the enterprising manufacturers and merchants who
have embarked their capitals in the various divi^.
sjons of the business,
In order to encourage this manufacture in its
infancy, a bounty was given by Government on
all the linen exported, and a heavy duty laid on
the importation of foreign linens. The bounty,
which is three halfpence per yard on all linens be->
tween the values of six-pence and eighteen-pence
a-yard, is still necessarily continued, the same as
in Ireland. Almost the whole of the flax is im-
ported from Russia ; the price thereof is considera-