Gazetteer of Scotland

GL A
•f late, that has yielded to the cotton,
the value of which, by a calculation
in 1791, amounted to upwards of
1,500, oooh per annum. The manu-
factures of pottery and delft ware, of
glafs, of ropes and cordage, and the
tanning of leather, are carried on to
great extent ; and the art of type-
founding has been long practifed, and
brought to greater perfection than in
any other part of the world. The in-
creafe of the commerce and manufac-
tures of the city gave rife, in the year
1783, to a fociety, known by the name
of The Chamber of Commerce and Ma-
nufaclures ; the intention of which
was, to unite the influence of the mer-
chants and manufacturers, and thus
to render them more ufeful to the
communities to which they belonged ;
and, by eftabliihing a public fund, to
give ftrength and efficacy to thofe
meafures which might tend to the
public good. Many gentlemen in
Glafgow, and the neighbouring towns,
forefeeing the benefit likely to accrue
from the fcheme, fubfcribed to it, and
obtained a royal charter, incorporating
them into a body politic, managed by
30 directors; and they have fince been
of effential fervice, in the protection
of the trade. Glafgow has feveral
banking companies; two cf which
iffue their own notes. The parifii of
the Barony of Glafgow and the city,
were formerly comprehended under
one parochial diftrict. ; but the popu-
lation having fo much increafed, it
was found more convenient to have
them disjoined ; and the landward
part of the parifh, as diftinguiihed
from the town, was denominated the
Barony. This parifh is both large
and populous; extending from a to 5
or 6 miles around the city, except on
the S. fide, where the Clyde forms the
boundary. There are no confiderable
eminences, but the furface rifes into
many beautiful fvvells, which greatly
diverfify the appearance, and add
much to the beauty of the country.
On the banks of the Clyde the land-
fcape is rich, various, and delightful ;
the river winding through highly cul-
tivated fields, and is frequently loft a-
mongft the trees ; its banks interfperfed
with many gentlemen s houfes; the large
and populous city of Glafgow, fcarce-
ly diftinguiihed from the numerous
villages which furround it ; the vene-
GL A
rable cathedral, and the numerous
fpires ; pi efent to the eye many ftriking
views, and fill the mind with the plea»
fing ideas of induftry, wealth, fecurity,
and happinels. The foil is in general
fertile ; partly a rich clay, and partly
a light fand ; but by far the greater
part is covered with the extenfive and
populous villages, which form a part
rather than the fuburbs of the city.
The manufactures of thefe villages are
fo intimately connected with thofe of
the city, that they have already been
treated of under that fection. But
there is alfo carried on an extenfive
manufacture cf cudbear* a dye fluff
prepared from the corcur, or liechen
ompkaloidcs, a fpecies of rock mofs,
which is found in the Highlands of
Scotland, Sweden, andLapland. There:
are alfo feveral printfields and exten-
five bleachfields within the diftrict.
The villages within the barony are
named the Calton and Bridgeto7i, Gra-
bamjlon, Anderjlon, Fhmiefton, Clayjlap*
Nortb-zuoodjide, Coivcaddins, Park-houfe,
Camlacbie, Parkbead, Wejhnuh; Sbet-
tlefton, Ligbtburn, Sec. which contain
in all nearly 19,000 inhabitants. The
fide cut from the great canal and the
Monkland cnnal, interfect the parifii,
and are of the greateft confequence in
promoting the manufactures. There
is great plenty of freeftone, of differ-
ent qualities, and ofivbin, in the neigh-
bourhood ; but no marble, limeftone,
fiate, or granite, are found within fe-
veral miles. Many of the mountains
exhibit marks of volcanic origin, and
bafaltic columns' are diftinctly to be
feen near the village of Calton.. Coal
is found in great abundance ; and, it
is calculated, that the annual value of
what is raifed, is upwards of 30,0001.
fterling. In fprne of the pits there is
a vein of ironftone, of very good qua-
lity, of a whitiih colour, which is ufed
in the fmelting furnaces in the neigh-
bourhood. There are alfo in the till
found in thefe pits, impreflions of fern
and other' plants, and ihells of differ-
ent kinds, and there are many foffi!
marine bodies ; particularly, different
fpecies of fhells and entrocbi. The 'wa-
ter with which the city and fuburbs
are fupplied is not in general of the
beft quality, containing fmall quanti-
ties of felenite in folution ; there are
many chalybeate fprings, and fome of
which contain calcareous earth, giving-