Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

INTRODUCTION. XXXI
canal : and, in terms of an act obtained in 1837, may send off a branch to the north side
of Duke-street, Glasgow. The Oman canal lies across the northern extremity of the
long peninsula of Knapdale and Kintyre, is about 9 miles in length, and connects Loch-
Fyne with the Western ocean. The Aberdeenshire canal extends from the harbour of
Aberdeen, up the valley of the Don, to Port-Elphinstone, near Inverury, a distance of
18i miles. The Glasgow, Paisley, and Ardrossan canal, was projected to extend from
Port-Eglinton, on the south side of Glasgow, to the harbour of Ardrossan, but has been
executed only to Johnstone, a distance of 11 miles. A railway to continue the commu-
nication of this incompleted work, was projected to extend from Johnstone to Ardrossan,
a distance of 22* miles, but has been constructed only to Kilwinning, about one-third of
the distance. The Kilmarnock and Troon railway, extending 9J miles between the
places mentioned in its designation, was the earliest public railway, or rather tram-road,
in Scotland. The Monkland and Kirkintilloch railway connects the rich coal districts
of Old and New Monkland with the Forth and Clyde canal, in the vicinity of Kirkintil-
loch, 10 miles from Glasgow. The Ballochney railway extends from the termination of
the Monkland and Kirkintilloch railway in the parish of New Monkland, 4 miles east-
ward ; and there forks into two lines, the one of which traverses the ironstone and coal-
field lying to the south, and the other that lying: to the north, of Airdrie-hill. The
Wishaw and Coltness railway extends about 4 miles southward, from the termination of
the former line, in the parish of Old Monkland, and is projected to be executed further
southward, to the estates of Wishaw, Coltness, and Allanton. The Glasgow and Garn-
kirk railway extends 8i miles westward from the vicinity of Gartsherrie bridge, where it
joins the western termination of the Ballochney railway, to the junction of the Forth and
Clyde and the Monkland canals at Glasgow ; and was the earliest railway in Scotland
constructed with double lines, and for the transit of locomotive engines. The Slamannan
railway extends from the east end of the Ballochney railway to the Union canal, not far
from Linlithgow, a distance of about 12i miles ; and sends off a branch to Bathgate.
The Pollock and Govan railway connects the mineral fields on the south-east of Glasgow
with that city ; and terminates at the harbour, on the level of the quay. The Glasgow,
Paisley, Kilmarnock, and Ayr railway, extends from the harbour of Glasgow to that of
Ayr, a distance of 40 miles ; joins the Ardrossan railway at Kilwinning, and the Kil-
marnock and Troon railway at Troon ; and will send off from the vicinity of Dairy a
branch about 11 miles long, to Kilmarnock. The Glasgow and Greenock railway is
common to the former railway to Paisley, and thence extends to the centre of Greenock,
near the harbour, a distance from Glasgow of 22 i miles. The Paisley and Renfrew
railway extends from the north side of Paisley to the Clyde at Renfrew, a distance of 31
miles. The Edinburgh and Glasgow railway connects these cities by way of Linlithgow
and Falkirk, is 46 miles in length, and pursues nearly the same course as the Union and
the Forth and Clyde canals. The Edinburgh and Dalkeith railway extends from the
south side of Edinburgh to the South-Esk at Dalhousie-Mains, a distance of 8i miles ;
sends off branches to Leith, Fisherrow, and Dalkeith, which increase its aggregate
length to 15 miles ; and from its south end is continued by private lines to the collieries
of Newbattle and Arniston. The Edinburgh and Newhaven extends about 2i miles
from the centre of the metropolis to Trinity-pier at Newhaven. The Dundee and New-
tyle railway extends 10i miles from the north side of Dundee to Newtyle, and sends off
branches to Cupar- Angus and Glammis. The Dundee and Arbroath extends from the
harbour of Dundee to Arbroath, a distance of 161 miles. The Arbroath and Forfar
railway connects these towns, extending 15i miles from a point of junction with the
Dundee and Arbroath railway. Most of the works thus traced in outline and mutual
relation will be found fully and separately described in the alphabetical arrangement.
PUBLIC REVENUE.
The revenue of Scotland, as to both its absolute amount and its relative proportion to
that of England, has to the full kept pace w r ith the increasing prosperity of the country.
It amounted, at the period of the Union, to £110,694 ; in 1788, to £1,099,148 ; and in
1813, to £4,204,097. Its sources, as well as its gross and nett amount, in the years
ending on the 5th of January 1837, 1838, and 1839, will be seen from the following
table*