THE USES OP SEA-WEEDS. 61 



and reduced the price of kelp to about ten guineas a ton. 

 Barilla contained more soda, and was preferred even at a 

 liiglier price. The duty, however, was taken off barilla and 

 salt, and then kelp fell to less than 3/. per ton. It then yielded 

 nothing directly to the proprietor ; but the manufacture was 

 to a certain extent continued ; for it afforded employment 

 to the tenants and helped them to pay their rents, and kept 

 them from beino* a burden. 



Highland estates, that had become so valuable during the 

 flourishing state of the kelp manufacture, now experienced 

 a wonderful depression. Mr. Wilson, in his very interesting 

 and amusing account of his Yoyage round the coast of 

 Scotland and the Isles in 1842, says, that in 18 J 2, in the 

 island of Xorth-Uist, the clear proceeds from kelp alone, 

 after deducting all expenses, was 14,000/. and fell little 

 short of that sum for several years after; but that the 

 alteration of the law regarding the duty on barilla, reduced 

 the income of that island and its dependencies from 17,000/. 

 to 3,500/. When M^CuUoch visited the Hebrides in 

 1818, the total product of kelp from these islands was 

 estimated at 6,000 tons, which at 20/. a ton must have 

 realized the sum of 120,000/. At present there is reason 

 to believe that not much over 3,000 tons are annually 



