tiiid Cettiral Highlands of Scotland, 131 



tierfect. The committee accordingly have no hesitation in 

 eclaring it to be their fixed opinion, that the want of 

 further roads and communications in the Highlands has 

 hitherto proved the greatest obstacle to the introduction of 

 useful industry there, and that every attempt for that pur- 

 pose must fail, until regular and easy communication is af- 

 forded from one part of the country to another, and mora 

 especially from the remote points where there is the best 

 field for useful exertion to the present seats of capital and 

 industry. With regard to what lines would tend most effec-" 

 fually to open the country, and promote the public good^ 

 the committee humbly report their opinion as follows : 



The Highlands, as to this question, may be divided into 

 three districts : the first, com})rehending the west coasts of 

 Argyle and laverness-shire, as connected with each other; 

 the second, including the county of Ross and a part of the 

 county of Inverness ; and the third, or northern district, 

 comprising the shires of Sutherland and Caithness. 



In the first of these districts, the utmost benefit would 

 arise from drawing a direct line of communication from the 

 west side of the Frith of Clyde nearly opposite to Greenock 

 to the Bay of Strachur upon Loch Fviie, from whence there 

 is already an excellent and well conducted road to Fort Wil- 

 liam. From this point the road may be easily continued 

 by Loch Eil Side to Loch na Gaul, through Arisaig; into 

 Morer. Such a communication would tend very greatlv to 

 the success of the fisheries in the islands of Egg, Rum, 

 Cana, Muck, Barra, and South Uist, all of which possess 

 numerous lochs and fishing banks in and around them. 

 The greatest advantages would arise from approximating 

 these various fisheries and extensive coasts to the Frith of 

 Clyde, where the fishing capital is at present almost ex- 

 clusively resident. It is evident that nothing can more dis- 

 courage the employment of that capital in those parts than 

 that difficulty of approach, amounting almost to inaccessi- 

 bility, which renders the communication of intelligeace 

 always slow and even often precarious. 



In the northern district the lines of communication 

 would, from the nature of the thing, be drawn to a different 

 point. A central point at the south of that district i-; found 

 at or near Invershm, to which place the Frith of Dornoch 

 is navigable, and where a bridge can easily be thrown over, 

 and from whence a direct and short communication could 

 be made to Dingwall and Inverness. From this point seve- 

 ral advantaifeous lines of road might be made, one stretch- 

 ing by the banks of Loch Shin through part of Assint to 

 1 i? Kylescow, 



