434 ^''^' ^797' 



Some European merchants were fettled in Egypt before the com- 

 mencement of the prefent war, of whom the greateft number were 

 French. Thefe were, on fome occafion of quarrel, expelled from the 

 country : and that expulfion was affigned as a reafon for the invafion of 

 Egypt by the French in the fummer of the year 1798. 



The Britifh fociety for extending the filheries and improving the fea 

 coafts of this kingdom have eftablilhed fettlements at the three follow- 

 ing places. 



UHapool, in Loch Broom on the weft coafl of Rofs-fhire, the mofl re- 

 gular and conftant refort of the herrings on the Britifh coafl, near 

 which there were already a cuflom-houfe upon Ifle-Martin, and feveral 

 fettlements eflablifhed by different companies for curing herrings. 

 Thefe will furnifli a market for the fifti caught by the fmall filhermen, 

 who have neither money fuflticient to purchale a flore of fait and cafks, 

 nor the knowlege requifite to encounter the innumerable hardfliips, in- 

 tricacies, and vexations, of going through cuflom-houfe formalities, 

 -<:oming under bonds, &c. This village in the year 1791 had 7 houfes, 

 and in 1796 it had 39, (whereof 9 belonged to the fociety) and about 

 40 thatched huts. Ten veflels cleared out for the bounty fifliing in 

 1796. Their barrels and nets were partly made upon the fpot. The 

 fociety have btiilt houfes for fmoking herrings, and a flied for the cod 

 fifliery. 



^ohh-mory, at the north end of the ifland of Mull, has the advantage 

 of an excellent fheltered harbour, acceflible with every wind by veflels 

 of any burthen; and there is plenty of flone and wood for building. It 

 has a cuftom-houfe, at which 38 fmall veflels, meafuring 1,589 tuns en- 

 tered inward, and 55, meafuring 1,822 tuns, entered outward. In 1792 

 there were 27 families, and in 1797 there were 47. 



Lochbay, in the north-wefl part of the ifland of Skie, has lime-flone 

 and free-ftone quarries, and a good harbour. 



At each of thefe places the fociety have pnrchafed fufHcient tracts of 

 land, and laid out the ground in proper ftreets for building. They 

 have alio ereded a quay or pier, a cuflom-houfe, a ftore-houle, a fchool 

 and a houfe for a fchool-mafler, bridges where neceflary, and have made 

 roads, at every village. Many inclofures have been made, and alfo 

 confiderable improvements in agriculture, where no improvements were 

 ever known before. The fociety have held out particular encourage- 

 ment to the trades which are connected with fiflieries and navigation; 

 and thofe fequeftered regions have feen for the firft time (at leaft for 

 feveral centuries bypaft) vefTels fitted out from their harbours, and 

 foraething like a commencement of profperity produced by induflry. 



All the fettlements are near to excellent fiihing banks, where cod and 

 ling are in great plenty, fo that the fettlers need never be at a lofs for 

 a fteady, and nearly-invariable, fpecies of fifliery to employ themfelves 

 and their vefTels. The reprefentations of the diredlors of the fociety 



