M O X 



669 



M O N 



. name of the town is supposed to refer, called Forthill, 

 ' em which a fortification was formerly erected, and in 

 cutting through which, to form a new entrance to the 

 town from the bridge, a stratum of human bones, nearly 

 fourteen feet thick, was laid open. The harbour, on the 

 east tide of the bridge, is very commodious, and fur- 

 nished with excellent quayi. Two light-houses have 

 been lately built, to direct vessels in taking the river 

 during the night ; and a large house, in which the 

 keeper of the lights resides, is provided with accom- 

 modation for the recovery of persons who have suffer- 

 ed shipwreck. The spot upon which the town is built 

 is nearly a dead flat, from which the sea appears to 

 have gradually receded ; but the soil, being a dry 

 sandy beach, and the whole exposure completely open 

 on every side, the climat- is much more healthy than 

 the lowneM of the situation might give reason to ex- 

 pect. The town it neatly built, and consists chiefly of 

 one spacious main street, from which numerous lanes 

 run off on each side, as from the High Street of Edin- 

 burgh. Many of the houses have their gables turned 

 to the street ; but a number of more modern buildings 

 re constructed in a different manner, and have a very 

 hsnd-ome appearance. The principal public buildings 

 are the Tonn-hall, which lias of late been greatly en- 

 larged, and which makes a fine termination to the main 

 It I eg t ; the Parish church, which measures 98 feet by 65 

 over walls, a plain and well finished building, but awk- 

 wardly attached to an old and diminutive steeple ; the 

 Episcopal chapel, to the eastward of the town, neatly 

 built end handsomely fitted up ; the Public schools, in 

 safe and airy situation, and now almost entirely oc- 

 cupied by the English masters ; the Academy, a spa- 

 cious edifice, recently erected for the accommodation 

 of the other teachers, and containing six large apart- 

 ments occupied by the master and usher of the Latin 

 school, two masters for writing and arithmetic, a mas- 

 ter for drawing, and rector, whose department in- 

 cludes the different branches of mathematics the ele- 

 ments of natural philosophy, and several of the modem 

 languages ; the Lunatic asylum, including alto an infir- 

 mary and dispensary, founded in 1779, the first insti- 

 tution of the kind in Scotland, and which has been re- 

 cently enlarged, and greatly improved in its whole ap- 

 pearance and arrangements ; and the Office of the Bri- 

 tish Ijntn Company'* agents, which forms one of the 

 principal ornaments of the main street. 



Montrose is a place of considerable commerce, and 

 Its shipping has, of late years, greatly increased. It is 

 a port of the custom-house, and comprehends, within 

 its bounds, the coast from the lights of Tav on the 

 oath, to Berrie-Brow, or the Toahead, on the north. 

 In the month of March, 1820, the shipping belonging 

 to Montrose amounted to 85 vessels, registered at 7046 

 tons, and navigated by 605 men. Five large vessels 

 are employed hi the whale fishery, but the greater part 

 are engaged in the coasting and Baltic trade. The most 

 important branch of the export trade is grain, which is 

 aid to exceed that of any other port in Scotland. Va- 

 rious branches of manufacturing industry are carried on 

 .ntroie, particularly sail-cloth, sheeting and linen ; 

 the importance and progress of the last-niuntioned ar- 

 ticle of manufacture will appear from the following 

 note of linen cloth stamped in the place. 



Trte* 



L. . rf. 



Fran 1 NOT. KU&lolstNov. If,l8. 3U,(;9j 18.606 7 Ij 



Fran ......... Iriietn ......... 1817. 537.3994 87.405 6 lf 



From ......... ii7u> ......... IMS. 5i:ui"i z.i.sns n s 



From ......... 181lo ......... 1919, 777.902 36.13!! IS 11 



There is in the town an extensive tan-work and Montrow, 

 foundry ; rope-walks, breweries, starch-works, soap Montser- 

 and candle-works. There are excellent salmon-fish- "* 

 ings in the river ; most abundant supplies of fresh white """Y*" 

 fish from several fishing villages in the vicinity, and im- 

 mense quantities of cod, particularly prepared by drying 

 and salting, for distant markets. Thereare very extensive 

 downs or links, between the town and the German 

 Ocean, where the game of golf is generally played, and 

 where races occasionally take place. There is a bank 

 in Montrose, besides branches from the British Linen 

 Company and the Dundee Union Bank. There are 

 two newspapers, two printing offices, a theatre, lately 

 erected, and an excellent public library, instituted in 

 1785, which contains between five and six thousand 

 volumes. Many genteel and wealthy families reside in 

 the place. The inhabitants are distinguished for their 

 intelligence and orderly habits. And, altogether, Mon- 

 trose may be considered as one of the most interesting 

 provincial towns of North Britain. The population is 

 about 8000. (a.) 



MONTSERRAT, one of the Leeward Caribbee Is- 

 lands in the West Indies, was discovered in 1493 by Co- 

 lumbus, and was colonized in 1632 from the adven- 

 turers under Sir Thomas Warner. The island is of a 

 circular form, and is about nine miles in diameter, 

 containing about 30,000 acres of land, or nearly 47 

 square miles, of which about 6000 acres are laid out in 

 sugar, 3000 in cotton, 2000 in provisions, 000 in pas- 

 turage, the remaining two-thirds being mountainous. 

 Cedars, cypresses, the iron-tree, and other woods and 

 odoriferous shrubs, are produced on the inland ; and 

 indigo was formerly raised in great quantities. From 

 1784 to 1788, the average crop was 2737 hhds. of 

 sugar, of 1600 cwt ; 1 107 puncheons of rum, and 275 

 boles of cotton. The following were the exports from 

 Montserrat and Nevis in 1 787, which were sent prin- 

 cipally to Britain, the United States, the British colo- 

 nies in America, and the West Indies : 



Sugar, 



Hum, . . 



Molasses, . . 



Indigo, . . 



Cotton, 



Dyeing woods, valued at . 



.Miscellaneous articles, valued at 



Total value at the London market, 214,141 16 



cat. quart. Bu. 



110,984 21 



289,076 gallons. 



1,313 



140 



92,472 



352 7 



1,363 3 



gallons. 

 Ibs. 

 Ibs. 

 6 

 S 



e 



These articles were produced by the labour of about 

 1300 whites, and 10,000 negroes, which was the popu- 

 lation of the island in 1791. In 1648 the white fami- 

 lies were 1000, with a militia of SGO effective men. 



In the year 1806, Montserrat imported the following 

 articles of provision and lumber: 



From Britain. 



Corn, . 6,230 bushels. 



Bread, Flour, anil Meal, 150 cwt. 



Beef and I'ork, 

 .Dry Fish. 

 Picldei Fish. 

 Duller, . . 

 Sheep and Hogs, 

 Oak and 1'inc Board., 

 Shingles, . 



78 barrels. 



30 barrels. 

 19 firkins. 



From United Statet. 

 6,325 busbels. 

 1,9555 cwt. 

 416 barrels. 

 54 quint. 

 632 barrel*. 



50 No. 

 396,908 feet. 

 597,000 No. 

 117,600 No. 



Montserrat is the most southern island under the go. 

 vernor-general, and is 7 leagues SE. of Nevis, and S 

 8 W. of Antigun. West Long. 62 1 3' 25' of NE. point, 

 and North Lat. 16 47' 35". See Edward's Histary of I/it 

 West Indies, vol. i. and Gray's Letters from Canada. 



