318 THE BRITISH ISLES. 



on the top of Gilinoro Hill. Amongst its many collections that bequeathed by 

 Dr. Hunter, the famous surgeon, is the most valuable. Hardly inferior in its 

 museums and chemical laboratories is the so-called Andersonian University, which 

 is at once a mechanics' institution and a school of science, whose evening classes 

 are attended by thousands of students. By a curious clause in his will, the 

 founder of this noble institution determined that it should be governed by nine 

 times nine curators, of whom nine must be Andersons. George Square, with 

 statues of Sir Walter Scott and other Scotch worthies, is the principal open 

 space of the city, whilst Argyle Street, with its eastern continuation, Trongate, 

 is the chief street. 



Glas"-ow is, above all, an industrial city, and of its buildings none attain a 

 higher elevation than the chimneys of some of the great chemical works, which 

 have not their equal in the world. Its industry is remarkable for its variety. The 

 Scotch town spins cotton like Manchester, weaves silk like Macclesfield, makes 

 cloth like Leeds and Halifax, manufactures jute like Dundee, builds ships like 

 Middlesbrough, and has metal works, glass houses, and potteries like Birmingham, 

 Newcastle, and Worcester. And in all these branches of manufacture it 

 holds a foremost place. Far above 100,000 operatives find employment in its 

 three or four thousand factories. 



The commerce of Glasgow is in proportion to its industry. The six lines of 

 railway which converge upon it place it in communication with every part of the 

 kingdom. As to its harbour, it includes the whole of the Lower Clyde, from the 

 Glasgow Bridge, above the Broomielaw, to Greenock, a distance of 20 miles. 

 The Clyde at Glasgow is scarcely 400 feet wide, and we marvel at the enterprise 

 which converted a river of such small volume into one of the great ports of the 

 world. Formerly, before the Clyde had been confined within embankments, it 

 spread with each tide over the adjoining marshes, and at low water was obstructed 

 by sand-banks, which rendered its navigation impossible to all but barges. At 

 that time oxen were driven across it from Dumbarton into Renfrewshire, and sea- 

 going vessels were obliged to discharge their cargoes 18 miles below Glasgow. In 

 1653 the merchants of Glasgow, despairing of ever being able to convert the 

 Clyde into a navigable river, determined to establish their port at Dumbarton ; 

 but the citizens of that old town declined the offer, for fear that the bustle 

 of commerce and industry might interfere with their traditional customs.* 

 Glasgow thus seemed to be condemned to remain an inland citv, but it 

 determined at least to have an outport of its own, and with that view, in 1662, 

 excavated docks, and erected the warehouses at Port Glasgow, on the southern 

 bank of the Clyde. 



At the same time the works for deepening the Clyde were continued, and in 

 1718 the first vessel of 60 tons burden left Glasgow for North America. Greenock, 

 more favourably situated, likewise traded with America, and during the 

 whole of the eighteenth century it was a question which of the two towns 

 would prevail in the end. But owing to the labours of Smeaton, Watt, and 

 • Geo. Dodd, " The Land we Live In; " Ch. Dupin, " Voyage dans la Grande Bretagne." 



