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ffs calculated for the creneral purpofes of maritime Iraffitk 

 than it> rival, anil therefore there is little probability of its 

 cxtenfion. Indeed the (liippinj; belonging to Glaf;;o\v is 

 certainly on the decreafe, the iorcign merchants iinding it 

 more for their advantage to freight or charter veflels tor i'.ny 

 pnrpofe than to bnild'or bny vclTels of their own, which 

 both ccnfumc or link a confulerable portion of their capital, 

 and may, from the many cafualties and flutlnatiuns to which 

 commerce in this eventfid age is expofed, prove rather _ln:r- 

 thens than advantages, while the mere (liip-owner, if d-- 

 privcd of a freight or charter-party at one port, may with 

 greater facility feekit at another, than the perfon with whom 

 freiglit is only a fecondarv and inferior confideraticn. 



Port Glafgow is governed by magiftrates, appointed by 

 the council of Glafgow, and ibme refident magillrates. Its 

 exports and imports have been already given and compared 

 with thofe of Greenock under the article Glasgow, whidi 

 indeed furnifnes by far the greater part of the freight to and 

 from both ports. 



There are no manufaftures here of any extent, excepting 

 thofe which are to be found at almoll all fea-port towns, 'vi-z,. 

 fliip building and rope fpinning. Both of thefe are carried 

 on to a very confiderable extent. A work was erected lonie 

 years ago for refining of fugar, and alfo a fmall cotton-mill, 

 but neither have ever been profecuted to any great ex- 

 tent. 



A plan has been formed, and its execution is now begun, 

 which in time may produce a great efl'ect, both on this town 

 and Greenock. This plan has for its objeA the formation of 

 a more direCl communication between Glafgow and the well 

 fea, than the prefent circuitous navigation of the Clyde, by 

 means of a navigable canal to be carried from Glaigow to 

 Ardroffan, near Irvine, which is about thirty miles farther 

 down the river than the prefent feaports. This canal was 

 projefted under the fanftion and patronage of the prefent 

 earl of Eglintoun, (lord ArdralTan of Great Britain,) a part 

 of wliofe eftatcs lie in that neighbourhood. Its objeftf are 

 two-fi;ld. Firft, to facihtate the maritime iutercourfe of 

 Glafgow and Paifley with the New World, by a more di- 

 reft channel and better harbour. Second, to improve the 

 agricultural and internal date of Renfrewfliire, and the 

 northern didrift of Ayrfliire, by affording means for the 

 cheap conveyance of coal, lime, manure, and other heavy ar- 

 ticles by means of the canal. Ardroffan is fituated not 

 more than thirty miles from Glafgow, by the line of the 

 projccled canal, and therefore the carriage of goods will not 

 be more expenfive or tedious than by the Clyde, for the canal 

 being free from the conilant interruptions arifing from the 

 operation of wind and tide upon the river, the time of arri- 

 val and departure may be depended upon at all feafons and 

 in all weathers. A confiderable fum has already been fub- 

 fcribed for the canal, and alfo for the harbour, and from 

 the well-known energy and aclivity of his lordiliip's general 

 charafter, there is no reafoii to doubt that every exertion 

 for its fpeedy completion will be ufed. 



It is natural to expeft that every oppofition will be given 

 by thofe «hofe loca^ interefts will fuffer by the fuccefa of 

 this undertaking, and thefe comprehend many wealthy and 

 povvi rful cl.ifles ; but wliilll fome oppole, others will liiid it 

 their intereft to promote it, and the competition mull be ul- 

 timately advantageous to the general body, however it may 

 terminate as to thofe more immediately interefted. 



The other part of the plan is the formation of an excel- 

 lent and fecure harbour at Ardroffan, capable of receiving 

 Chips of large burthen, and this alfo is begun. The lubfcrip- 

 f ions for the two undertakings are conducted feparately. The 

 cuail here is in fome places reckoned dangerous during the 



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prcvalcncf of ftrnng gales from the north-weft, when vrffcls 

 are making the land ; but it is faid that the bay of Lamlafh, 

 in Arran, will afford a fafe and eafy flicker witliin a few 

 hours fail, when ihir. may prow to be the cafe. The furvi vs, 

 plans, and eflimatcB for the canal ai;d haibriir cf Ardrofan 

 were made under the fuperintc ndance of Mr. Telford. It 

 mufl be perfu'lly evident that this canal will in rJl events 

 produce much benefit as it pafTe,'! tlircugh the noR jopulous 

 and llourifhing manufacturing dillridt in Renfrcwfiiire. 



Gl.\m,'>w, a new county of America, in Newbcrn 

 diflrict. North Carolina, taken from Dolibs's county : 

 boimdtd N. by Edgeoir.b, S. by Lenoir, E. by Pitt, and 

 W. by \'/ayne — Alfo, a town of New York, on the E. 

 coafl of lake Cayuga; eight nules S. of Cayuga. 



Gl^ASS, in the general acceptation of this term among 

 CliLmifts, denotes any fubflaucc or mixture, earthy, faline, or 

 metalhc, which is reduced bv igneous fufion to the fliape 

 of a hard, brittle, uniform mafs, which breaks with a con- 

 thoidal fradlure, palling into fplinterv, and with a high de- 

 gree of Liftre. Motl glaffes of this kind are alfo tranfpa- 

 reiit. See ViTUiFif.-\Tjo.\. 



Gl.\.s.s, Vhruni, in a more reflricted fenfi-, and as tlielerm 

 is commonly ufed in the arls ixnA. manufuriuirs, fignifies tliat 

 tranfparent, iolid, brit'l ;, faftitions fubitance, produced by 

 tlie viti-ification of filiccous earth witli various falls and metal- 

 lic oxyds, which is applicable to innumerable purjKifes of 

 ornament and comfort, as well as of fcientific inveiligation 

 and refearch. 



As to the antiquity of the term gitifs, Tacitus (Genu. 

 c. ^.5.) and Pliiiy (1. xxxvii. c. 3.) inform us, that amber 

 was called among the ancient Gauls or Germans by the name 

 oi glifum or glcffhm; and from the fimilarity which glafs bore to 

 amber with refpecl to tranfparency ;'nd brightneis, it acquir- 

 ed a name, which was. In all probability, originally the fame. 

 The word glefum denoted, without doubt, a lliir.ing cr tranf- 

 parent fubllance, asg/.i/pn exprefTes at prefent in the German 

 language to (hine ; and our Englifh word to g/i/hi: is derived 

 from it, and has nearly the fame fignilication. 

 that fome critics were of opinion, that the \ 

 implied glafs rather than'amber. ^I'he ancient Greeks, as it has 

 been obierved, applied the fame term (r.X:^.?^.^) both to o-hil's 

 and auiber. The herb with which the Britons painted il.iir 

 bodies had alio the name of glq/lunh perhaps from the /lii» 

 ing appearance it m.ight give to th.eir il-;ins, or poHibly becaufe 

 its aihes might be ufed in tJie making of glafs. The l.,atin,s 

 called the fame plant by the name of -oiinnii, the word.they 

 ufed to fignify glafs. (Cxfar. Bell. Gall 1. v.) 



We find frequent mention of this jilaiit in ancient writers, 

 particularly Csfar, Vitruvius, Pliny, &c. who rthi'c, that 

 the ancient Britons painted or dyed tlieir bodies witli glalfum, 

 guadum, vitrum, &c. /. e. with the ble.e colour jirocured from 

 this plant. And hence, as fome have fiippofcd, the factitious 

 matter we are'fpeaking of, came to be called glafs, as having 

 always fomewhat of this '• luifiiiicfs in it. 



Merret (Not. in Ar.t. Ntri de /. rt. Vilrar.) gives us the 

 following characters or ])ropertics of glafs, bv wliich itisdlf- 

 tinguiflied from all other bodies, I'iz. I. 'i'hat it is an artificial 

 concrete of fait andfand, or Hones. 2. Fnlible by a llroiig 

 fire. 3. When fufed, tenacious and coh.crent. ^. It does 

 not wafleor confumein the lire. 5. \Vhen melled, it cleaves 

 to iron. 6. Ductile, when red-hot, and fafliionable into any 

 form, but not malleable ; and capabl.- of being blown into a 

 hollownefs, which no mineral is. (See DL'CTii.nv cf CLifs.) 

 7. Frangible when thin, williout annealing. S. Friable 

 when cold. g. Alwavs diaphanou?, whether hot or cold. 

 10. Flexible and e'alfic. 11. Diffoluble bv cold and moil", 

 tuiv. 12. Only capable of being graven, or cut with .1 

 I *l:aiaond 



JJucarge fays 

 m-A ^Irfuw itfelf 



