.........1781 12,000|

By the Statistical ac

count, exclusive of per

7,533 14,299

nearness to the western entrance of the Forth and Clyde Canal, renders it an important depot, from whence colonial produce may be easily transported to the north of Europe. The merchants of Greenock, although sensible of this advantage, were so pressed for want of ware-houses, that it became necessary to introduce into the acts of parliament lately obtained for the improvement of the town and harbour, clauses impowering the magistrates and town council, as trustees or commissioners, to erect warehouses for depositing goods and merchandize, in front of the breast of the new harbour. A great extent of

these buildings has been already executed, on such a scale as fully to accommodate the trade, and give superior safety to the interests of the revenue. The scries of acts of parliament for improvements at this sea-port, and the progress already made in their execution, evince the public spirit in which they originated, and the persevering exertions of the commissioners for their speedy completion.

The commerce of Port-Glasgow is similar to that of Greenock, but on a less extensive scale. The shipping belonging to that port in 1792, as taken from the custom-house books, was;

Vessels.

These belonged partly to merch ants in Port-Glasgow, and partly to mercantile houses in Glasgow. The trade at this place is by no means carried on solely by the vessels belonging to it.

The extent of commerce may be inferred from the total duties of customs received at this place, which, for the year ending 5th January 1807, amounted to.....£.282,408 5 10

For the year ending

5th Jan. 1811,...£.307,187 6 1 The improvements at Port-Glasgow have kept pace with its rising trade. The merchants are accommodated with extensive ware-houses for West India produce; and large ponds for the reception of imported timber. The magistrates and council of the city of Glasgow, who are trustees for the harbour, have expended, within the last ten years, above £.15,000, in deepening and cleaning the harbour, and in extending the quays;

18

16

125

The other revenues of the town arise chiefly from a tax of 24 per cent. upon house rents; and from the market and harbour dues, &c. as mentioned in the Statistical Account of this parish, and amounted, prior to 1792, to about £.500 a-year: but in consequence of an act of parliament of 1803, increasing the tax on house rents to 5 per cent., the revenue is greatly advanced.

The merchants in Greenock, justly considering the herring fishery as of great importance, continue to prose. cute this branch of industry, chiefly in the neighbouring lochs. By act of parliament in the year 1750, a bounty was granted to herring fishers, of 30s. per ton, which in 1757 was extended to 50s.; and in 1771 with some alterations, reduced to 30s. In the year 1791, there were cleared, at the custom-house at Greenock and out-ports, 129 vessels, on board of 88 of which there were 938 men; and, besides the herrings which were sold for immediate consumption, there were entered, from the 5th of January 1791 to the 5th of January 1792,

The herring fishery has gradually declined at Port-Glasgow, and there are now no vessels belonging to that town employed in this trade. But, from a preceding table, it would appear that the fishing vessels of Greenock have some years amounted to nearly 300, consisting of about 10,000 tons of shipping, and employing about 1000 men: and though for a few years this trade has declined, and is in fewer hands than formerly, yet this last season (1811) there has been a successful fishery.

The Whale fishery from Clyde has not been prosperous. It was first attempted in 1752, when several ships were sent to Greenland, but was soon given up. It was again revived in 1786, when five large vessels from Greenock and Port-Glasgow, well equipped and commanded by men of experience in the business, sailed from Clyde but in consequence of unsuccessful fishing, and the low price of oil, the trade was gradually abandoned. One of the ships belonging to Port-Glasgow persevered till 1794, but the parties concerned sustained, considerable losses.

The merchants at Greenock, either from the rise of prices or other favourable circumstances, have lately resumed the trade, two ships being fitted out in 1811, which it is hoped have been so successful, as to induce the owners to persevere.'

The Newfoundland and Nova Scotia fisheries are prosecuted extensively.

The imports and extent of the trade of Clyde, will be understood by perusing the following table, which illustrates the present state of the commerce, not only of the towns of Port-Glasgow and Greenock, but also of the city of Glasgow.

Table

Particulars respecting JAMES MITCHELL, a boy born blind and deaf, and of his visit to London. By James Wardrop. From a Pamphlet on this subject. 4to, Murray, London. Constable, Edinburgh.

THE boy, when brought to London, and put under my care, had passed the fourteenth year of his age. He was accompanied by his father, a respectable clergyman in the north of Scotland, and by his sister; from whom, and from the observations I was enabled to make, the subsequent history has been collected.

He had the usual appearances of strength and good health, and his countenance was extremely pleasing, and indicated a considerable deal of intelligence.

On examining the state of his eyes, the pupil of each was observed to be obscured by a Cataract.

I could discover no defect in the organization of his Ears.

Soon after his birth, his parents observed the cataracts in both eyes, and they also discovered, at a very early age, that he was Deat, as no sounds appeared to excite his attention, and no noise seemed to awake him during sleep.

He was very docile and obedient to his father and to his sister, who accompanied him to London, and reposed in them every confidence for his safety, and for the means of his subsistence.

Henever took food from any one but the branches of his own family. I several times offered him an apple, of which I knew he was extremely fond, but he always refused it with signs of mistrust, though the same apple, afterwards given him by his sister, was accepted of greedily.

It was difficult to ascertain the manner in which his mind was guided in the judgment he formed of strangers, as there were some people whom he never permitted to approach him,

whilst others at once excited his interest and attention.

The opinions which he formed of individuals, and the means he employed to study their character, were extremely interesting. In doing this, he appeared to be chiefly influenced by the impressions communicated to him by his sense of Smell. When a stranger approached him, he eagerly began to touch some part of his body, commonly taking hold of the arm, which he held near his nose, and after two or three strong inspirations, through the nostrils, he appeared to form a decided opinion regarding him. If this was favourable, he showed a disposition to become more intimate, examined more minutely his dress, and expressed by his countenance more or less satisfaction: but if it happened to be unfavourable, he suddenly went off to a distance with expressions of carelessness or of disgust.

When he was first brought to my house, to have his eyes examined, he both touched and smelled several parts of my body, and the following day, whenever he found me near him, he grasped my arm, then smelled it, and immediately recognized me; which he signified to his father, by touching his eye-lids with the fingers of both hands, and imitating the examination of his eyes, which I had formerly made. I was very much struck with his behaviour during this examination. He held his head, and allowed his eyes to be touched, with an apparent interest and anxiety, as if he had been aware of the object of my occupation. On expressing to his father my surprise, at the apparent consciousness of the Boy of what was to be done, he said that he had frequently, during the voyage from Scotland, signified his expectation and his desire that some operation should be performed on his eyes. About two years before this period, he had been brought up to London by

sea