Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 7.djvu/544

524 524 DUMBARTON prising the parishes of Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch, belonged to Stirlingshire till the earl of Wigton, whose property it was, became heritable sheriff of Dumbartonshire, and annexed it to this county, which, as a whole, contains 270 square miles, or 172,677 statute acres, and is divided into 1 2 parishes. The county is in shape a crescent, having a convex coast-line of 35 miles, formed by the Clyde on the south for 15, and Loch Long on the west for 20 miles. Along its eastern side for a distance of 24 miles stretches Loch Lomond, the &quot; queen of Scottish lakes,&quot; studded with small islands, which number 30 in all, and most of which, with about two-thirds of the shore, are in Dumbartonshire. There are other fresh-water lakes in the county, but they are of a minor description. The Gare Loch is an arm of the sea about six miles long by one broad, and forms with Loch Long the peninsula of Roseneath, nearly detaching it from the mainland. Besides the Clyde, the only river of any note which can be said to belong to this county is the Leven, the outlet of Loch Lomond, which, flowing for six miles through a fine valley, joins the Clyde at Dumbarton Castle. The mountainous districts are marked by number less cascades and lesser streams, falling for the most part into Loch Lomond, of which the chief are the Falloch, Inveruglas, Douglas, Finlas, Fruin, &c. The Kelvin, which skirts the eastern border, drains the detached portion of the county. About two-thirds of Dumbartonshire are hilly and mountainous. The most elevated regions are in the west and north-west, between Loch Long and Loch Lomond, and to the north of Loch Lomond. Ben Voirlich, in the extreme north, attains an elevation of 3092 feet, and Finnart, on Loch Long, is 2500 feet high. While this mountainous character prevails in the north of the county, in the eastern detached district and along the Clyde and the Leven it is lowland marked, however, by the rising of abrupt emi nences such as the hills of Kilpatrick and Cardross, and the rocks of Dumbarton and Dumbuck. In scenery it is un surpassed in Scotland, not only for what it embraces but for the magnificent and extensive views which it commands. The climate varies with the character of the county, but is on the whole salubrious, though much more humid than in many parts of Scotland. The prevailing winds are from the west and south-west, but easterly winds are frequent in the spring months. Frosts are seldom severe, and, except on the mountains, snow never lies long. In the southern districts of the county Old Red Sandstone stretches from Roseneath to Loch Lomond ; limestone is found in the higher grounds of Kilpatrick, Dumbarton, and Row ; the hills of Dumbuck and Kilpatrick and Dumbarton Rock are composed of trap ; while mica slate, quartz, and talc princi pally constitute its northern formations. Clay-slate is like wise found, and has been wrought with success at Luss, Camstradden, and Roseneath. Coal measures also exist, and there are pits for working coal in several districts. Ironstone is found in considerable quantities in connection with limestone in the parishes of Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld. The arable lands of Dumbartonshire, which extend chiefly along the Clyde and the Leven, and are composed of rich black loam, gravelly soil, and clay, are divided into farms ranging from 30 to 300 acres, and in some cases to 700 or 800 acres. From the proximity to Glasgow and other large towns, the farmers have the double advantage of good manure and a ready market for all kinds both of stock and produce ; and, under the stimulus of this, great progress has been made. Special attention has been given to the construction of farm buildings, the erection of fences, and the use of proper draining, as well as to the rearing of cattle and the management of dairy stock, principally of the Ayrshire breed. Black-faced sheep and black cattle are pastured on the hilly lands, and Cheviot sheep and Ayrshire stock on the low grounds. In 187G Dumbarton shire had 1717 horses, 13,153 cattle, 71,202 sheep, and 911 pigs. Oats and wheat are grown in considerable quantities ; large crops of potatoes are raised turnips, barley, and beans are also grown. In 1876 there Avere 9862 acres under corn crops, of which 7930 were under oats and 1140 under wheat, while 4443 under green crops. On the banks and islands of Loch Lomond there are some yew trees of large size, and evidently of a very great age. There are few large estates in the county; the largest being Rossdhu (Sir James Colquhoun, Bart.), 67,041 acres, Strathleven (Mrs Ewing), 9180, Roseneath (duke of Argyll), 6 799, and Cumbernauld (Hon. Cormvallis Fleming), 3520. The whole number of landowners having one acre and upwards is 706, possessing 152,968 acres, of the annual value of 251,134. The banks of the Leven, whose waters as well as being constant are singularly soft and pure, have long been celebrated for their bleaching establishments, dye-works, and print-works. Bleaching was carried on in the Vale of Leven upwards of 150 years ago. The printing of cotton began at Levenfield in 1768, and has for some time been the chief manufacturing industry in Dumbartonshire. There are carried on with great success at Upper and Lower Levenbank Works, located within half a mile of Loch Lomond, the dyeing and printing of Turkey red cloth and yarn ; at Dalmoonach, the different processes in calico-print ing; and at Ferry-field, Croftingea, and Dillichip the various departments of the general business are conducted on a large scale. At Milton, in West Kilpatrick, the first factory for machine weaving was erected ; and here existed, a century ago, a bleaching and calico printing establishment. At Duntocher, in the same parish, cotton-spinning has been carried on from the beginning of the century, and so extensively as to take rank as the second manufacturing industry in the county. In the town of Dumbarton there are extensive ship-building yards, engine-works, foundries, tanneries, and breweries. At Dalmuir extensive works for the repair of the dredging plant belonging to the Clyde Trust were erected by the trustees in 1867, costing 25,000. A large patent slip for taking on the dredgers used on the Clyde forms part of these works, at which three steam forge- hammers are in constant operation. In 1 850 a line of rail way, already completed from Bowling to Dumbarton, was extended up the Vale of Leven to Balloch. In 1858 the Glasgow railway to Helensburgh was opened, running through Bowling, Dumbarton, and Cardross, and supplying, with the steam communication on the Clyde and the lochs, abundant facilities for every kind of traffic to all parts of the county. The Forth and Clyde Canal, begun in 1768 and opened for traffic in 1775, passes through Dum bartonshire for more than 16 miles, and is carried over the valley of the Kelvin by an aqueduct. At Bowling there is a harbour with quays, forming a tidal basin of 8| acres. The county is somewhat rich in antiquities, connected both with the period of the Roman occupation and with that of the aboriginal inhabitants of Scotland. The wall of Antoninus runs along the north of the eastern part and through the south-east corner of the main district to Kilpatrick. Remains of Roman workmanship have been found at Duntocher and in the parish of Cumbernauld, as well as at the castle. The Caledonians, Picts, &c., are commemorated by rude forts and tumuli here and there ; and there are several remains of old baronial castles. Rob Roy s district lies to the north ; the clans had encounters in Glenfruin ; and the county is associated with the heroic Wallace and Bruce, the latter having built a residence at Card ross, in which he died. In modern times, the first steam navi gation company in Britain was formed at Dumbarton in 1815; Henry Bell, from whose designs the first steamer built