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General View Of The Agriculture Of The County Of Clackmannan : And Some Of The Adjacent Parishes, Situated In The Counties Of Perth And Stirling / By John Francis Erskine, Esq. Of Mar ; Drawn Up For The Consideration Of The Board Of Agriculture And Internatl Improvement
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making of ſalt. When the ſalt-buſineſs was on the decline, there were only 5 boats, from 10 to 20 tons burden Theſc were employed in carrying ſalt to Leith, and bringing back from thence wood and iron. But this trade failing, the in-= habitants were induced to turn their thoughts towards Mhip-building, having a moſt excellent road-ſtead, and 2 fine beach of hard gravel, very proper for that buſineſs. Ship-carpenters therefore ſettled at Kincardine: and tbe ſpirit of ſhip-building was ſo prevalent, that, in 1740, there were 60 veſſels, from 15 to 60 tons, belonging to the place. In 1745, they were employed in the ſervice of government. The town has ever ſince been increaſing: and many ſloops and brigantines have been built; and veſſels of 200 and 300 tons, fit for the Weſt-India trade. The ſhip-maſters have had the good ſenſe and addreſs to become carriers to other ports. Seventy-five veſſels, amounting to 4043 tons burden, and employing 300 ſailors, belong at preſent to this place. Many of the beſt hands entered volunteers in the navy, on the commencement of this war. The population of the vil- lage is probably about 1800 ſouls.

Clackmannan is the county-town. It ſtands on the ridge of a hill: it is ſmall, and ill-built. The inhabitants are be- tween 6 and 700.

The moſt conſiderable town in this diſtriet, is Alloa, where there is a good harbour; in which, at neap-tides, the water riſes from 12 to 15 fcetz and, at ſpring-tides, from 17 to 22 feet. Near the harbour, there 15 a moſt excellent and commodious dry dock, large enough to contain a Mhip of 40 guns. The coal-trade is the greateſt ſupport of Alloa. There is a glaſs-houſe, for making bottles. It is the moſt conveniently fituated of any in Great Britain 3; as any quan- tity of coals that can be required, may be conveyed from the pits to the very door af the glaſs-houſe, by an uncommon]1ly fine waggon-way; and there is a pier adjoining to the houſe, where all materials wanted in the manufaCtory, are unload- ed, and the bottles put on board the veſſels for any part of

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