The first silversmith's shop in Glasgow was opened about the year 1720, by Mr. Robert Luke. It is not easy to ascertain when the first woollen draper's shop was opened in the city. In 1761, when Mr. Patrick Ewing entered into the trade, it was very limited. 307 CHAPTER. XII. ANCIENT AND MODERN NAVIGATION OF THE CLYDE. "More pure than amber is the river Clyde, M'URE'S HISTORY. In the beginning of the sixteenth century, the channel of the river, for about thirteen miles below Glasgow, was so incommoded by fords and shoals as to be scarcely navigable for even small craft. But in 1556, the inhabitants of the burghs of Glasgow, Renfrew, and Dumbarton, entered into an agreement to excavate the river for six weeks alternately, with the view of removing the ford at Dumbuck, and some lesser fords. By the exertions of these parties, small flat-bottomed craft were brought up to the Broomielaw at Glasgow, which was then only a landing shore, there being no regular harbour for more than a hundred years after that period. In 1653, the citizens of Glasgow had their shipping harbour at the bailiery of Cunningham, in Ayrshire; but this port being distant, and the land-carraige expensive, the magistrates of Glasgow treated with the magistrates of Dumbarton for ground on which to build a harbour and docks at Dumbarton. After much discussion the negotiation broke up, the magistrates of Dumbarton considering that the great influx of mariners would "raise the price of provisions to the inhabitants." The magistrates of Glasgow then turned their attention to the Troon; and here they were again repulsed for a similar reason. In 1662, however, they succeeded in purchasing thirteen acres of ground from Sir Robert Maxwell of Newark, on which they laid out the town of Port-Glasgow, built harbours, and made the first dry or graving dock in Scotland. Soon after the Revolution in 1688, a quay was formed at the Broomielaw, at the expense of 30,000 merks Scots, or £1666 13s. 4d. sterling. The east end was at the mouth of St. Enoch's Burn, and the west at Robertson-Street. At length, when the magistrates had got a shipping port and a quay, they directed Mr. Smeaton, the celebrated engineer, to inspect the river; and on the 13th of September, 1755, he reported, inter alia, that the river at the ford at the Point House, about two miles below Glasgow, was only one foot three inches deep at low water, and three feet eight inches at high water. He proposed that a lock and dam should be made at the Marlin ford, in order to secure four and a half feet water up to the quay at Glasgow. The lock was to be seventy feet long, and eighteen feet wide, and so deep as to take in a flat-bottomed lighter at four and a half feet draught of water. An act of parliament was procured for the above purpose, but nothing further was done in it. The magistrates then required the assistance of Mr. John Golborne of Chester, and he reported, on the 30th of November, 1768, that the river was in a state of nature; and that at the shoal at Kilpatrick Sands, and at each end of the Nushet Island, there was no more than two feet of water. He then proposed to contract the river by jetties eight miles below Glasgow, and to dredge and deepen it, at an expense of £8640. Mr. Golborne having suggested that a survey of the river should be taken, the magistrates employed Mr. James Watt, afterwards the celebrated improver of the steamengine, who, along with Dr. Wilson and Mr. James Barrie, reported that several parts of the river, from the Broomielaw to the Point House, had less than two feet water. In 1770, an act of parliament was procured, by which the members of the city corporation were appointed trustees, with power to levy dues. The trustees then contracted with Mr. Golborne for deepening the river, and in January, 1775, he had erected 117 jetties on both sides, which confined it within narrow bounds, so that vessels drawing more than six feet water came up to the Broomielaw at the height of the tide. On the 7th of September, 1781, Mr. Golborne made an estimate for bringing vessels drawing seven feet water to the Broomielaw; and on the 22d of August, 1799, Mr. John Rennie, civil engineer, London, reported his opinion respecting the deepening of the river; as did Mr. Thomas Telford, civil engineer, London, on 24th of May, 1806; Mr. John Rennie again, on the 24th of December, 1807; Mr. Whidbey of Plymouth, on the 22d of September, 1824; Mr. John Clark, superintendent of the river, on the 11th of November, 1824; and Mr. Atherton, civil engineer, Glasgow, in 1833. In 1825, the trustees obtained another act of parliament, appointing five merchants not connected with the corporation, additional trustees on the river; and increasing the dues on all goods passing on the river from 1s. to 1s. 4d. per ton, and on the admeasurement of all vessels coming to the harbour, in name of harbour dues, from 1d. to 2d. per ton. The same act authorized dues to be levied for the use of the sheds, according to a regulated schedule; the former dues of Is. per ton on coals having been taken off. ment. Mr. James Spreull was appointed superintendent of the river in 1798; and, until his death in 1824, he was enthusiastic in every thing that related to its improveThe increase of trade at the Broomielaw, in consequence of these improvements, almost exceeds belief. Less than fifty years ago, a few gabbards, and these only about thirty or forty tons, could come up to Glasgow; now large vessels, many of them upwards of 800 tons burden, from America, the East and West |