Coal is found in vast quantities both on the north and south divisions of the county, but of different natures. That on the south is of the bituminous kind or coaking coal, like the coals of Newcastle.
That of the north (when large, called stone-coal and small culm) is difficult to kindle, burns slowly, but, emits an intense heat with little or no smoke, and without being distended. This latter is principally used by the maltsters and lime-burners.
Although the abundance and excellence of the coal and iron have caused the erection of blast fur naces in many parts of the county, yet the largest and most numerous are those near the recently-built town of Myrthr-Tydvil, which, within a few years, has grown upk from an obscure village to the most populous place in the whole principality of Wales, and contained, in 1811, 11,000 inhabitants.
There are seventeen blast-furnaces near this place, each of which can make from 50 to 100 tons of iron weekly. The most extensive of the works, that of Cyfartha, belonging to Messrs Crawshay and Com pany, produce annually 11,000 tons of pig iron, and 12,000 tons of bar iron. The fires of the furnaces are blown by a steam-engineof 50 horse power, and an overshot wheel of 50 feet in diameter, which re quires 25 tons of water each minute to keep it at work. The number of men employed at Messrs Crawshay's work is from 1500 to 2000, making, with their families, more than 4000 persons, whose wages amount to between L.70,000 and L.80,000 annually.
The next considerable manufactory is that com monly called tin plates. The cheapness of iron and coal causes the tin of Cornwall to be sent here, and spread over those iron plates, which are afterwards dispersed over all the world.
In like manner, the copper ore from Cornwall, from North Wales, and from Ireland, is attracted to Glamorganshire by the cheapness of coal ; and it is smelted in works upon a most extensive scale, in the vicinity of Aberavon, Neath, and Swansea, from whence it is forwarded by water-carriage to the places where it receives its final appropriations to the seve ral purposes for which it is wanted. There are some
extensive manufactories of earthenware, which are increasing in their operations, and small concerns adapted for making soap, salt, and woollen cloths.
The most considerable exported production from this county is coals from the ports of Swansea and Neath. At the former of these ports, the facility of loading vessels is so great, that ships of three hun dred tons burden enter with one tide, are loaded and enabled to sail sometimes the next, but usually the next tide but one. The quantity annually ex ported has amounted to 300,000 tons, and more might be shipped, but for some superior privileges in the city of Bristol, which favour the coal mines of Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire.
The rivers of Glamorganshire are, 1st, The Taf or Tave, over which is the celebrated bridge of one and), supposed to be the largest in the world, being one hundred and forty feet in the span, planned and executed by an untaught country mason, a native of the county. 2d, The Elay, a stream of short course, near Llantrissent. Sd, The Ogmore, crossing the county, and entering the sea near Bridgend. 4th, The Nedd or Neath, passing from Brecknockshire, through most romantic vallies, by Neath to the sea at Britton Ferry ; and, 5th, The Tawy, which dis charges itself into Swansea Bay.