BARROW, Sir JOILN, Baronet, an English traveler, was b. on the 19th June, 1764, at Draylcybeck, in Lancashire; was early instructed in mathematics; and after having published a small volume on land-surveying, filled a situation in a Liverpool iron foundry, visited Greenland with a whaler, and after his return taught mathematics in an academy at Greenwich. Ile received an appointment as private secretary and keeper of accounts to lord Maeartney, who went as ambassador to China. He availed himself of his residence in China to learn the Chinese language, and to collect valuable materials for the account of China, which he afterwards gave to the world, partly in articles in the Quarterly Review, and partly in his Trarels in China (Lond., 1804). When lord Maeartney afterwards became governor of Cape Colony, Barrow availed himself of his residence in s. Africa to make extensive excursions in the interior of the country, which lie described in his still valuable Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa (' vols., Lond., 1801-3). Having returned to London, in the year 1804, he was appointed by lord Melville secretary- to the admimltv, which situation he continued to hold till 1845. except fora short time in 1806. Besides the works above mentioned, 13. published A royage to Cochin-China in the Years 1792 and 1793 (Lend., 1806), the of Macartney (2 Lond., 1807), A Chronological History of Voyages into the Arctic Regions (Lond., 1818); also a series of lives of English naval worthies. Under IVel's ministry in 1835, lie was raised to the baronetcy. In the year 1815, he retired from public service, but afterwards published An Autobiographical ,Memoir (Lond., 1847), and 67etches of the Royal ,4Jciety, and d. at London, 23(1 Nov., 1848. Ile rendered many services to geo graphical science by suggesting; and promoting scientific expeditions; with him also originated the idea o' the geographical society, founded in 1830, of which he was vice president 1111 his death.
a seaport and rapidly increasing t. of n. Lancashire, Eng land, situated on the south-western coast of the peninsula of Furness, opposite to a small island called Barrow island, which is traditionally reported to have been in former times a burial-place of Norse rovers. It is 8 in. s.w. from Iflverston, and 18 in. w.n.w. from Lancaster. It h connected by railway with Dalton, from which it is not quite 4 m. distant. and so with the whole railway system of England. The growth of B. has of late years been so rapid as to be almost unparalleled in the history of the towns of England. In 1847, it was an insignificant fishing-village of about 300 inhabit ants; in 1857, the population was more than 2000, it large proportion being sailors and fishers; in 1871, the population had increased to 18,215: and by 1875, it was above 40,000. This rapid increase is owing to the great quantity of iron ore, of the best quality—red hematite—which exists in the neighborhood, and the establishment both of mines and smelting-works. A small qantity of iron ore from this neighborhood was, for many years, exported to be smelted elsewhere; but about the year 1839, smelting Works were established at B. by Messrs. Schneider, Hannay-, & Co. which soon gave employment to a great number of men, and converted the old fishing village into a prosperous town. In 1805, these works produced about 160,000 tons of iron. In 1866,
the Barrow iron-works were taken over by the Barrow hematite steel company, which has now 12 blast-furnaces in constant operation, and 18 converters for making Bessemer steel. The company partly- raise their own ore, employ at their works and mines nearly 5000 men, and utilize about 500,000 tons of ore annually. The amount of pig iron made weekly is about 5500 tons, of which nearly 1000 tons are taken to the steel works, and their converted by the Bessemer process into steel. Great quantities of limestone and coke arc used in the iron-furnaces and steel-works. The red hematite of B. yields an average of 57 per cent of iron. The B. steel-works are the largest Bes semer steel-works in Britain, producing about 110,000 tons of steel annually. In the B. works, the iron is conveyed in a molten state from the blast-furnaces to the " convert ers," where it is made into steel. Some of the steani-hammers employed have heads of five tons weight, and some of six tons. Copper as well a4 iron ore is obtained in con siderable quantity near B., and is exported to the amount of about 3000 tons annually. About 20,000 tons of slate are also annually quarried in the neighborhood, and sent by coasters or by rail to other parts of Great Britain.
The town of B. is built on a regular plan, mostly in rectangles. St. George's church is a handsome Gothic building, erected chiefly at the expense of the dukes of Devon shire and Buccleuch, thc; principal land-owners of the town and neighborhood. There are other places of worship belonging to the church of England and other denomina tions.
The Furness railway company have recently expended a large sum of money in converting the channel between the mainland and Barrow island into docks. The total cost is estimated at S.:200,000. There are three principal docks_ The Ramsdell dock, when completed, will give a water area of 200 acres. Barrow island has become a great 'seat of iron ship-building. A large jute-work employs 2000 hands. Other branches of industry have also begun to be attracted to Barrow. Its foreign trade is increasing; the imports include timber from Sweden and Canada, coal from Wales, and preserved provisions from New York. The chief exports are ore, steel rails—of which about 20,000 tons are shipped annually—and pig-iron. Steamers ply regularly between Bel fast, Glasgow, and Douglas, Isle of Man. interesting ruins of Furness abbey lie within 2 in. from the town; while on Piel island there are the ruins of a castle built by the abbot of Furness. From the excellence of the harbor, the abundant facilities of railway conveyance, and the mineral wealth of the district, it may confidently be expected that B. will still rapidly increase in importance.
a village in the n. of Leicestershire, 10 m. n. of Leicester. It is noted for its blue lime or terras, which makes good cement underwater. It has manu factures of lace and-stockings. It has free schools and several charities; and is the seat of the poor-law union of the district, with a workhouse capable of accommodating 500 persons.