GREENOCK, a parliamentary burgh, market-town, and important seaport of Scot land, in the co. of Renfrew, is situated on the southern bank of the Firth of Clyde, on a narrow strip of shore, and on the slopes of the hills which form its background, 22 m. w.n.w. of Glasgow. It extends upwards of 2 in. along the shore, and at one place it climbs to a considerable elevation up the face of the hills, which here rapidly attain an elevation of 800 ft.; while toward the w., and all over the front of the hulls, new and elegant villas are continually being erected. From the rising grounds behind the town, and from the western shore, the view of the opposite coasts of Argyle and Dum ba•ton shires, fringed with white gleaming villages and of the firth stretching away into narrow lochs, and dotted over, especially in summer, with every variety of craft, is exceedingly picturesque and beautiful. The most important buildings arc the custom house, the exchange, the Watt monument containing. a statue of Watt by Chantrey, museum, a lecture-room, and a library, the mechanics' institute, etc. The harbors of Greenock have been constructed upon a large scale—the Albert in 1966; and from it extends westward the fine Princes pier, opened in 1370. Its quays can be approached by steamers, and its harbors entered by vessels at any state of the ade. The commerce of the town is chiefly with North America, and the West find Rest Indies. The trade is mainly in sugar-refining, for which it has establishments, turning out refined sugars to the value of upwards of R,-1,500,000 In slily-building, about 20 iron vessels are turned off the stocks annually. There are, besides, manufactures of
steam-engines, chain-cables, anchors; and rope and sail making. Greenock has almost constant intercourse with Glasgow by river or railway, and is the general starting-point for tourists en route for the western Highlands and isles. It sends cue member to parliament. The number and tonnage of vessels which tottered and cleared at the port of Greenock for the following two years are returned az, follows: In 1871, 3,216 vessels, of 733,201, tons, entered and cleared the port; in 1875, 7,134 vessels, of 1,706,5-17 tons. The sugar imported in 1830 was 18,357 tons; in 1840, 22.872 tons; in 1850, 45,815 tons; in 1860, 74,289 tons; in 1871, it was 213.090 tons; in 1877, f'36,699 tons. '1'lle globe sugar-refining company turns out 720 tons a week. The value of foreign and colonial i merchandise imported in 1876 was £5,278,155. Pop. '71, 57,821.
Originally consisting of only a few thatched houses, Greenock was created a burgh of barony in 1635 (having then a population of less than 2,000), and a parliamentary 1Surgh after the passing of reform act ir. 1832. The prosperity of the town dates from the union in 1707, when free commerce to America and the West Indies was opened up.