From the causes which have been stated, and more recently from the pressure of the war, the trade of Borrowstoness has become small indeed, compared to, what it once was.
The following Table exhibits the quantity of shipping employed in the foreign and coast trade,. inwards and outwards for four years preceding the 5th January 1811, with the nature of the trade car ried on..
The above view of the trade spews how limited the foreign commerce has become, and that the im ports have fallen off considerably ever since.the year 1806. • The shipping of% Vorrowstoness has also much decreased • since 1794. At that time there -were seventeen brigs and eight sloops •belonging to- the town, but now they cannot lie reckoned above half that number. The building . of ships, however, is still carried on, although not so extensively as for merly. There is only now one master builder, whose mode of building is held in -high -estimation, and his vessels consequently meet with a ready -market.
Several branches of manufacture and mechanical industry arc carried on in Borrowstoness. Of these, the making of salt deserves first to he mentioned. This useful manufacture is carried on to a great ex , tent here and in the neighbouring village of Grange pans. It is a lucrative concern to the proprietors, and produces a considerable revenue to the crown.
A pottery for manufacturing stone and earthen ware was begun in the year 1781, and is still con tinued upon a pretty extensive plan. This branch of business, however, is at present suffering, in com •mon with others, under the pressure of the times. In the year 1803 an English gentleman, who has de voted his attention to chemical studies, settled in Borrowstoness, and carries on with considerable suc cess, the making of sal annnonaic.
The manufacturing of • soap is likewise a branch of industry in the place. There is also, in the imme
.diate neighbourhood, a distillery newly erected, upon a pretty large scale, and at considerable expence.
And at present, two capacious lime kilns are build ing at the west end of the town, for supplying the farmers in the neighbourhood with lime for their land. The stones are brought by sea from Dunbar ; and the coal for burning them is got, at a reasonable rate, from the Duke of Hamilton's coal works.
Many of the women in the town and country around, are employed in tambouring, and in the spin ning of silk sent from London to agents here, who return the yarn to be manufactured into stockings.
Two of the Leith whale ships have fitted out here for some years past, and return with their blubber, which is manufactured into oil at a boiling house a little above the town.
As a natural consequence of the decay of trade, a number of families have from time to time left the place ; and, at present, there are several good homes, besides some of an inferior sort, without inhabitants.
In these circumstances, it is not surprising that the.population since the.year 1794, should have di minished above 400.
At that time it was . . . . . . 2613 'But at present (1811) it. does not exceed 2200 From the facta which have been mentioned, it ap pears that this place is in a very declining state. It is indeed hardly possible to conceive that the foreign trade and shipping can be less than they are. It is more probable, were peace restored and a coinmuni, cation opened with the great canal, (as formerly un successfully attempted), Borrowstoness, from its ad vantageous situation and excellent harbour, might still revive, and even surpass what it was at the time of its greatest prosperity. (i. 13.)