There are numerous towns and harbours along both sides of the river and Frith of Forth, where trade and manu factures are carried on in various branches. Commencing with Stirling, where it is crossed by a bridge of four arches, the principal towns are Grangemouth, Borrowstounness, Queen's Ferry, Leith, Musselburgh, l'rcstonpans, and Dunbar on the south side ; and on the notth, arc Alloa, Culross, Charlestown, Inverkeithing, Burntisland, dy, Dysart, Leven, Pittenweem, Anstruther, Crail, with a few of lesser note. The number of piers and harbours is not less than thirty ; and some of them of expensive con struction, such as Leith, where there are considerable wet docks ; there is a fine basin at Borrowstounness ; and at Queensferry the most recent improvements have been adopled. But storms from the cast, attended with a tem pestuous sea, occasionally damage the harbours. Except ing Stirling and Leith, few of the towns contain 2900 in habitants, and several of them not half that number. The principal manufactures are of iron, salt, pottery, sal ammo niac, some bricks and tiles, and recently Roman cement and alum have been fabricated at the village of Blackness. There
is also linen made on the north side, along the coast of Fife, and soap on the south side, together with oil. Coal, lime, and grain are the chief exports of natural products: but foreign products arc brought from the west by the great canal, and carried eastward ; and there is a vast quantity of artillery and iron manufactures exported from the Carron founderies. The vessels belonging to the different ports are mostly occupied in the coasting trade, but whole fleets resort to the Baltic ; several vessels belong to the Green land whale fishery, and a few are engaged in West India traffic. Independent of the manufactures carried on in the vicinity of the river, cotton, linen, and muslin goods are exported, and some groceries, wood, flax, and other com modities imported ; to receive the duties on all of which there are custom-houses along both sides of the river. The chief trade, however, is conducted on the same side with the metropolis.