Montrose is a place of considerable commerce, and its shipping has, of late years, greatly increased. It is a port of the custom-house, and comprehends, within its bounds, the coast from the lights of Tay on the south, to Bervic-Brow, or the Todhead, on the north. In the month of March, 1820, the shipping belonging to Montrose amounted to 83 vessels, registered at 7046 tons, and navigated by 605 men. Five large vessels are employed in the whale fishery, but the greater part are engaged in the coasting and Baltic trade. The most important branch of the export trade is grain, which is said to exceed that of any other port in Scotland. Va rious branches of manufacturing industry arc carried on in Monnose, particularly sail-cloth, sheeting and linen ; the importance an d progress of the last mentioned article of manufacture will appear from the following note of Enen cloth stamped in the place.
There is in the town an extensive tan-work and foundry ; rope-walks, breweries, starch-works, soap and candle-works. There are excellent salmon-fishings
in the river ; most abundant supplies of fresh white fish from several fishing villages in the vicinity, and im mense quantities of cod, particularly prepared by dry ing and salting, for distant markets. There are very extensive downs or links, between the town and the Ger man Ocean, where the game of golf is generally play ed, and where races occasionally take place. There is a bank in Montrose, besides branches from the British Linen Company and the Dundee Union Bank. There are two newspapers, two printing offices, a theatre, lately erected, and an excellent public library, inststituted in 1785, which contains between five and six thousand vo lumes. Many genteel and wealthy families reside in the place. The inhabitants are distinguished for their intelligence and orderly habits. And, altogether, Mon trose may be considered as one of the most interesting provincial towns of North Britain. The population is about 8000, (q.)