This county is not remarkable for its mineral treasures. Several attempts have been made at different times to pro cure gold and silver, but these have always proved fruit less. There are some lead mines on the Tivy, the ore of which is said to be of a superior quality ; though formerly worked with great advantage, they are at present aban doned. Limestone and coal are found in abundance in the southern part of the county ; the coal is by no means good, but the limestone is of a superior quality, and equally well adapted for manure and building. Free stone is also plentiful, and is exported in large quantities. There are some mineral springs, chiefly of the chalybeate kind.
With regard to agriculture, Pembrokeshire, though much improved of late years, is still very defective. The farms vary in extent from 50 to 500 acres ; the average size is about 200 acres. They are almost all let from year to year, though some proprietors grant leases usually for a term of three lives. The average rent and tithes of a square mile amount to 2841. The farms are of a mixed description, grain being raised on all of them, and a part of each hcing appropriated to the dairy and the rearing of cattle. The system of husbandry is wretched in the ex treme, it being common to exhaust the land by four white crops in succession, and then frequently to lay it out with out any grass seeds. The grains commonly raised are wheat, barley, and oats, and in some parts rye. Turnips and peas are cultivated on some farms, but with no great success. The implements used in husbandry are of the most awkward and despicable description. This county produces a superior breed of jet-black cattle, with spread ing horns, which are in great request in the English market, where they meet with a ready sale. Lime is ex tensively used for manure ; and in some parts shelly sea sand is used with advantage for barley crops. Draining has been carried to some extent, and considerable tracts of land have been reclaimed by means of it. The waste lands of the county consist of about 22,220 acres, which are chiefly used as sheep-walks.
This county possesses no manufactures of particular notice. There were formerly some tin works on the 'rivy, and a cotton-mill at Haverford-west, both of which are now discontinued. With all the advantages presented by its numerous natural harbours and great ex tent of coast, its commerce is very limited, being confin ed to a little coasting-trade, chiefly for the exportation of cheese, butter, stone, coal and culm. The fisheries are
productive, but, from the want of capital, are not carried on to any extent. There are a number of fishing towns along the coast : Fishgard, in particular, is noted for its trade in herrings; the various creeks abound with oysters and other fish. There are also several salmon fisheries, the salmon being plentiful in some of the rivers ; near Kilgerran on the Tivy, there is a remarkable salmon leap, where that fish is caught in great abundance.
Pembrokeshire anciently formed a part of the province of Dyfed, which also comprehended the counties of Caer marthen and Cardigan. Nothing of its history is known previous to the Roman invasion, and the only proofs of its being occupied by that people, are drawn from the works which they have left behind them. The great western Roman road entered the county at Lianvyrnach, and proceeded in a straight line to \Ienapia, at its western extremity. Another Roman road led from the great road, to the station called Ad-Vigesimum, the site of which has been lately ascertained by Mr. Fenton to be the spot call ed Castle Flemish. Several tumuli, the remains of a small camp and Roman bath, and other traces of their es tablishment, have also been discovered. After the de parture of the Romans, its history is for a long period in volved in obscurity. During the Danish invasions this district suffered repeatedly from their attacks. After the conquest, it was subdued by one of those military adven turers, to whom the English king William II. had given permission to hold by knights' service under himself, whatever lands they might wrest from the Welsh. In the war of the Roses, the Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry VII. and his mother, were besieged in Pembroke castle ; and in this county he landed on his enterprise against Richard III. and was immediately joined by a strong body of Welsh. In the civil wars of the 17th cen tury, several of its castles were garrisoned for the king, and skirmishes took place in different quarters of it. Front that period nothing occurred to disturb the tranquillity of the county till 1797, when considerable alarm was excited by the landing of a French force; but on the assembling of the military of the county, they capitulated on the day after their disembarkation.