HEN FREW. (R zar rennin tag) It ENFREWSH I RE, a county in the west of Scotland, is bounded N. by the Clyde, by which it Is repented from Dumbartonshire; N.E. and K by Lanarkshire; K. and S.W. ly Ayrehire; and W. by the Frith of Clyde. A small portion lies on the right bank of the Clyde. The form of the oonnty is au irregular oblong, having its greatest length from south-east to north-west, 32 miles ; and its greatest breadth from the Kilbirnie Loch to Erskine on the Clyde, 13 miles. It lies between 55" 40' and 55° 58' N. let., 4° II' and 4° 51' W. long. Its area is 234 square miles, or 150,000 acres. The population of the county in 1841 was 155,072 ; in 1851 it was 161,091. The county returns one member to the Imperial Parliament.
Surface, Hydrography, and Comatunicatiolut.—Tho western part of the oounty, and the southern border which joins Ayrshire, are hilly ; the eastern end northern part along the Clyde is flat. The hills on the border of Ayrshire are the loftiest. They attain their elevation in a gradually rising range which traverses the county, commencing on its northern and eastern boundary, a little way south of Glasgow, and running south of Paisley to the Loch of Kilbirnie; the valley of this lake and of Loch winnooh separatiog this range from the western and hilly part of the county. The hills on the north border of Ayr shire and in the western part of the county attain an elevation varying from 1200 to 1400 feet ; the Neilstou Pad, in the centre of the range, is about 900 feet above the sea-level ; the Fereneze and Eaglesham hills, farther east, are generally less elevated.
The whole county is included in the basin of the Clyde, the estuary of which washes a large portion of the border ; but the tributaries which drain it are all small, and, with the exception of the Cart, useless for navigation. [PaisiGsv.] A stream which bears, in different parts of its course, the names of Rotten Burn, Shaws Burn, and Kipp Water, drains the western part, and joins the estuary of the Clyde at the little village of Innerkip, on the west coast of the county. Iu one
pert of its course it expands into two lochs, which are used as reser voirs for the supply of Greenock with water. The central and eastern parts of the county sro drained by the Gryfe, the Black Cart, and the White Cart, or the Cart, which passing through Paisley, joins the united stream of the Black Cart and the Gryfe just above its fall into the Clyde below Renfrew.
The only canal in the county ie that between Glasgow and John stone. [PsassEv.] The Kilmarnock and Ayr railway enters the county from Glasgow, and runs in a westerly direction by Paisley and Johnstone, and enters Ayrshire near Beith. A short branch connects Paisley with Renfrew. The Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock railway traverses the county in a north-westerly direction. Turnpike-roads from Glasgow to Greenock run, one near the banks of the Clyde through Renfrew, another more inland through Paisley. Roads from Glasgow by Paisley run through the valley of Kilbirnie to Ayrshire. More direct roads cross the eastern side of the county.
Geology, Mineralogy, &c.—The eastern part of the county is included in the great coal district of the west of Scotland. The chief coal works are at Quarrelton, near Johnstone, and at Hurlet and Househill, near Paisley ; the mines here are very productive. In the coal-works at Hurlet a bed of shale over the coal has, by combination with sul phuric acid, been converted into alum-slate ; and an alum-work on a very extensive scale is carried on. Limestone, sandstone, ironstone, granite, and secondary trap-rocks are found in considerable abund ance. The hills in the west are mostly porphyry, capped with green atone, which intersects the porphyry in innumerable dykes. Alluvial and diluvial beds are observed along the banks of the Clyde. Good freestone for building is quarried; limestone is also wrought for burning. The coal and ironstone mines give employment to many persons.