BRISTOL. This famous old city has been an emporium of commerce for a longer period than almost any other sea-port in the king dom. It long preceded its great rival Liver pool, which has now so signally overtaken it. The commercial buildings of Bristol are mostly connected more or less closely with the docks. These docks were formed by ex cavating a new course for the Avon south of the city, and converting the whole of the old channel, through the city, into one floating harbour, about 3 miles in length. By subse quent changes and enlargements, the harbour and docks have gradually been made capable of accommodating a large amount of ship ping. The dock rates on vessels and goods, until 1848, far exceeded the corresponding rates at the ports of London, Liverpool, Hull, and Gloucester ; but a gradual decline in the commerce of Bristol has led the inhabitants generally to see the necessity of modifying the port charges, in order to invite shipping to bring their oargoes thither.
By a special Act obtained in 1818 the docks are transferred from a private company to the corporation ; and new dock charges have been established, much more calculated to attract shipping to the port. On November 13, 1848, a grand procession paraded through Bristol to commemorate this important alteration. It has been found that arrivals and departures of shipping have considerably increased since the new system was adopted. There were in 1819 about 300 vessels registered at the port, some of very large tonnage. The tonnage of merchandize brought into BriStol is always much greater than that shipped from thence; on account of Bristol being one of the chief places of import of West India produce.
The foreign trade of Bristol principally consists in imports of sugar, rum, wine, brandy, colonial and Baltic timber, tallow, hemp, turpentine, barilla, dye-woods, fruits, wheat, and tea. The principal articles of ex port are iron, tin, bricks, refined sugar, glass bottles, Irish linen, and manufactured goods. Bristol derives a considerable portion of her supply of foreign produce coastwise under bond principally from London and Liverpool, but also from the minor ports of Gloucester, Newport, Bridgewater, Exeter, Barnstable, and Bideford. The coasting trade is very consi derable, particularly with Ireland. The im ports principally consist of iron, tin, coal, salt, Irish linens, and agricultural produce ; the exports of articles of foreign and colonial pro duce, particularly groceries, tea, wines, and spirits, and of the manufactures of the place. The quantity of live stock imported into Bris tol from Ireland in three successive years was as follows : Pigs. Sheep. Cattle. Horses.
1845-32,926 .. 1,603 .. 1,015 .. 38 1816-46,811 .. 3,590 .. 4,925 .. 19 1817-33,673 .. 46,465 .. 13,602 .. 381 The existing manufactures of Bristol are glass bottles, crown and flint glass, brass wire, pins, sheet lead, zinc, spelter, chain cables, anchors, machinery, drugs, colours, dyes, painted floor cloth, earthenware, refmed sugar, ' starch, soap, British spirits, tin, copper and brass wares, bricks, beer, porter, pipes, to bacco, and hats. Most of these manufactures are either carried on within the city or in its immediate neighbourhood; but the manufac turing circuit may be considered to extend 6 miles around. The principal factories are those for glass, sugar, iron, brass, floor-cloth, and earthenware. In addition to these there has been established a very large joint-stock cotton factory in the parish of St. Philip, un der the title of the Great Western Cotton Works. The building was commenced in 1837. It consists of an immense range of spinning, weaving, bleaching, and repairing shops, with all the appliances for employing 2000 hands. In May, 1850, this building suf fered extensively by an accidental fire.
As a specimen of engineering work we must not omit mention of the suspension bridge over the Avon. The original act for the con struction of the bridge was obtained so far back as 1831 ; but as it appeared likely to be a failure from the exhaustion of the funds, four subsequent acts have been obtained for permitting the postponement of the works. The last of these postponing acts was passed in 1848, by which the powers of the Bridge Company are extended to 1853. A sum of 45,0001. has been collected, partly by the accu mulation at compound interest of a sum of money left for this purpose in 1751, and partly by private subscription ; and this sum has been expended in erecting the abutments and piers on both sides of the river, the excava tion of the rock for the roads of approach, and the purchase of a portion of the iron-work. The estimate for the future cost is 30,0001., towards which there is nothing forthcoming; but it is said that there are negotiations now on foot which will render the finishing of this remarkable bridge a probability. [SusrErzsrox BRIDGE.] Among the contributions from Bristol to the Industrial Exhibition will be one of a pe culiarly interesting character ; viz., a few spe cimens of native African manufacture, con signed by the black king of Dahomey to the care of Messrs. King, African merchants at Bristol. Nothing can better show how widely spread is the fame of this Exhibition.