GALWAY. The greater part of this Irish county is comparatively flat, and much of it encumbered with bogs. The whole district west of Lough Corrib and Lough Mask is known the general name of Connamara, and has of late years attracted much attention by its capabilities of improvement. Westward from the town of Galway, and round the en tire coast of lar-Connaught and Connamara to the boundary of Mayo, there is a succession of harbours for vessels of the largest class, unequalled perhaps on any similar extent of coast in Europe. These harbours are at Galway, Costello Bay, Casheen Bay, Great man's Bay, Kilkerran Bay, Birterbuy Bay, Roundstone Harbour, Mannin Bay, Clifden Bay, Cleggan Roadstead, Ballynakill Harbour, and Killeries Bay. Some of these harbours have piers or jetties. On the whole, there is no part of this district more than four miles from existing means of navigation. The har bours fit for vessels of any burthen are up wards of twenty in number. There are twenty five navigable lakes of a mile or more in length, and hundreds of smaller size. Lough Corrib and Lough Mask alone have upwards of seventy miles of navigable coast; and all these waters abound with fish. The sea-shore affords a constant supply of red and black sea weed, which can be used either as manure or in the manufacture of kelp. Banks of cal careous sand and beds of limestone are of fre quent occurrence, and there is an inexhaus tible supply of peat fuel and of water power.
The attempts made to improve the fisheries on the coast of Galway have been beneficial to the county generally; and roads have been gradually formed, from the interior to the coast. There is an extension of the Grand Canal from Shannon Harbour to Ballinasloe. A railway from Dublin to Galway is rapidly approaching completion.
In respect to geology, the mountains of the primitive district are highly metalliferous.
Copper, lead, iron, and manganese are met with ; and there are also abundant quarries of black, green, and variegated marbles, mill stone grit, yellow ochre, and potter's clay. In 1817 the land under culture was thus appro priated :—Corn and beans, 141,318 acres ; po tatoes, 12,876 ; turnips, 14,788 ; meadow and clover, 37,146 ; all other crops, 3460 ; total under crops, 209,588 acres. The fisheries off the coast yield a very considerable produce. Nearly 100 million herrings have been caught in one year. Besides the herring fishery, there is an excellent take of cod, ling, whiting, and turbot, from December to March ; and of Burnet, mackerel, bream, and pollocic, from May to.August, together with a copious supply of oysters, lobsters, and crabs. The sun-fish deep-sea fishery is peculiar to this coast. The manufactures comprise scarcely any but a few coarse friezes, linens, and hosiery.
In the chief town, Galway, there are many flour-mills, and other mills driven by the water-power of the river. Wheat, oats, and flour are exported, and a good deal of black marble from the neighbourhood. Timber, iron, slates, wines, &c., are imported. Tho retail trade is large. A wet-dock, comprising 9 acres, and admitting vessels drawing 14 feet of water, has been formed on the south side of the town. At Ballinasloe a very large sheep, cattle, and horse fair is held annually.
The Galway merchants are making praise worthy exertions to have their port selected ' as a mail-packet station for the American route.
The beautiful black marble of Connemara will, it is to be hoped, find a place in the ap proaching Exhibition.