GLAMORGANSHIRE. This is the most commercial and manufacturing county in Wales. It has all the elements of increasing greatness. Its canals, its railways, its mines, its manufactures, its shipping, are all important. The chief rivers, such as the Taff, the Daw, the Ogmore, the Avon, the Neath, the Tawe, the Loughor, and the Cynon, are all made the media of bringing mining produce to the sea, or have been so until canals and railways were made. The Cardiff Canal extends from Mer thyr Tydvil to a point a mile and a half below Cardiff; about 25 miles. The Aberdare Canal runs from the Cardiff Canal to near Aberdare ; about 6i miles. The Neath Canal makes a short cut between two points on the Neath River; about 14 miles long. The Swansea Canal extends from Swansea Harbour into Brecknockshire ; about 17 miles. The Pen clawd Canal has a short course of 4 miles into the mstuary of the Burry. There are many railways for conveying minerals, among which are the Duffryn, Llynvi, and Porth Cawl ; the Bridgend ; the Aberdulais ; the Oystermouth; and the Aberavon railways. The Taf Vale Railway is both for passengers and goods ; and so is the South Wales Rail way, which now traverses the county from east to west.
The coal-measures occupy all the northern part of the county. The miner finds coal without any considerable descent ; for the whole county is intersected with deep valleys in a north and south direction; and the miner, taking advantage of this, drives levels into the adjacent hills and obtains ironstone and coal. There are however many mines in valleys and low places. The coal which occurs in the county is of very varied quality and applicable to many different purposes. Ironstone is found in the valley of the Neath, but most abundantly near Aberdare and Merthyr, which last may be considered as the capital of the iron district of South Wales. There are some lead mines in the district occupied by the car boniferous limestone, near Cowbridge and Llantrisaint. Limestone is quarried in various places.
A few details illustrative of the produce and industry of this busy county will be met with under CARDrFF, MERTHYR, and SWANSEA. All the chief towns will contribute towards the Industrial Exhibition.