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Glasgow: The River Clyde

Scotland's most famous and important river (and firth, or estuary), about 106 miles (170 km) in length, discharging to the Atlantic on the western coast. The upper Clyde is a clear fishing stream rising in the moorlands of the Southern Uplands and flowing northward through a valley bordered by river terraces for about 30 miles (48 km) to the neighbourhood of Biggar, where it abruptly changes course. From Biggar the Clyde winds northwestward, falling less than 100 feet (30 m) in 15 miles (24 km) until at the Falls of Clyde it drops 250 feet (75 m) in 4 miles (6.4 km). Waterpower from these falls was important in the siting of local cotton mills in the early 19th century, and there are now some small hydroelectric stations.

April 26, 1855, California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences

Turnips from Glasgow

In last evening's paper was announced the arrival of a vessel from Glasgow with a number of tons of turnips on board: This certainly is a curious thing turnips from Glasgow! Where is Long Island? Is Oysterpond Point-snowed under? Or have Southfield farmers made money enough, and retired from turnip raising. Times were different when we were young.

In the old times'say ten years ago there was no such place for turnips as the east end of Long Island. Late in the fall not until the frosts had withered the tops, yet before the ground was so frozen as to anchor what was in it for the winter the farmer kept all his boys home from school, and spent the day, or several of them, in pulling turnips. It was not an occasion much coveted by the boys. Jack Frost, at other times a myth, then was a solemn reality, always standing behind the turnip puller, nipping his nose, pinching his ears, and often fetching him a'hard slap as he bent to his task that brought tears between his eyelids. It was a dirty job. You would get dirt under your nails, and your fingers would feel the worse a week for the job. The tops of the little ones would twist off in your hand, and the stubborn roots often would utterly refuse to come out. We used to wonder if they would never get a machine to pull them. But they did not. In those days machines were very costly, and new-fangled ones were not popular.

The turnips pulled and measured up were then carted to the beach, off which lay the sloop that was to take them to the city. That sloop, it was bigger to our eyes than the Great Republic would be now and to command her was a greater honor than to control the English fleet that went up the Baltic. Happy was the boy whose father went "hand " in her, and the little black cook, who fried the pork and stewed the onions in her cabin, might have found some white boys of his size, who, for his berth, would have swapped colors with him.

The long boat draws near to the shore, as near as may be consistent with the state of the tide and the shoalness of the beach, and the team was driven in, to meet these conditions. The horses never fancied much this late November job. They would stand pawing the pebbles and striking at the seaweed, probably to their own great satisfaction, but wetting us down somewhat unpleasantly. And so the sloop was loaded, not by one man, but by a dozen, though in those days, as now, many a small farmer raised enough to freight the sloop but then the venture! It was safer to divide the risk.

Loaded, the good sloop only waited for a spell of fair weather, and a light wind from the north or cast. Nor waited longnot over a week or two generally. The turnip sloop did not often take passengers, because they did not return early; but if she did take down Aunt Polly or Mrs. Burnell to see her married daughter, there was one big baking done in the village, you may be sure, and more than one big basket full of "relishes" went on board. Seizing a fair day, when the tide ebbed early, the sloop would slip down the bay, through the Gut, and and go scudding through the Sound, hoping all the way for a good breeze to go through Hell Gate with, and, hauling into Rutger's slip, or Tyson's. Next morning a board hoisted in the rigging and chalked in indifferent letters, "Long Island Turnips for Sale" would announce to New York housekeepers and grocers where the prime bargains were to be made.

The little sloop would lay in her slip all winter, selling enough some days to pay wharfage, and some day's doing so well that all hands would feel justified in going on a "bust" the Captain up to the Chatham Theatre, and the black cook treating himself to a long nine that nobody had smoked before. The owners of the vegetables took for their share just what they "stood them in" that is the price that they brought less the cost of peddling them. They were sold for a shilling and eightpence the bushel! and no better turnips were ever mashed, buttered and set before a King, than those same rutabagas, which sold cheaper than dirt. They were too cheap for people to eat. Now that they sell as high as potatoes by the wholesale, and are retailed at two shillings the half peck (half a marvellously little peck, too) we wake up to their excellence as an article of diet. Salt, they say. develops the odor of flowers; silver certainly brings out the flavor of vegetables, and makes us appreciate them. We venture that, with a load of turnips in town, all the way from Glasgow, and a price upon all in the market so high, compared with the cost of production, that farmers put down the latter at nothing, we venture that turnips will rush into unprecedented popularity, and thousands of poor families discover that they cannot get along without them.

N. Y. Times, Feb. 24.

Sunday, November 2, 1856, The Wide West, San Francisco, California

Telescopic Detection of Thieves

For some time past, says the Glasgow (Scotland) Pott, the managers of'the Glasgow and Renfrew Railway have been greatly annoyed by the mysterious disappearance of portions of merchandise, solid and liquid, intrusted to their care for conveyance to and from the royal burgh. This was particularly the case with the spirits which were carried up and down the line, and the abstraction of a few bottles of the "barley-bree" from the puncheons was of almost daily occurrence. Every possible manoeuvre to entrap "the mysterious spiritstealers was tried in vain, and the manager, Mr. Congleton, was almost on the point of despairing when he hit upon the following plan of detecting the guilty persons. Having provided himself with a good telescope, he placed himself in such a position in the station-house as to command a view of a large portion of the line. A train laden with barrels was on its way to Renfrew, and when a good way down, Mr. Congleton, through his glass, observed that the horse was pulled up, and the truck brought to a stand-still; a hole was soon bored in the barrels, and about a gallon and a half of whisky abstracted. The train then resumed its progress, while the persons who were in collusion with the driver proceeded to Paisley with their booty. Before entering the town they were met by the police, who were sent for in the interim, and taken into custody. The prisoners have been committed for trial.

October 23, 1857, California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences

We Make Our Mark.

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After describing the great Exhibition and Cattle-Show of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, held this year at Glasgow, at which there were upwards of two thousand entries, and which was numerously attended by nobility and gentry, includirg tho Queen of the Netherlands, the Daily Mail (Glasgow) writes: "Decidedly one of the most wonderful, and at the same time simple apparatus to be seen on the grounds, is the American Mowing and Heaping Machine, invented by A. H. Coryl, Ohio, and exhibited by Mr. Clayton, of the Atlas Works, London."

It then goes on to describe the Machine, and occupies as much space in doing so, as it does in describing all the other implements together. It is evidently in earnest in the expression of its sentiments. We like this "decided" writing. It is honest and manly, and cannot fail to make a "decided" impression.

January 9, 1885

CLYDE.--The output of the Clyde last year was above the average of years in the past decade, although it comes short of the aggregate tonnage launched in the past few years. The total production, according to very full returns, was 299,119 tons, as against 417,881 in 1883, 395,149 in 1882, 340,823 in 1881, and 242,774 in 1880. Excluding the last few years, the new shipping launched on the Clyde during last year was the largest on record.

At the close of 1883 there were about 130 vessels either in course of construction or contracted for by the ship builders. The vessels at present on the stocks or in the shipyard books are believed not to exceed Beventyfive in number,'and they are, as a rule, smaller in size than those built last year. As the yards were slackening for almost the entire twelve months, workmen were being paid off at the end of nearly every week, and there are now probably 7,000 fewer hands at works than at this time last year. Unfortunately the prospect is that additional numbers of operatives will have to be discharged before an improve ment of trade can make its influence felt.

The Clyde from Dalnotter Hill. 1857.

In fact, it can scarcely be said that there are any certain proofs dis cernible hitherto that such an improvement is likely to be experienced in the course of the approaching year Clyde shipbuilders are expecting a share of whatever trust to fit to enif their orders the Admiralty may see private shipbuilders; but even hopes be realised in this particular, a very considerable time must elapse before any actual benefit is derived from such orders.

A few contracts have lately been fixed by owners who are not requiring additional tonnage, but who have been tempted by the exceedingly moderate rates at which vessels can be turned out to make provision for the probable requirements of the future. Having Baid so much with reference to the prospects of the trade, it is only necessary to notice one or two features of the busness of 1884, besides those touched above. Is has been very gratifying to those concerned that the Australians and the promoters of the shipping trade in the other Australasian colonies have not only maintained, but considerably in creased their orders for new vessels from the Clyde.

Quite a fleet of vessels have been constructed, either for Australian owners or for those engaged in the direct trade between this country and the Antipodes. Some of the larger Transatlantic lines have also made most important additions to their lists of liners irom Clyde shipbuilders. These were contracted for before the trade because so de pressed as it is at present, and there are no fresh orders of this class being received just now. Besides the 323 vessels (steam and sail) constituting the tonnage con structed in 1884, there were 250 boats for the Nile expedi tion built on the Clyde, and there has likewise been a very considerable amount of work sent abroad in the shape of barges shipped in parts and to be put together on their arrival at their destinations.

November 22, 1890, Daily Alta California , San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

IMMIGRATION.
Legislation Suggested To Restrict the Coming of Foreigners.

Washington, November 21st 'surgeon General Hamilton has made a report to the Secretary of the Treasury giving the results of visits by him to the principal foreign ports for the embarkation of immigrants for the United States. He visited Naples, London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Bremen, Trieste and Hamburg and found no thorough medical examination of immigrants anywhere. Dr. Hamilton says no country is so free as the United States in admitting immigrants, and urges restrictive legislation, pointing out that nearly 2,700,000 immigrants have come here within six years, who are largely made up of the undesirable classes. He recommends that a law be passed requiring immigrants to furnish the United States Consuls with evidence that they are not criminals or paupers, nor suffering from any epidemic or contagious disease or disability to make them public charges.

September 21, 1893, Sacramento Daily Union , Sacramento, California, U.S.A.

PUT UP THE BARS.

Just 22,451 immigrants arrived at the port of New York in July from Russia, Italy, Austria and Hungary, or 35 per cent more than in July of last year. A very considerable number came from the same countries through other ports. The total input was not below 25,000. A large number of these prospective American citizens shipped from the port of Glasgow, the idea that all come from contitinental ports being erroneous. The American Hospital Inspector stationed at Glasgow officially reports that, as a rule, these immigrants are most undesirable. The Inspector, referring to one steamer said:

They are a dark, swarthy race, with long, dark, unkempt hair. The clothes they have on are invariably old and dirty and the people themselves are never clean, not even their hands and faces. There are a great many Jews among them who will not eat food prepared by Christians. They bring their food with them, and this food is most likely to contain cholera germs. The Allan Line, in one of its houses, has a special kitchen for the Jews, and a Christian is not even allowed to enter the room. When I was inspecting the houses the boarding-house keeper permitted me to go in as a special favor. When the baggage is disinfected all the food found among the clothing is destroyed. The Allan Line has given its employes instructions not to allow the emigrants to place food in their trunks and boxes. If the food of the Jews is destroyed or lost they will starve themselves on the voyage or eat so little ms to make themselves liable to infection from the germs of any disease with which they may come in contact.

Cholera was brought to Hamburg and Glasgow last year by this c lass of emigrants, and if ttie disease continues to increase in Russia and Austria it will be miraculous if it is not brought here by them in the next two months.

In view of these facts, I should recommend that emigration from these districts or countries be prohibited until the present epidemic subisides.

Referring to another shipload the same officer, Dr. Stimpson, uses even stronger language and declares that they were the worst lot of immigrants he had ever seen or heard of. The Hospital Inspector at New York made a similar report when the ship arrived, and added that if cholera is brought to us and it is strange that it has not already come it will be due to admitting such people as these from the cholera-infected districts of Europe.

The question suggests itself to every reasonable man, What are we going do about it? Is this thing to go on until we pay the fearful penalty? The testimony at New York is that our country would be far better off without these people, even if no danger of pestilence were involved. We have temporarily suspended immigration from Italy because of the cholera, but it continues from Russia, Hungary and Austria, which countries are ravaged by the pestilence, and concerning which the sanitary authorities say that next season early they will be still greater sufferers, because of the inefficient means employed to stamp out the breeding places now charged with cholera germs, which will mature, in all probability, early in 1894. Now that Congress is in session why not have the courage to cut off this immigration? There is not now work enough for our own. Why thrust these additional elements of depression upon the labor market of the country?

September 17, 1899, Sacramento Daily Union , Sacramento, California, U.S.A.

Cheap Water in Glasgow.

In Glasgow, a 15 householder obtains for 71d. per annum a continuous, never failing, unrestricted steam of the purest water in the world delivered right into his kitchen, washhouse and bath room. It is calculated that 380 gallons of pure water are delivered to the citizens of Glasgow for every penny paid. And it is water of such peculiar softness that the householders of Glasgow can pay their water rate out of what they save on soap.

Loch Katrine water is not only soft it is remarkably bright, clear and free from vegetable matter, because of the bare and precipitous character of the hills which drain into the loch. It is uniform in color, temperature and quality, is absolutely free from pollution, and must remain so because the corporation have now bought up the building rights of the whole drainage era; it needs no alteration and is practically unaffected by the change of seasons. Benjamin Taylor in the Engineering Magazine.

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1899. World's Fleet. Boston Daily Globe

Lloyds Register of Shipping gives the entire fleet of the world as 28,180 steamers and sailing vessels, with a total tonnage of 27,673,628, of which 39 perent are British.

Great Britain	10,990 vessels, total tonnage of 10,792,714
United States	3,010 vessels, total tonnage of 2,405,887
Norway	2,528 vessels, tonnage of 1,604,230
Germany	1,676 vessels, with a tonnage of 2,453,334, in which are included her particularly large ships.
Sweden	1,408 vessels with a tonnage of 643, 527
Italy	1,150 vessels
France	1,182 vessels

For Historical Comparison
Top 10 Maritime Nations Ranked by Value (2017)

	Country	# of Vessels	Gross Tonnage (m)	Total Value (USDbn)
1	Greece	4,453	206.47	$88.0
2	Japan	4,317	150.26	$79.8
3	China	4,938	159.71	$71.7
4	USA	2,399	55.92	$46.5
5	Singapore	2,662	64.03	$41.7
6	Norway	1,668	39.68	$41.1
7	Germany	2,923	81.17	$30.3
8	UK	883	28.78	$24.3
9	Denmark	1,040	36.17	$23.4
10	South Korea	1,484	49.88	$20.1
Total		26,767	87.21	$466.9