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GALWAY is advantageously situated on the side of a broad and rapid river, to which it gives name, and by which the extensive lake Corrib pours its redundant waters into the ocean. It lies in 53° 16' north latitude, and 8° 58' west longitude from Greenwich; is distant from Dublin, in nearly a direct line, about 104 Irish miles, and is the most westerly town of consequence in Europe. The bay is esteemed one of the noblest entrances in the world: it extends nearly thirty

The importance of this extensive lake towards facilitating the internal navigation of the western parts of Ireland, was briefly pointed out in a preceding note, p. 4. Here a few interesting, and, to this part of the kingdom, highly valuable extracts, on the same subject, will be given, principally from the reports of the scientific and ingenious Mr. Alexander Nimmo to parliament, on the survey of the bogs of this district. The lake (which, according to these reports, has 50 miles of shore, occupies 30,000 Irish acres, and contains about 1000 acres of arable land in its

isles,) contracts into a very spacious river about 2 miles above Galway, which, flowing by the town, communicates with the Atlantic. The fall from the summit level of the lake to the sea is considerable; but to the Wood-quay, above the town, it is trifling, and the river is in parts very shallow, running over a bed of rocks and hard gravel. It is not navigable from the sea to the Wood-quay, owing to the shallowness and rapidity of the water, and none but small boats can come down; but, unless in very dry seasons, it is thence navigable by boats drawing

miles eastward of the isles of Arran, and contains innumerable roads and harbours. The haven is safe and spacious, and is capable of affording protection to the largest fleets." The town itself, to which vessels of upwards of four hundred tons burden can come up, is admirably situated for commerce with Europe and the Indies, and is celebrated for having formerly been one of the greatest commercial towns in the British dominions. Even after the civil wars of the seventeenth century, when the town was much reduced from its former opulence, the cities of Ireland ranked in the following order, Dublin, Galway, Waterford, Cork, and Londonderry; but it is now surpassed not only by all these, but also by many other places then scarcely known or heard of. This change is easily accounted for: Galway was always a Catholic town, and, therefore, felt more severely than others the fatal effects of those impolitic enactments, which so long and so heavily afflicted the greater part of his majesty's subjects in Ireland. It would not however be surprising, even after all it has suffered, if it should, from its situation, yet become one of the principal emporiums for trade between these countries and the new world.

2. Climate and Salubrity.

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Though Galway, in common with the western coast of Ireland, is more liable to rains than most other parts of the island, from its contiguity to the great Atlantic ocean, yet it is not subject to those inconveniences which generally attend a humid atmosphere. The climate is esteemed rather favorable,

four feet water, and carrying generally from ten to twenty tons, with one square sail and four men, to Cong, (which though now but a small village, was anciently a place of considerable note, and the occasional residence of our provincial kings.) They seldom sail unless before the wind; and though the lake has many islets and sunk rocks, the only serious difficulty in the navigation is at Buachaly Shoal about four miles up the lake, and at Newcastle. These shoals could be deepened for a small sum, and the whole made to admit vessels of much greater magnitude. This fine navigation, which extends about thirty miles, and into a sea-port town, seems to deserve much more : attention than it has yet received. A good chart, with soundings and sailing directions, should be published, the shoals or rocks cleared or beaconed, and a communication opened with the sea. Two docks only would be required; which, exclusive of property of no great value, it was estimated would cost about 6000l. These, if of sufficient dimensions to admit vessels of burden, would give Galway all the advantages of wet docks.

The surface of the lake is only 13 feet 9 inches above high water, and the medium rise in floods is about 3 feet. Could it be lowered a few feet, (its drainage is out of the question,) a great extent of land would be gained round its shore, and much valuable bottom saved from being overflowed when it swells. The mill interest, however, of Galway would be a powerful obstacle to lowering the lake, as the whole fall is occupied. Something might, nevertheless, be done by clearing and deepening the channel, taking away some eel-wires and shoals: the upper mill-wires should also be carefully attended to,

there being a natural temptation to heighten them. Two wires in the river, near Galway, at the upper level of the locks, above recommended, would secure a much better supply and greater fall to the different mills, and give every one of them a water carriage up and down, neither of which is enjoyed by any of them at present: the river and lake being deepened across the shoals, small vessels might run up into the lake, and carry sea-manure as a back freight for turf, which would greatly benefit the agriculture of the interior.

The neap tides rise in the bay from 6 to 7 feet, and the spring tides from 12 to 15. The light-houses lately erected on Mutton Island and Arran afford considerable additional security to vessels entering the bay, and the new projected quays will leave little more to be desired in this respect than a return of that commerce, without which all other advantages are unavailable.

Such was the statement of the Irish privy-council to Oliver Cromwell in 1657.-(Vide p. 23.)

• Boates Natural History of Ireland, Ed. 1652.

The town of Galway is most advantageously situated for trade with America; and the bay, which is by far the most spacious and secure of any other on the western coast of Ireland, seems to extend its ample arms to invite the commerce of that flourishing part of the globe. It commonly happens that vessels arrive at Galway from New York in 18 and 21 days; and it is well known, that more delay, trouble, danger and expense are often incurred by bringing ships round from the West and S. West coast of Ireland to the city of London, than attend the entire voyage from America to Ireland.

and epidemical distempers are seldom prevalent. The town, situate between the lake on the north, and the bay and Atlantic on the west, always enjoyed a free circulation of air, which must have contributed to render it healthy. The many facilities for convenient and excellent sea-bathing, (which draw crowds of visitors annually during the summer season,) also conduce to the health of the inhabitants. Contagious disorders are of late scarcely heard of, owing, perhaps, to the demolition of the old fortifications, which, by giving a freer admission of air through the long and narrow streets of the town, has likewise helped to increase its salubrity.

3. Extent, Streets, and Buildings-Improvements suggested.

Galway is built on the extremity of a narrow peninsulated neck of land, which rises with a gentle ascent from the sea and river. It formerly contained within the walls (which described nearly an oval figure) 3426 square perches, or 21 acres 1 rood and 26 perches, Irish plantation, by actual admeasurement. The character of this, like all other ancient cities, is that of a fortress, the greatest quantity of building crowded into the smallest space, with walls, gates and ditches of defence. For more than half a century before 1792 the fortifications had been going fast to decay: the abbey-gate was pulled down in 1779, and the remainder of these mouldering bulwarks were falling to the ground. Since that time, however, they have been almost entirely demolished, and handsome buildings are rapidly extending on all sides, so that the town now covers nearly double the space which was formerly occupied within the walls. The old Spanish-built castles, which periods of turbulence and danger rendered necessary for personal security, are gradually disappearing, and convenient modern edifices are rising on their ruins. Several of these ancient structures, though some centuries built, are still in good repair, and many of them are inhabited by numerous families. They are generally square, with a small court in the centre, and an arched gate-way leading to the street: but are, however, daily giving place to more commodious dwellings, better suited to the present improved state and

A chalybeate spring, (of the same class as the celebrated Scarborough waters) about 20 feet below the level of the street, outside the east gate, was once in great repute here; but it has long since fallen into disuse. A spa-house had been formerly erected over it by Mr. Eyre, the proprietor, and it was for some time much frequented by company; but they afterwards gradually declined. For an analysis of this water made in in 1751, by doctor Rutty, see his treatise. Doctor Ambrose Lynch, to whom, according to that author, the public was indebted for its recommendation, informed him that he had used it only as an alterative, having given it from one to three pints; he found it operate chiefly by urine, but that taken as far as six pints it purged. Several of the poorer people had used it for some years with great success, and several of the doctor's patients drank it with great benefit, particularly in all nervous disorders of both sexes, scurvies, vertigoes and chlorosis.-p. 341.

This medicinal water is still used by some of the poorer classes with good effect.

Many instances of extreme longevity in Galway, beyond the advanced period of a hundred years, could be here adduced, but they are omitted to make room for the tables which follow. One, however, has been esteemed worthy of selection :-On 10th February, 1814, Thomas Wilkins, esq. M. D. died at the age of 102. He was for many years an inhabitant of Galway, and surgeon of the county hospital. This gentleman entered the army, in his professional capacity, early in life; and it was in his arms that the immortal general Wolfe died, in the year 1753. His mode of living was the most temperate, and his senses remained unimpaired to the last. He was a lineal descendant of T. Wilkins, captain in the army, who defended Pontefract Castle against Cromwell's army, and younger brother of the late John Wilkins, bishop of Chester.

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