Greenock

Greenock, a town in Renfrewshire, Scotland. 22 miles west of Glasgow, is situated on the south bank of the Firth of Clyde. Behind the town is a ridge of hills 800 feet in height, from which there is a fine view. Two centuries ago Greenock was a fishing village, but since the middle of the 18th century it has steadily grown. Under charters granted at this time it had the most liberal municipal constitution of all Scottish burghs. At the Reform Bill it became a parliamentary borough, and continues to return one member. The harbour was constructed in 1710. and has since been greatly improved. The James Watt dock was finished in 1886. The commercial importance of Greenock dates from the Act of Union. Its trade was temporarily interrupted by the American War, but soon after the peace it gained great importance as a seat of the shipping trade. The chief of its other industries is sugar-refining. Greenock is connected with Glasgow by two lines of railway. Many passengers prefer to sail from it rather than from the larger port higher up the Clyde. It has a frequent service of steamers to Belfast, Dublin, and Liverpool. The water-supply of the town is derived from Loch Thern and Loch Gryfe. two large reservoirs behind the town, which also afford water-power to the mills. The chief institutions of Greenock are the Wood Mariners' Asylum for deeayeel seamen, and the public hospital and infirmary. There are two public parks, and a fine esplanade more than a mile in length. The Watt monument contains a statue of James Watt by Chantrey, .and a public library.