by abbreviation Bo'ness, one of the oldest seaport towns of Scotland, is in the county of Linlithgow, on the shore of the Firth of Forth, N. Lat. 56° 2', W. Long. 3° 35'. Though now decaying, it was formerly a place of considerable traffic, and had many ships engaged in colonial and foreign trade. Its commerce is now for the most part confined to the Baltic, but it still sends a few ships annually to the whaling. The harbour is excellent, but is now no longer able to defray current expenses, especially since Grangemouth began to rise into importance. In the town there are extensive manufactories of salt, of which 30,000 bushels are annually exported. A good many ships were formerly built here, and the patent slip is still frequently used. Besides the salt works, there are two distilleries, a pottery, rope-work, and vitriol and soap works. There are also valuable collieries in the neighbourhood, some of which have been worked for centuries, and extend under water to the distance of a mile. Besides the parish school, there are several private institutions. The most interesting objects in the parish are Graham's Dyke (a part of the Roman wall of Antonine), and Kinniel House, for many years the residence of Dugald Stewart. Pop. (1851) 2645.