royal parliamentary and municipal burgh and seaport-town of Scotland, capital of Dumbartonshire, is situated at the confluence of the rivers Clyde and Leven, 13 miles N.W. from Glasgow. It is a very ancient place, and is said to have been once the capital of a kingdom of the Britons established in the vale of the Clyde. Alcluyd was the name of this ancient capital of the Strathclydes; but whether it was situated on the site of the present town, or confined within the precincts of the castle, cannot be exactly ascertained. Dumbarton is built upon the eastern bank of the Leven, which almost encircles it. The greater part of the town is composed of one main street, lying in a semicircular form round the head or west end of the peninsula. It was erected into a royal burgh by Alexander II. in the year 1221, and declared to be free of all imposts and burgh taxes. It afterwards received other charters from succeeding monarchs; and, finally, it obtained a confirmation of the whole from James VI. The subsequent history of the burgh is destitute of interest. Besides the main street, there are some minor thoroughfares, lanes, and detached houses, and a suburb on the western side of the Leven, leading to Renton. It is connected with the latter by a good stone bridge of five arches, 300 feet long. The waters of the Leven form the harbour, and, for the benefit of trade, a quay and dock have been formed. Shipbuilding is carried on to some extent. The principal article of manufacture and export is glass. The other and inferior manufactures of Dumbarton are leather, glue, some linen, beer, &c., with a considerable quantity of goods for the Glasgow market. Market-day Tuesday. The municipal corporation consists of a provost, two bailies, fifteen councillors, deacon of the incorporated trades, dean of guild, chamberlain, &c. It unites with Renfrew, Rutherglen, Kilmarnock, and Port-Glasgow, in returning one member to the imperial parliament. The church of the burgh and parish is a handsome modern structure with a spire and clock. There are also in the town a Free church, a United Presbyterian, and a Roman Catholic chapel. It has also a grammar-school, savings-bank, news-room, and library. The situation of Dumbarton Castle is eminently picturesque. The buildings composing the fort are perched on the summit of a rocky mount, shooting up to the height of 205 feet sheer out of the alluvial plain on the east side of the debouche of the river Leven. To the west of the castle there are rocky eminences on the verge of the Clyde, of a similar form, though less isolated. The rock of Dumbarton measures a mile in circumference at the base. It diminishes in breadth near the top, which is cloven into two summits, of different heights. The rock is basalt, and has a tendency to columnar formation. Some parts of it have a magnetic quality. The fortress, naturally strong, possesses several batteries, which command a very extensive range. According to a provision in the treaty of union, the defences are