GLAMORGANSHIRE. 337 the line to Swansea was opened for public traffic, and now has direct communication from Swansea via Pontypool an~ Hereford, with the great manufacturing districts of Birmingham, Liverpool, and the north and midland counties of England. The Ta:fl' Vale Railway Company has a line from to Merthyr, with branch to , and junction at for the important mineral districts in the valley. It is about forty miles in extent, and is said to be one of the most prosperous lines in the kingdom. The Mineral Railway Company has a. line from the Briton Ferry station of the South Wales Railway to Glyncorrwg, and branch from Baglan to Michaelstone-super­ Avon and Forcedwn Colliery: It is open for mineral traffic only. The Llynvi Valley Railway is broad gauge, from the head of the valley at Tywith, near Maesteg, to Cawl and Bridgend, at which place it connects with the South Wales, and was opened for patlsenger and general traffic between Maesteg and Bridgend in August, 1861. The Ely Valley Railway Company has a line from Llantrissaint station, on the South Wales Railway, to Penrhiwfer, with branches t() Glanmychydd and Mynydd Gellyrhaidd. It is leased to the Great Western Railway Company for 999 years. The Ogmore Valley Railway Company has a line commencing at Tondu, near B:ridgend, with running powers to Porth. Uawl. It is na.rrow gauge, and is only recently open for public traffic. The Penarth Railway Company has a line from the Taff Vale, five and a quarter miles from Cardiff, to the river Ely. It is now leased to the Taff Vale. The Swansea Vale Railway is opened from Swansea tQ Y stal-y-fera, a distance of twelve miles, for passenger traffic ; the remaining distance is for minerals only. There is a line in course of 'Construction from Swansea a.nd N eath to Brecon ; also from Swansea t() the Mumbles and Llanelly. The Oyster:p10uth Railway runs from Swansea to the Mumbles, is about five miles in extent. This is not locomotive, but a great convenience to the public of that delightful tsuburban and rural district. The chief rivers of Glamorganshire are: the Taff (upon which is situated the town of Cardiff) ; the Tawe (upon the banks of which Swansea is situated); the Neath river; the Ogmore, greatly celebrated for salmon and other fish ; the Avon, and others of less importance. The Glamorganshire canal rises at the Oyfartha Iron­ works, 1\ierthyr, with branch from Aberdare to , and affords great convenience to the iron and coal works of that district. The Swansea canal is about seventeen miles in length, extends to Hennoyadd, county of Brecon. The canal communicating with the Vale of Neath and Swansea, stops at Port Tennant, near Swansea. We now proceed to g.i.vo a brief account of the minerals, soil &c. A part of the county is very mountainous and barren, its surface serving enly for the feeding of cattle and sheep. Different rivers have their rise in this portion, and run ,in a southerly ditection through the valleys. The southern part of the county, near to the sea, is very fertile and pleasant. The land in many places is in an excellent f!tate of cultivation, and produces fine crops of wheat, &c. The air in the south is temperate, but the northern part (which is mountainous), is cold and piercing. The chief manufactures consist of iron, copper, silver, zinc, cobalt, tin-plates, and .chemicals 1\.1erthyr Tydvil is the principal seat of the ironworks. Those A2