Preston, Lancashire, 1862. The pure mountain air, and the full, strong sea-breeze, come laden with health to its people, and do their best to neutralise the effect of the smoke belched forth from the thousand tall, tapering chimneys which mark, though they do not beautify, the scene...When the black pall which, unfortunately, indicates the manufacturing industry of the town is lifted, "proud" Preston smiles forth amidst the landscape with impressive effect. Ordinarily it happens that the neighbourhood is beheld in its beauty but once a week. The mills are quiet on the Sunday, and no cloud of smoke interposes its tenebrious shade between the laughing earth and the blue sky...It contains upwards of fifty mills for the conversion of the cotton crop into thread, yarn, or fabric...The river has been rendered navigable for vessels of 300 tons burden up to the quays of the town, where extensive warehouses have been erected...Preston enjoys many advantages for commercial purposes in being connected, both by canals and railways, with the central and other parts of the country. The commerce of the town is very considerable in corn, timber, and iron...The population has increased from some 6000 at the end of the seventeenth century to 69,642 in 1851. From "Illustrated London News", 1862.