On account of the increased employment it brings to their townspeople, and also doubtless on grounds of increased economy and efficiency, Messrs Denny seek to overtake, as much as possible, the entire work connected with a ship’s construction and outfit in their own establishment. Towards the close of 1881 they began the introduction of a department for the designing, decoration, and furnishing of the saloons of their vessels. This department is now of established importance in the yard, and embraces four more or less distinct branches. Firstly, the architectural and decorative designs of the various saloons are determined upon by what may be called the architectural branch, under the immediate supervision of a professionally-trained architect. The work of practically carrying out these designs is at present entrusted to three sections of workers. (1) The decorative department, proper, which overtakes the painting of the various ornamental panels, dados, friezes, &c., of the saloons, and the staining of the coloured glass used in saloon windows, skylights, doors, &c. (2) The carving department, in which the carved work fitted on the bow and stern of vessels, also the numerous small pieces of carved work introduced into the architectural arrangement of the saloons, are overtaken. (3) The upholstery department, in which all the work connected with upholstering the saloons and state-rooms—usually, in other yards, made the subject of sub-contract—is overtaken from first to last. In this branch female labour is employed to a considerable extent, while much of the decorative painting referred to above is also done by females. Under the guidance of a lady artist, the employés in this branch have evinced much aptitude and taste for the work. Successive enlargements and increased appliances have now rendered the Leven Shipyard capable of turning out from 40,000 to 60,000 tons of shipping per annum. The work hitherto achieved has been almost exclusively that of steamship building, but inside of that general limitation it has been of a varied and comprehensive description. Steamships for many of the largest ocean and coast-trading companies, gun-boats and transport ships for foreign Governments, and light-draught paddle-steamers for the rivers Volga, Danube, Ganges, and Irrawaddy, have all been furnished from the stocks of Leven Shipyard. The accompanying list, which is of work done during the period of the firm’s existence, viz., since 1844, affords at once an adequate conception of the large amount of important work done for the better-known shipping companies:—