the life of thomas telford-第39章

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Forfeited　Estates　Fund；　which　was　eventually　voted　for　the　purpose。

The　plan　adopted　was　on　a　more　limited　scale　than　that　Proposed　by

Mr。　Rennie；　but　in　the　same　direction　and　contrived　with　the　same

object；so　that；　when　completed；　vessels　of　the　largest　burden

employed　in　the　Greenland　fishery　might　be　able　to　enter　one　or

other　of　the　two　harbours　and　find　safe　shelter；　from　whatever

quarter　the　wind　might　blow。



The　works　were　vigorously　proceeded　with；　and　had　made　considerable

progress；　when；　in　October；　1819；　a　violent　hurricane　from　the

north…east；　which　raged　along　the　coast　for　several　days；　and

inflicted　heavy　damage　on　many　of　the　northern　harbours；　destroyed

a　large　part　of　the　unfinished　masonry　and　hurled　the　heaviest

blocks　into　the　sea；　tossing　them　about　as　if　they　had　been

pebbles。　　The　finished　work　had；　however；　stood　well；　and　the

foundations　of　the　piers　under　low　water　were　ascertained　to　have

remained　comparatively　uninjured。　　There　was　no　help　for　it　but　to

repair　the　damaged　work；　though　it　involved　a　heavy　additional

cost；　one…half　of　which　was　borne　by　the　Forfeited　Estates　Fund　and

the　remainder　by　the　inhabitants。　　Increased　strength　was　also

given　to　the　more　exposed　parts　of　the　pierwork；　and　the　slope　at

the　sea　side　of　the　breakwater　was　considerably　extended。*＇2＇

Those　alterations　in　the　design　were　carried　out；　together　with　a

spacious　graving…dock；　as　shown　in　the　preceding　plan；　and　they

proved　completely　successful；　enabling　Peterhead　to　offer　an　amount

of　accommodation　for　shipping　of　a　more　effectual　kind　than　was　at

that　time　to　be　met　with　along　the　whole　eastern　coast　of　Scotland。



The　old　harbour　of　Frazerburgh；　situated　on　a　projecting　point　of

the　coast　at　the　foot　of　Mount　Kennaird；　about　twenty　miles　north

of　Peterhead；　had　become　so　ruinous　that　vessels　lying　within　it

received　almost　as　little　shelter　as　if　they　had　been　exposed　in

the　open　sea。　　Mr。　Rennie　had　prepared　a　plan　for　its　improvement

by　running　out　a　substantial　north…eastern　pier；　and　this　was

eventually　carried　out　by　Mr。　Telford　in　a　modified　form；　proving

of　substantial　service　to　the　trade　of　the　port。　　Since　then　a

large　and　commodious　new　harbour　has　been　formed　at　the　place；

partly　at　the　public　expense　and　partly　at　that　of　the　inhabitants；

rendering　Frazerburgh　a　safe　retreat　for　vessels　of　war　as　well　as

merchantmen。



＇Image＇　Banff。



Among　the　other　important　harbour　works　on　the　northeast　coast

carried　out　by　Mr。　Telford　under　the　Commissioners　appointed　to

administer　the　funds　of　the　Forfeited　Estates；　were　those　at　Banff；

the　execution　of　which　extended　over　many　years；　but；　though

costly；　they　did　not　prove　of　anything　like　the　same　convenience　as

those　executed　at　Peterhead。　　The　old　harbour　at　the　end　of　the

ridge　running　north　and　south；　on　which　what　is　called　the

〃sea　town〃　of　Banff　is　situated；　was　completed　in　1775；　when　the

place　was　already　considered　of　some　importance　as　a　fishing　station。



＇Image＇　Banff　Harbour。



This　harbour　occupies　the　triangular　space　at　the　north…eastern

extremity　of　the　projecting　point　of　land；　at　the　opposite　side　of

which；　fronting　the　north…west；　is　the　little　town　and　harbour　of

Macduff。　　In　1816；　Mr。　Telford　furnished　the　plan　of　a　new　pier

and　breakwater；　covering　the　old　entrance；　which　presented　an

opening　to　the　N。N。E。；　with　a　basin　occupying　the　intermediate

space。　The　inhabitants　agreed　to　defray　one　half　of　the　necessary

cost；　and　the　Commissioners　the　other；　and　the　plans　having　been

approved；　the　works　were　commenced　in　1818。　　They　were　in　full

progress　when；　unhappily；　the　same　hurricane　which　in　1819　did　so

much　injury　to　the　works　at　Peterhead；　also　fell　upon　those　at

Banff；　and　carried　away　a　large　part　of　the　unfinished　pier。

This　accident　had　the　effect　of　interrupting　the　work；　as　well　as

increasing　its　cost；　but　the　whole　was　successfully　completed　by

the　year　1822。　　Although　the　new　harbour　did　not　prove　very　safe；

and　exhibited　a　tendency　to　become　silted　up　with　sand；　it　proved

of　use　in　many　respects；　more　particularly　in　preventing　all　swell

and　agitation　in　the　old　harbour；　which　was　thereby　rendered　the

safest　artificial　haven　in　the　Murray　Firth。



It　is　unnecessary　to　specify　the　alterations　and　improvements　of　a

similar　character；　adapted　to　the　respective　localities；　which　were

carried　out　by　our　engineer　at　Burgh　Head；　Nairn；　Kirkwall；　Tarbet；

Tobermory；　Portmaholmac；　Dingwall　（with　its　canal　two　thousand

yards　long；　connecting　the　town　in　a　complete　manner　with　the　Frith

of　Cromarty）；　Cullen；　Fortrose；　Ballintraed；　Portree；　Jura；

Gourdon；　Invergordon；　and　other　places。　　Down　to　the　year　1823；

the　Commissioners　had　expended　108；530L。　on　the　improvements　of

these　several　ports；　in　aid　of　the　local　contributions　of　the

inhabitants　and　adjoining　proprietors　to　a　considerably　greater

extent；　the　result　of　which　was　a　great　increase　in　the　shipping

accommodation　of　the　coast　towns；　to　the　benefit　of　the　local

population；　and　of　ship…owners　and　navigators　generally。



Mr。　Telford's　principal　harbour　works　in　Scotland；　however；　were

those　of　Aberdeen　and　Dundee；　which；　next　to　Leith　（the　port　of

Edinburgh）；　formed　the　principal　havens　along　the　east　coast。

The　neighbourhood　of　Aberdeen　was　originally　so　wild　and　barren　that

Telford　expressed　his　surprise　that　any　class　of　men　should　ever

have　settled　there。　　An　immense　shoulder　of　the　Grampian　mountains

extends　down　to　the　sea…coast；　where　it　terminates　in　a　bold；　rude

promontory。　　The　country　on　either　side　of　the　Dee；　which　flows

past　the　town；　was　originally　covered　with　innumerable　granite

blocks；　one；　called　Craig　Metellan；　lying　right　in　the　river's

mouth；　and　forming；　with　the　sand；　an　almost　effectual　bar　to　its

navigation。　Although；　in　ancient　times；　a　little　cultivable　land

lay　immediately　outside　the　town；　the　region　beyond　was　as　sterile

as　it　is　possible　for　land　to　be　in　such　a　latitude。　　〃Any　wher；〃

says　an　ancient　writer；　〃after　yow　pass　a　myll　without　the　tonne；

the　countrey　is　barren　lyke；　the　hills　craigy；　the　plaines　full　of

marishes　and　mosses；　the　feilds　are　covered　with　heather　or　peeble

stons；　the　come　feilds　mixt　with　thes　bot　few。　　The　air　is　temperat

and　healthful　about　it；　and　it　may　be　that　the　citizens　owe　the

acuteness　of　their　wits　thereunto　and　their　civill　inclinations；

the　lyke　not　easie　to　be　found　under　northerlie　climats；　damped　for

the　most　pairt　with　air　of　a　grosse　consistence。〃*＇3＇　　But　the　old

inhabitants　of　Aberdeen　and　its　neighbourhood　were　really　as　rough

as　their　soil。　　Judged　by　their　records；　they　must　have　been

dreadfully　haunted　by　witches　and　sorcerers　down　to　a　comparatively

recent　period；　witch…burning　having　been　common　in　the　town　until

the　end　of　the　sixteenth　century。　　We　find　that；　in　one　year；　no

fewer　than　twenty…three　women　and　one　man　were　burnt；　the　Dean　of

Guild　Records　containing　the　detailed　accounts　of　the　〃loads　of

peattis；　tar　barrellis；〃　and　other　combustibles　used　in　burning

them。　　The　lairds　of　the　Garioch；　a　district　in　the　immediate

neighbourhood；　seem　to　have　been　still　more　terrible　than　the

witches；　being　accustomed　to　enter　the　place　and　make　an　onslaught

upon　the　citizens；　according　as　local　rage　and　thirst　for　spoil

might　incline　them。　　On　one　of　such　occasions；　eighty　of　the

inhabitants　were　killed　and　wounded。*＇4＇　　Down　even　to　the　middle　of

last　century　the　Aberdonian　notions　of　personal　liberty　seem　to

have　been　very　restricted；　for　between　1740　and　1746　we　find　that

persons　of　both　sexes　were　kidnapped；　put　on　board　ships；　and

despatched　to　the　American　plantations；　where　they　were　sold　for

slaves。　　Strangest　of　all；　the　men　who　carried　on　this　slave　trade

were　local　dignitaries；　one　of　them　being　a　town's　baillie；　another

the　town…clerk　depute。　　Those　kidnapped　were　openly　〃driven　in

flocks　through　the　town；　like　herds　of　sheep；　under　the　care　of　a

keeper　armed　with　a　whip。〃*＇5＇　　So　open　was　the　traffic　that　the

public　workhouse　was　used　for　their　reception　until　the　ships

sailed；　and　when　that　was　filled；　the　tolbooth　or　common　prison　was

made　use　of。　　The　vessels　which　sailed　from　the　harbour　for　America

in　1743　contained　no　fewer　than　sixty…nine　persons；　and　it　is

supposed　that；　in　the　six　years　during　which　the　Aberdeen　slave

trade　was　at　its　height；　about　six　hundred　were　transported　for

sale；　very　few　of　whom　ever　returned。*＇6＇　　This　slave　traffic

was　doubtless　stimulated　by　the　foreign　ships　beginning　to

frequent　the　port；　for　the　inhabitants　were　industrious；　and　their

plaiding；　linen；　and　worsted　stockings　were　in　much　request　as

articles　of　merchandise。　　Cured　salmon　were　also　exported　in　large

quantities。　　As　early　as　1659；　a　quay　was　formed　along　the　Dee

towards　the　village　of　Foot　Dee。　　〃Beyond　Futty；〃　says　an　old

writer；　〃lyes　the　fisher…boat　heavne；　and　after　that；　towards　the

promontorie　called　Sandenesse；　ther　is　to　be　seen　a　grosse　bulk　of

a　building；　vaulted　and　flatted　above　（the　Blockhous　they　call　it）；

begun　to　be　builded　anno　1513；　for　guarding　the　entree　of　the

harboree　from　pirats　and　algarads；　and　cannon　wer　planted　ther　for

that　purpose；　or；　at　least；　that　from　thence　the　motions　of　pirats

might　be　tymouslie　foreseen。　This　rough　piece　of　work　was　finished

anno　1542；　in　which　yer　lykewayes　the　mouth　of　the　river　Dee　was

locked　with　cheans　of　iron　and　masts　of　ships　crossing　the　river；

not　to　be　opened　bot　at　the　citizens'　pleasure。〃*＇7＇　　After　the

Union；　but　more　especially　after　the　rebellion　of　1745；　the　trade

of　Aberdeen　made　considerable　progress。　　Although　Burns；　in　1787；

briefly　described　the　place　as　a　〃lazy　toun；〃　the　inhabitants　were

displaying　much　energy　in　carrying　out　improvements　in　their

port。*＇8＇　　In　1775　the　foundation…stone　of　the　new　pier　designed　by

Mr。　Smeaton　was　laid　with　great　ceremony；　and；　the　works　proceeding

to　completion；　a　new　pier；　twelve　hundred　feet　long；　terminating　in

a　round　head；　was　finished　in　less　than　six　years。　　The　trade　of

the　place　was；　however；　as　yet　too　small　to　justify　anything　beyond

a　tidal　harbour；　and　the　engineer's　views　were　limited　to　that

object。　He　found　the　river　meandering　over　an　irregular　space　about

five　hundred　yards　in　breadth；　and　he　applied　the　only　practicable

remedy；　by　confining　the　channel　as　much　as　the　limited　means

placed　at　his　disposal　enabled　him　to　do；　and　directing　the　land

floods　so　as　to　act　upon　and　diminish　the　bar。　　Opposite　the　north

pier；　on　the　south　side　of　the　river；　Smeaton　constructed　a

breast…wall　about　half　the　length　of　the　Pier。　　Owing；　however；

to　a　departure　from　that　engineer's　plans；　by　which　the　pier　was

placed　too　far　to　the　north；　it　was　found　that　a　heavy　swell

entered　the　harbour；　and；　to　obviate　this　formidable　inconvenience；

a　bulwark　was　projected　from　it；　so　as　to　occ