Mr Stevenson 07i British Harlours. 115 



off the Martello Tower, as may be seen from the accompanying 

 Plan. 



Wc are aware that the proposed entrance at Newhaven is dis- 

 tant from the chief scat of business in Leith, and that it is dif- 

 ficult for those accustomed to the present state of things to look 

 favourably u{X)n any other view of the subject ; but, in j>oint.of 

 fact, the pier-head near Newhaven would not be more distant from 

 the central parts of Leith than a pier at the Martello Tower, 

 while the former would be much more commodious and acces- 

 sible than the latter. In every extended port, more or less in- 

 conveniency of this description is felt ; and if the situation of the 

 merchants of Leith be contrasted with that of their brethren of 

 London, Liverpool, Dublin, and many others, they will appear 

 to have little cause to complain, although the entrance of the 

 harbour were at Newhaven. 



Upon the whole, I hesitate not to recommend that the en-» 

 trance to Leith harbour should forthwith be improved upon a 

 moderate scale. Its present condition is a source of much incon- 

 veniency. to the trade of Leith, having, perhaps, as difficplt and 

 awkward an access as I have anywhere met with in the whole 

 course of my survey, and personal observation, on " British 

 Harbours '"* between the Shetland and Scilly Islands. I am fur- 

 ther of opinion that a sea-wall should be extended from the wet- 

 docks toward Newhaven, and that a deep-water entrance should 

 there be formed, upon the principle, if not the form, suggested 

 by Mr Rennie. This, as formerly stated, I conceive to be the 

 most proper and convenient mode of acquiring a sufficient depth 

 of water, and also the most economical mode of improvement of 

 which the port of Leith is susceptible. 



Observations on the Coal-Jield, and accompanying Strata, in 

 the vicinity of Dalkeith, Mid-Lothian. By Robert Bald, 

 Esq. F. R. S. E., M. W. S., &c. Mining-Engineer * (Com- 

 municated by the Author.) 



JlXaving, in a former paper, which I read before this Society^ 

 made several observations upon the Mid-Lothian Coal-fields, I 

 have, since that time, made many investigations of this very in- 

 teresting district ; and these confirm tlie ideas I had formed of 



• Read before the Wemerian Natural History Society 7th April 1827* 



h2 



