t^arious Jmprovtmenls making in Sutherland. 451 



management of the concern was entrusted to them, until the 

 spring of 1814, when it being seen, that they were unequal to the 

 task, they were changed for another Overseer and Men, engaged 

 ill the Coal-field of the Forth and Clyde: it was however soon 

 found, that these Men managed, with even still less skill or pro- 

 priety than their predecessors, " the levels had been lost, no 

 air-roads cut, the face of the Coal irregularly carried forwards, 

 and the gob thrown against it, and part of it permitted to get on 

 fire," &c. 



Whereupon the Marquis sent down Mr. John German, a Coal- 

 werseer or Bailiff, from his Staffordshire Collieries, and a gang 

 of Men who had been used to work there under him, who are now 

 settled at Brora, and are successfully prosecuting the works : the 

 level Gates have been cleared and perfected for about 100 yards 

 SW and NE, and rail-ways laid in them: air-gates have been 

 driven about the same distance up the rise, and two new Pits are 

 now sinking ; the roof has proved very sound and good, and the 

 Coal easily parts from it : no Faults of the least consequence 

 have been met with, only a few trifling ones or slips^ which de- 

 range the Coal but a few inches. 



From this Colliery, a Rail-way has been laid by the side of the 

 River Brora, to the shipping-place at its mouth, and ere this, 

 the shipment to Portsoy, Inverness, Aberdeen, &c. and to nearer 

 places on the Coast, has I believe commenced. 



Two Salt-pans had been some time erected, for evaporating the 

 sea-water, and two others were erecting, in consequence of the 

 success that promised to attend this manufacture. A Staiford- 

 shire brick and tile-maker had settled at Brora, and was success- 

 fully employed : and plenty of clay, found adapted to the making 

 of stone-ware, on trial by Mr. Spode, of Stoke, in the Stafford- 

 shire Potteries, being discovered, trials were making, to get some 

 Scotch Potter to settle at Brora. In addition to the many pleas- 

 ing instances of important rural Improvements lately introduced 

 in this distant county, which retaining still all the abuses arising 

 out of its former feudal state, required new settling, as it were, 

 when the Marquis and Lady Stafford and Earl Gower their 

 i^m\y commenced the patriotic exertions, which are detailed in 

 the Appendix to Captain Henderson's Agricultural Report, and 

 from the inspection of which Improvements, of almost every kind 

 known in England, I derived so high a satisfaction while in 

 .Siitlierlund ; I have learnt, that a Company had engaged v.ivh 

 the Marquis, for erecting a Tan-work on a considerable scale at 

 (iolspie, with an extensive Piggery, and houses for slaughtering 

 hud curing Pork, and perhaps Beef, for exportation to the ports 

 of ln>trru>^j Abtrtle*»n, ^:c. as one of the means become iieces- 

 V i 2 sui \-, 



