CHAP. II. RENNIE'S MASTER ANDREW MEIKLE. 115 



pulling a rope within the mill. The machinery was at 

 the same time kept in more uniform motion, and all 

 danger from sudden squalls completely avoided. His 

 improvements in water-wheels were also important, and 

 on one occasion proved effectual in carrying out an 

 improvement of a remarkable character in the county of 

 Perth. This was neither more nor less than washing away 

 into the river Forth some two thousand acres of peat 

 moss, and thus laying bare an equivalent surface of arable 

 land, now amongst the most valuable in the Carse of 

 Stirling. The Kincardine Moss was situated between 

 the rivers Teith and Forth. It was seven feet in depth, 

 laid upon a bottom of rich clay. In 1766 Lord Kaimes, 

 who had entered into possession of the Blair Drum- 

 mond estate, to which it belonged, determined if possible 

 to improve the tract ; and it occurred to him that the 

 easiest plan would be to wash the moss entirely away. 

 But how was this to be done ? The river Teith, which 

 was the only available stream at hand, was employed to 

 drive a corn-mill. But Lord Kaimes saw that it would 

 answer his intended purpose if he could get possession 

 of it. He accordingly made an arrangement by which 

 he became owner of the mill, which he pulled down, 

 and then turned the mill-stream in upon the moss. 

 Labourers were set to work to cut away the stuff, which 

 was thrown into the current, and much of it thus washed 

 away. But the process was slow ; and the clearing of 

 the land had not advanced very far by the year 1783, 

 when Lord Kaimes' s son, Mr. Home Drummond, entered 

 into possession of the estate. A thousand acres still 

 remained, which he determined to get rid of, if pos- 

 sible, in a more summary manner than his predecessor 

 had done. He consulted several engineers amongst 

 others Mr. Whitworth, a pupil of Brindley's who re- 

 commended one plan ; but George Meikle, a millwright 

 at Alloa, the son of Andrew, proposed another, the 

 invention of his father ; and Mr. Whitworth, with much 



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