704 



L E I T 



Projected 

 improve- 

 ments. 



been erected ; but as the demand for lodgings far ex- 

 ceeds the supply, it is probable that the feuers will now 

 proceed witli rapidity. 



The town of Lehh is extending itself rapidly in every 

 direction. The plan of a new town has been laid down 

 on the west of Leith, on the grounds of Hillhousefield 

 and Bonnington. This plan, which is partly carried 

 into effect, will extend from Newhaven road on the 

 west, to a line parallel with Leith Fort on the east, be- 

 ing bounded on the south by the Water of Leith. Se- 

 veral excellent houses are already built in Jamaica 

 Street, which forms part of the road from Queensferry 

 to Leith. Some good houses are also built in South 

 Fort Street, which will communicate with Leith Walk 

 by a handsome bridge across the river ; and Bonning- 

 ton Place, extending along the road from Newhaven to 

 Edinburgh, is very far advanced. 



The formation of another naw town, on the grounds 

 belonging chiefly to Heriot's and Trinity Hospitals, ly- 

 ing on the south-east side of Leith Walk, will be im- 

 mediately commenced. Various plans have been sub- 

 mitted to public inspection ; and a very able report up- 

 on these plans, by the late distinguished architect Mr. 

 Stark, has recently been published. Since the death of 

 Mr. Stark, Mr. William Playfair has been employed to 

 furnish a design for laying out a new town in the most 

 elegant manner, and we understand fhat this design is 

 in considerable progress. When this extensive plan has 

 been carried into effect, comprehending a magnificent 

 crescent on the north, and a terrace on the south declivi- 

 ty of the Calton Hill, and numerous streets and squares 

 upon the grounds between that hill and the town of 

 Leith, the towns of Leith and Edinburgh will be united 

 into one great city, which, whether we consider its ge- 

 neral architecture, its public buildings, its picturesque 

 situation, its splendid and varied prospects, its chari- 

 table establishments, its literary and scientific charac- 

 ter, and the general intelligence of its inhabitants, will 

 form the finest city in the world. 



Leith contains several charitable establishments, the 

 institutions, most important of which are the Female Society for re- 

 lieving indigent and sick women ; an Auxiliary Socie- 

 ty for promoting Christianity among the Jews, and for 

 aiding the British and Foreign Bible Society in Lon- 

 don ; a Society for the Relief of the Destitute Sick ; a 

 Sympathetic Society; a Female School of Industry; 

 and a Boys Charity School. 



In consequence of Leith having been pillaged and 

 burnt by the English soldiers, when the Earl of Har- 

 court invaded Scotland in 1541, Leith was re-built and 

 fortified. The fortifications, however, were subsequent- 

 ly demolished, to prevent any invasion of the liberties 

 of the country from the introduction of foreign troops. 

 New fortifications were again erected by Oliver Crom- 

 well, who built the citadel, the remains of which still 

 exist. It consisted, at that time, of five porticos, two 

 of which were demolished at the Restoration, and the 

 sale of the whole granted to the Duke of Lauderdale, 

 then prime minister for Scotland, and from him the 

 magistrates of Edinburgh purchased it for the sum of 

 L.6'000. The remains of 'the fortification are still visible 

 between the Yard-heads and the Water of Leith, and 

 also on the links of Leith. 



Ltith Fort. Leith is defended by a fort, situated immediately to 

 the westward of the town. The battery, which is a 

 semi-circular one en barbette, is mounted with nine 

 heavy pieces of cannon. It was erected during the 

 American war, for the protection of the harbour and 

 shipping, in consequence of the alarm excited by the 

 appearance of Paul Jones' squadron in the Frith of 



Charitable 



Fortifica- 

 tion!. 



Forth ; since which period the boundaries of the fort Leith; 

 have been greatly extended,^nd surrouirded by a high SP "Y" P ' 

 wall. It is now the head-quarters of the'joyal artil- 

 lery in North Britain, there being two companies of 

 that corps stationed there, under the command of a 

 field-officer. The barracks are capable of containing 

 350 men, and there are stables for 150 horses. There 

 is also a large powder magazine and extensive ware- 

 houses erected within the fort, in which are deposited 

 a large train of field artillery, with a suitable propor- 

 tion of ammunition and stores. The harbour of Leith 

 is defended by a fine rnartello tower, rising from the 

 sea, at the distance of about a quarter of a mile from 

 the pier. It was built during the lateNvar, at a very 

 great expence. 



Whether we consider the port of Leith, in connection p rt of 

 with some of the most interesting and eventful periods Leith. 

 in the earlier history of Scotland, or as a modern port, 

 in regard to the extent of its harbour works, and the 

 number of its ships, we shall find it equally deserving 

 our attention. In Leith, the extension of the quays 

 have kept pace pretty nearly with the trade of the port ; 

 and even in some instances the extent of birthage may 

 be said to have preceded the demand of the shipping, 

 probably from the command of the necessary funds 

 arising from its powerful connection with the metropo- 

 litan city of Edinburgh. 



In the former state of the foreign trade and commerce 

 of the Firth of Forth, it was much divided with nu- 

 merous towns on the coast of Fife, but this now seems 

 to be confined to the ports of Leith, Grangemouth, 

 Dundee, and Aberdeen. It is, accordingly, curious to 

 trace the progressive advancement of the quays and 

 piers of the harbour of Leith, from small beginnings, 

 to works of the present magnitude. In early times, 

 when the vessels employed in trade were of a much 

 smaller class, there were no quays at Leith ; and the 

 vessels lay at the mouth and on the banks of the small 

 river, or stream, which runs through the harbour. A 

 breast wall, or quay, was first built by the city of Edin- 

 burgh, some time after their purchase of Leith, with 

 the adjoining lands, from Logan of Restulrig, which 

 seems to have extended no farther toward the north 

 than St. Bernard Street, but the work was afterwards 

 continued to the signal tower, or ferry-boat-stairs. In 

 this state it remained for a long period, when it was 

 prolonged to the northward, somewhat in the form of a 

 crescent, by the extension of the wooden and stone 

 piers. Perhaps the immediate inducement for the lat- 

 ter works was very much with a view to provide against 

 the ravages which the sea was making upon the shore 

 between Leith and Newhaven, which \va.s endangering 

 the safety of the citadel, and had already taken away a 

 great piece of land on which a rope-work had been es- 

 tablished. 



About the latter end of the eighteenth century, how- x ew docks.- 

 ever, the trade of this port had so much increased, that 

 the merchants of Leith required further accommoda- 

 tion for their shipping ; and an act having been ob- 

 tained for increasing the shore dues, in the session of 

 Parliament of 1800, a design having also been furnish- 

 ed by John Rennie, Esq. civil engineer, for a magnifi- 

 cent suite of wet docks, which has since been partly 

 executed in the most substantial style of workmanship, 

 tinder the inspection of Mr. John Patcrson. The first 

 of these beautiful basins, occupying an area of nearly 

 four acres, commenced in the year 1801, during the 

 provostship of Sir William Fettes, Bart., which was 

 opened for the use of shipping in the year 1806. A 

 second dock was afterwards begun in 1810, and com- 



