92 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF ABERDEEN AND DISTRICT 
and to-day the manufacture stands at a higher level than at any previous 
time in local history. 
At first sight it may appear singular that paper-making should have 
taken root and flourished in the North of Scotland, so far from the leading 
centres of consumption. ‘This was largely due to the introduction of 
machinery in place of the slower hand-made process, which resulted in 
supplies far in excess of local demand and led manufacturers to seek 
new outlets, at first in the home market and gradually by export to other 
countries. A ready means of transit was found in the trading vessels 
which sailed from Aberdeen to many quarters, and the coming of steamers 
and railways did much to improve these facilities. Another important 
factor was that bulky raw materials could similarly be brought in at low 
tates. With advantages like these it was possible to land paper from 
Aberdeen at leading ports such as London at lower freight charges than 
were obtainable at many inland centres of the industry. 
Then again Aberdeen is finely served by its two rivers, the Dee and 
Don, and their lower tributaries, which afford an ample supply of water 
specially suited for paper-making, and provide, at the same time, a 
certain amount of power. 
Lastly, there being few other outlets for employment near the various 
mills, a type of skilled worker began to arise, as fathers were followed 
by their sons, with the result that excellence in quality early became 
a noted feature of Aberdeen paper. 
It should also be emphasised that, while the mill-owners have all 
along shown enterprise in searching out new processes, they have, at 
the same time, displayed much spirit in handling and developing trade, 
as may be gathered from the following short review of the various works, 
which number five in all. 
CuLTeR Mi_tts—Cutter MILts Paper Co., Ltp.—The Culter Mills, 
which are situated about eight miles from Aberdeen on the Culter Burn 
and near the river Dee, were founded in 1750. ‘They deserve priority 
of place because they were the first of the local group to be formed, and 
also because they were the first to set up a paper-making machine, known 
as a Fourdrinier, from the name of the firm which first introduced 
machinery for the making of paper. 
An advertisement early in 1751 makes clear that the founder was 
‘ Bartholomew Smith, Paper-maker from England (a native of Middlesex), 
who has set agoing on the Burn of Culter a Paper-mill where he can 
serve the country in paper fine and coarse, and gives notice that he buys 
rags of all kinds of flax and hemp, by the stone weight.’ The choice of 
site was fortunate, for it lies in a sheltered position amid attractive 
surroundings, while a plentiful supply of pure water is obtainable from 
the Culter Burn, which has its main source in the natural reservoir of 
the Loch of Skene. At his death, some seven years later, we learn that 
he had built up an improving business, to which his son Richard succeeded, 
who was to hold the reins for the long period till 1803. 
A local historian writing about 1790 has placed on record that about 
this period superfine paper and paper for notes to the Aberdeen Bank 
were amongst the articles being produced, and that the writer had himself 
