196 Topography of Dumfries. 



were gradually widened and improved. At the end of the 

 1 8th century there was considerable extension. This followed 

 on the building of the New Bridge in 1796, the district ad- 

 jacent being laid out and gradually built up. Two streets 

 were opened to it from Friars' Vennel, the houses at Castle 

 Street being demolished in 1793 and St. David Street re- 

 placing Bell's Wynd in 1798. The Whitesands and Church 

 Crescent came later. This development was still within the 

 bend of the river but the rapid industrial expansion of the 

 19th century spread the town over a wide area and brought the 

 Brigend from the status of a village to being the largest burgh 

 in the Stewartry. 



The future is not less full of promise. Dumfries stands 

 to benefit by the devolution that is taking place and which 

 the achievement of rapid and mobile transit is hastening. Had 

 the Nith been easily navigable Dumfries might by now have 

 been a great city. There seems no reason why this disability 

 should not lessen with the increasing progress of invention. 



It is disconcerting, however, when we realise how little 

 foresight is being shown in the building of our present town. 

 The areas our ancestors built were not mean or conjested to 

 them yet we have to clear them away as slums and plague 

 spots. With all that before us we are building mean streets, 

 dull streets, palpably ugly streets of shoddy pinchbeck houses. 

 Open spaces are not preserved, and trees are not being pre- 

 served or planted. It is a short-sighted policy. These are 

 our future slums and plague spots. It is an unplanned, 

 opportunist town that is springing up, which will be regretted 

 by those who follow after us. The causes which are producing 

 these results are, as always, comprehendable, but to enter 

 upon a discussion of them is beyond the scope of this paper for 

 they are not yet historical. 



It is not unlikely that beauty will be more valued in the 

 future than it has ever been in the past. Dumfries with 

 reasonable foresight might so easily be made a town of sur- 

 passing beauty. 



I am indebted to Dr George Neilson, Mr J. C. R. Mac- 

 donald, and Mr Francis Armstrongf for much valuable assist- 



