492 Maxwellkeugh and Springwood Park, by James Tait. 



Coldstream road ; to Orange Lane, by way of Eccles ; and 

 from the ford at Newton Mill, by Ednam, to Highridge Hall. 

 Previous to that date there was no bridge, and persons were 

 sometimes drowned when crossing by the ford. In 1718 the 

 Bridgend house was accidentally burned, while it was the 

 property of Sir Andrew Ker of Greenhead. At that time 

 the mill stood a little farther up the Teviot than it is now. 



In 1750 the estate of Bridgend was purchased by James 

 Douglas, second son of George Douglas of Friarshaw, in the 

 parish of Bowden, an estate which had been possessed by 

 his ancestors since the middle of the sixteenth century, when 

 they branched off from the family of Douglas of Cavers. 

 James Douglas was Captain of the ship Alcide, which he 

 had taken from the French, and in which he brought over 

 Captain Hall, with an account of the victory and surrender 

 of Quebec in 1759. Captain Douglas was created a knight 

 on the occasion, and received from the king presents of con- 

 siderable value. Before that date, Sir James had attained 

 considerable honour, as will appear from the subjoined letter, 

 written by a brother, and of which we have obtained a copy 

 from his descendant, Sir George H. S. Douglas, the present 

 representative of the family. 



"London, July 18, 1745. Dear Father, I wrote lately, to 

 which refer. What is mentioned in the papers about Cape Breton 

 is true, &c. I have farther the pleasure to tell you that Commo- 

 dore Warren writes to the Lords of the Admiralty, that by the 

 good conduct and courage of Captain Douglas, of the Mermaid, he 

 had taken the Vigilant, a fine French man-of-war of 64 guns, big- 

 ger than our 74 gun-ships, laden with cannons, ammunition, &c, 

 and stores of all kinds, and that as a small reward of Capt. Doug- 

 las's service, he had appointed him Commander of the Vigilant, 

 besides saying a great deal in James's praise to their lordships, on 

 which I heartily congratulate you, and desire you will acquaint 

 all our relations and friends of the good news, for it is a most gal- 

 lant action, and your son has the honour to command the first 

 French man-of-war of any consequence we have taken, and re- 

 dounds greatly to his praise, as it will likewise to his profit. The 

 particulars will be in the Gazette on Saturday, no doubt, but I 

 have no letters from James, the above account being sent me by 

 one of the Lords of the Admiralty. No time to add more at 

 present — but that, 1 am, Dear Father, your afFt. and dutiful 

 son. Henry Douglas * 



[ * MS. letter from Henry Douglas, merchant in London, to his father, 

 George Douglas, of Friarshaw.] 



