xlii Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. 
Alexander Leslie, F.E.S.E. By James Brand, Esq, 
(Read January 21, 1895.) 
Alexander Leslie, born at Dundee on 16tb September 1844, was 
a son of the late Janies Leslie, M.I.C.E., who died just five years 
ago. Mr Leslie was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and the 
Edinburgh University, and in May 1862 entered the office of Messrs 
D. & T. Stevenson, M.I.C.E., the lighthouse engineers. 
After serving an apprenticeship of three years with Messrs Steven- 
son, during which he was on the Wick Breakwater Works, he was 
engaged for some time with Mr MacBey, land surveyor, Elgin, so 
as to acquire some experience in land surveying, which could not 
be had in the south to the same extent, owing to the country 
having all been mapped out by the Ordnance Survey. 
He was afterwards engaged in the north of England on the staff 
of Messrs Morkle & Prodham, contractors for the Blaydon and 
Conside Eailway. He thereafter entered his father’s office as an 
assistant in the year 1865, and in 1871 was assumed as partner by 
his father, the name of the firm being Messrs J. & A. Leslie. 
Mr Leslie took an active share in the business of the firm, which 
has been extensive and varied. He was especially engaged in the 
construction of the Edinburgh Waterworks (Moorfoot Extension), 
Dundee Waterworks (Lintrathen Extension), also waterworks for 
Berwick-on-Tweed, Peebles, Dunbar, Peterhead, Thurso, Kirkwall, 
Lerwick, Galashiels, Both well, St Andrews, Leven, and many others 
of less magnitude. He also carried out harbour works at Montrose, 
and drainage works at Kirkwall, Lerwick, &c., and was consulted 
as to many other waterworks, among which may be mentioned 
Dumfries, Perth, Aberdeen, and Swansea. He acted as Valuator 
for the Board of Trade in Scotland under the Eailways Clauses 
Act, and was largely engaged in valuations and arbitrations, and in 
giving evidence before the Courts on engineering questions. 
He was frequently employed in Parliament in supporting schemes 
for which his firm were the engineers, and in supporting or opposing 
