Worrall's directory of the North-Eastern counties of Scotland ...

DrrtECTORT.] 97
ARBROATH,
ST. VIGEANS, ARBIELOT, MAEYWELL, AFCHMITHrE, AND COLLISTON.
AEBROATH formerly called Aberbrotliock;, is a seaport
and royal burgh, 60 miles N.N.E . from Edinburgb,
16i from Dundee, 15 S.E. from Forfar, and 12 S.
from Montrose by road, and about 20 by rail. It is
governed by a Provost, tbree Bailies, and twelve
Councillors, and unites -with Forfar, Montrose,
Brechin, and Inverbervie in sending one member to
Parliament. W. E. Baxter, Esq., is the present
member. This is a town of early origin, owing its
rise to an important monastic institution, founded
here by William the Lion, about the year 1178 ; the
remains of this edifice consists of ruinous towers,
columns overthrown, Gothic windows, cloisters,
staircases, &c. A part of the abbot's lodgings, which
stands a little distance from the church, still remains.
It was very extensively endowed with lands and other
gifts by Kings William I., Alexander II., and Robert
I., and their nobihty. There are several fine streets
in the town, of which High street is the principal,
being the widest and nearly a mile in length. The
estabhshments of the tradesmen here will compai'e
favourably with those of any town of its size in Scotland.
The coast to the north of Arbroath is very
rugged, and there are numerous caves, arches, and
curious shaped rocks made by the action of the
waves ; a footpath runs close to the cliffs, and affords
the visitor a fine view of all the objects of interest and
a great expanse of ocean. There are some good
buildings in the town, including the Town House,
Guildhall, Market Hall, High School, Poorhouse,
Infirmary, Pubhc Hall, Trades' Hall, &c. The Pubhc
Hall, High street, erected by a Limited Company, was
opened in 1867, and cost about ^86,000. It contains a
museum, in which may be seen very valuable specimens
of shells, fossils, &c. The principal hall is
about 90 by 45 feet, with built platform about 45 by
16 feet, and two retiring rooms under same. The
body of the hall is seated for about 900, and the gallery
100 ; this is let for balls, soirees, concerts, &c.
The small hall is about 45 by 23 feet, and has an
orchestra. The museum room is the same size as the
principal hall. There is a library, a club, and several
reading rooms. There are six banking estabhshments,
a savings' bank, and the Post Office Savings' Bank.
Two newspapers are published weekly, and the
Dundee Advertiser has a branch office here. Railway
accommodation is afforded by the Caledonian and
North British Companies. The staple trade of the
town is the manufacture of sail cloth, canvas, &c. and
at the present time (1876), there are about 30 mills and
factories engaged in the spinning of yarns and the
manufacture of linen and other goods. There are
several extensive foundries and machine shops, also
tanneries, breweries, alarge shipbuildingyard, asphalte
works, roperies, boot and shoe factories, &c. A large
trade is done in corn, potatoes, coal, lime, timber, &c.
The fishing trade is of great importance, hundreds of
the inhabitants being engaged in it, and the fishing
as a rule is vigorously and successfully carried on.
Arbroath until recently had but a tidal basin, but has
now an extensive wet dock and tidal basin. Great
alterations have been made within the last three
years by the harbour trustees, and have been executed
under the charge of the superintendent (Mr.
new wet dock has been in process of formation.
Dynamite was used for blasting the rock at the
entrance to the harbour. The size of the wet dock
is as follows :—Length of quayage about 14,000 feet ;
area, three acres; top of coping to foundation, 22 ft,
6 inches. Ordinary spring tides 17 feet 6 inches of
water ; neap tides on the dock sOl 13 feet. The
works completed include the north quay wall of tidal
basin ; south quay waU of wet dock ; east and west
retaining walls of the Brothock River ; and the dock
entrance. These with the cost of dredger, dredging,
hoppers, tug boat (Gipsy King), and other plant had,
up to the end of June, 1876, cost about ^623,000. The
works yet to be carried out are estimated to cost about
.£7,000. The steam patent slip laid down by
the harbour trustees (and included in the above costs)
will carry a vessel of 700 tons ; it was laid down in
place of the old slip, worked by hand, which was only
guaranteed to carry a vessel of 200 tons. The number
of vessels belonging to the port in 1850 was 122,
tonnage, 13,509. In 1854, 81, tonnage, 11,856. In
1858, 103, tonnage, 13,929. In 1864, 82, tonnage,
12,300. In 1868, 81, tonnage, 12,946. In 1872, 68,
tonnage 10,021. The number of vessels registered
31st December, 1875, was 66, showing a tonnage of
11,003. In 1874 the number was 65, with a tonnage
of 10,394. The number of vessels entered inwards
from over sea was 74, the tonnage of which was
12,372; 40 of these were foreign, with a tonnage
of 6,211; and 34 British, with a tonnage of 6,161 tons.
The number of vessels entered inwards in 1874 was
95, with a tonnage of 15,526, which shows a decrease
in 1875 of 21 vessels and 8,154 tons. There were only
two vessels cleared outwards for foreign ports. The
total number of vessels entered inwards with cargoes
was 285, with a tonnage of 21,583; of these 276
were sailing vessels, with a tonnage 21,134, and nine
were steam vessels, with a tonnage of 449. In 1874
the number of vessels entered inwards with cargoes
was 281, with a tonnage of 20,895, showing an
increase in 1875 of four vessels and 688 tons. The
principal imports were 28,989 tons of coal, showing an
increase over 1875 of 1,144 tons. The total number of
vessels cleared outwards with cargoes was 145, with
a tonnage of 9,376, of these 114 were saihng vessels,
with a tonnage of 8,428, and 31 steam vessels,
with a tonnage of 1,148. In 1874 the number of
vessels cleared outwards was 139, with a tonnage of
9,082, showing an increase in 1875 of six vessels and
494 tons. The chief exports were 29,163 quarters of
grain, and 5,968 tons of potatoes, showing an increase
in 1875 of 5,990 quarters of grains and 1,117 tons of
potatoes. The Customs revenue of the port, for the
year ending 1863, was .£13,010 ; for the year ending
March, 1868, .£23,791; ending March, 1871,^21,094;
for the years 1873, 1874, and 1875 are as follows :
British spirits, 1873, .£6,767 lis. Od. ; 1874,^6,045
9s. Od.; 1875, .£6,338 13s. Od. Customs revenue,
1873, .£15,861 13s. Id. ; 1874, .£16,743 5s. 8d. ; 1875,
.£16,577 2s. 7d. The fiax and hemp imported in 1874
was 11,137 tons, the declared value of which was
.£423,984, and in 1875 8,222 tons, declared value,
^6316,616, thus showing a decrease in 1875 of 2,91S
tons, and on the declared value of ^107,368. The
declared value of other goods imported was .£9,720,
George Rhind). The removal of the bar and the
deepening of the fairway to the harbour by dredging which in 1874 was ^610,295, which shows a decrease
I have been carried out successfully during the time the for 1875 of i6575. The total value of all goods im-
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