1815 - 1817 Scroll Book - Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee

contracts for the whole work were not taken in at once, that the total expence of the
improvement might have been seen at one view; and that thus the proprietor might have been
enabled to judge the expediency of carrying the plan into execution. This would have formed a
sure guide to judge of their ability to expend the sum of money required, and they might then
have reflected, whether, after completing the plan, the stances would then sell so as to pay a
profit on the original cost; when if the cost exceeded the sum they would sell for, the plan
might have been abandoned without incurring any loss. At all events, they would have had the
satisfaction of having taken the proper precautions that his mode of proceeding was too broad
and comprehensive. Afraid equally of raising the expectations of the tradesmen by giving out
all the specifications at once, and of attracting the public eye, the magistrates gave them out
one by one. And it is necessary again to repeat that the specifications for filling up, by far the
most expensive part of the work, were actually given out three out four months after the
commencement of the Sea Wall.
Had Provost Riddoch got correct estimates of the total expence of the work, and laid them and
the plan of the improvement before the Council for their advice, most probably this
speculation had never been entered into. Your Committee have been told that the latter in
their corporate capacity, were never consulted on the subject, for had they been consulted, is it
probable they ever could without any information regarding the expense have given it their
sanction?
We are informed, that when Provost Riddoch received the contracts for the filling up he was
so surprised at the amount, that the undertaking has been abandoned for the present, thus
entailing upon the public an useless expence of nearly £1,000. The wall is thus to be left to its
fate; and the Magistrates are waiting until the sea come to their aid, and assist their
operations by its deposits of sand and mud! This is no idle remark: Among the project of equal
celebrity, it has the origin in the fertile brain of the Chief Magistrate; and is now echoed
through his dependants to the public.
Here your Committee wish you to pause, in order to direct your attention to the system under
which the public improvements in Dundee have for these thirty years past been managed, is it
founded in common sense, that the public purse should be at the uncontrolled disposal of a
man who is capable of embarking in a speculation which we will show to cost above £3,200
without calculating the cost? Is there not extreme folly and incapacity in expending £1000
without any definite object, and then abandoning the scheme altogether? And in short, is not
this conduct of Provost Riddoch’s most inexcusable, when it is considered that the sum of
£1000 thus thrown into the sea has been taken out of the Poor or Hospital funds, at this time
of unexampled pressure and when that very sum is wanted to prevent the population of the
Toun from starving?
We now proceed to lay before you the remaining expences of the scheme; and in stating that
of the filling up, by far the most costly part of the whole, we cannot refrain from thinking that
his was completely neglected by the Magistrates, when they proceeded to build the sea wall. It
seems the contract for filling up (which was the cause of the abandonment of the scheme) only
included that part of the Sea beach from Mr Martin’s property to the Chasm. The filling up of
this space with sand to the level of the sea wall, contains 1600 cubic yards; and will cost at the
lowest rate of ten pence per cubic yard £666:13:4d. it is also proper to mention, that the offers
received by the Magistrates for executing this part of the work, were fourteen pence; thirteen
pence half penny; one shilling, and we believe so low as ten pence per cubic yard: And it is
necessary also to add, that though we have estimated at the above sum we do not believe that
it can be executed at nearly that rate; for those who undertake this species of work are
generally men without capital, and therefore unable to bear loss. We are therefore
considerably below the sum when we estimate it at £666:13:4d. At the same rate the space on
the west side of the Chasm will cost £393:15/-. This space being now filled up with sand to the
height of the level of the sea wall, the covering of it with three feet of earth, will cost, at
eighteen pence per cubic yard £658:2/6d and a parapet wall four feet high to support the
earth will cost at least £52:16:8d.
We shall now recapitulate the whole expence:
Sea Wall exclusive of Centre arch £983.10.8
Filling up to west of Chasm 666.13.4
Filling up to east of do 393.15.-
Filling up with Earth to the height
of three feet 658: 2:6
Building parapet wall 52:16:8
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