the life of thomas telford-第53章

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from　Keith　Island　on　the　eastward；　so　as　to　render　the　access　more

easy。　The　harbour；　when　thus　finished；　would；　he　estimated；　give

about　17　feet　depth　at　high　water　of　spring　tides。　　He　also

proposed　to　open　a　communication　across　the　causeway　between　the

north　and　south　harbours；　and　form　a　wet　dock　between　them；　580

feet　long　and　225　feet　wide；　the　water　being　kept　in　by　gates　at

each　end。　　He　further　proposed　to　provide　an　entirely　new　harbour；

by　constructing　two　extensive　piers　for　the　effectual　protection　of

the　northern　part　of　the　channel；　running　out　one　from　a　rock　north

of　the　Green　Island；　about　680　feet　long；　and　another　from　the　Roan

Head；　450　feet　long；　leaving　an　opening　between　them　of　70　yards。

This　comprehensive　plan　unhappily　could　not　be　carried　out　at　the

time　for　want　of　funds；　but　it　may　be　said　to　have　formed　the

groundwork　of　all　that　has　been　subsequently　done　for　the

improvement　of　the　port　of　Peterhead。



It　was　resolved；　in　the　first　place；　to　commence　operations　by

improving　the　south　harbour；　and　protecting　it　more　effectually

from　south…easterly　winds。　　The　bottom　of　the　harbour　was

accordingly　deepened　by　cutting　out　30；000　cubic　yards　of　rocky

ground；　and　part　of　Mr。　Rennie's　design　was　carried　out　by

extending　the　jetty　of　the　west　pier；　though　only　for　a　distance　of

twenty　yards。　　These　works　were　executed　under　Mr。　Telford's

directions；　they　were　completed　by　the　end　of　the　year　1811；　and

proved　to　be　of　great　public　convenience。



The　trade　of　the　town；　however；　so　much　increased；　and　the　port　was

found　of　such　importance　as　a　place　of　refuge　for　vessels

frequenting　the　north　seas；　that　in　1816　it　was　determined　to

proceed　with　the　formation　of　a　harbour　on　the　northern　part　of　the

old　channel；　and　the　inhabitants　having　agreed　among　themselves　to

contribute　to　the　extent　of　10；000L。　towards　carrying　out　the

necessary　works；　they　applied　for　the　grant　of　a　like　sum　from　the

Forfeited　Estates　Fund；　which　was　eventually　voted　for　the　purpose。

The　plan　adopted　was　on　a　more　limited　scale　than　that　Proposed　by

Mr。　Rennie；　but　in　the　same　direction　and　contrived　with　the　same

object；so　that；　when　completed；　vessels　of　the　largest　burden

employed　in　the　Greenland　fishery　might　be　able　to　enter　one　or

other　of　the　two　harbours　and　find　safe　shelter；　from　whatever

quarter　the　wind　might　blow。



The　works　were　vigorously　proceeded　with；　and　had　made　considerable

progress；　when；　in　October；　1819；　a　violent　hurricane　from　the

north…east；　which　raged　along　the　coast　for　several　days；　and

inflicted　heavy　damage　on　many　of　the　northern　harbours；　destroyed

a　large　part　of　the　unfinished　masonry　and　hurled　the　heaviest

blocks　into　the　sea；　tossing　them　about　as　if　they　had　been

pebbles。　　The　finished　work　had；　however；　stood　well；　and　the

foundations　of　the　piers　under　low　water　were　ascertained　to　have

remained　comparatively　uninjured。　　There　was　no　help　for　it　but　to

repair　the　damaged　work；　though　it　involved　a　heavy　additional

cost；　one…half　of　which　was　borne　by　the　Forfeited　Estates　Fund　and

the　remainder　by　the　inhabitants。　　Increased　strength　was　also

given　to　the　more　exposed　parts　of　the　pierwork；　and　the　slope　at

the　sea　side　of　the　breakwater　was　considerably　extended。*＇2＇

Those　alterations　in　the　design　were　carried　out；　together　with　a

spacious　graving…dock；　as　shown　in　the　preceding　plan；　and　they

proved　completely　successful；　enabling　Peterhead　to　offer　an　amount

of　accommodation　for　shipping　of　a　more　effectual　kind　than　was　at

that　time　to　be　met　with　along　the　whole　eastern　coast　of　Scotland。



The　old　harbour　of　Frazerburgh；　situated　on　a　projecting　point　of

the　coast　at　the　foot　of　Mount　Kennaird；　about　twenty　miles　north

of　Peterhead；　had　become　so　ruinous　that　vessels　lying　within　it

received　almost　as　little　shelter　as　if　they　had　been　exposed　in

the　open　sea。　　Mr。　Rennie　had　prepared　a　plan　for　its　improvement

by　running　out　a　substantial　north…eastern　pier；　and　this　was

eventually　carried　out　by　Mr。　Telford　in　a　modified　form；　proving

of　substantial　service　to　the　trade　of　the　port。　　Since　then　a

large　and　commodious　new　harbour　has　been　formed　at　the　place；

partly　at　the　public　expense　and　partly　at　that　of　the　inhabitants；

rendering　Frazerburgh　a　safe　retreat　for　vessels　of　war　as　well　as

merchantmen。



＇Image＇　Banff。



Among　the　other　important　harbour　works　on　the　northeast　coast

carried　out　by　Mr。　Telford　under　the　Commissioners　appointed　to

administer　the　funds　of　the　Forfeited　Estates；　were　those　at　Banff；

the　execution　of　which　extended　over　many　years；　but；　though

costly；　they　did　not　prove　of　anything　like　the　same　convenience　as

those　executed　at　Peterhead。　　The　old　harbour　at　the　end　of　the

ridge　running　north　and　south；　on　which　what　is　called　the

〃sea　town〃　of　Banff　is　situated；　was　completed　in　1775；　when　the

place　was　already　considered　of　some　importance　as　a　fishing　station。



＇Image＇　Banff　Harbour。



This　harbour　occupies　the　triangular　space　at　the　north…eastern

extremity　of　the　projecting　point　of　land；　at　the　opposite　side　of

which；　fronting　the　north…west；　is　the　little　town　and　harbour　of

Macduff。　　In　1816；　Mr。　Telford　furnished　the　plan　of　a　new　pier

and　breakwater；　covering　the　old　entrance；　which　presented　an

opening　to　the　N。N。E。；　with　a　basin　occupying　the　intermediate

space。　The　inhabitants　agreed　to　defray　one　half　of　the　necessary

cost；　and　the　Commissioners　the　other；　and　the　plans　having　been

approved；　the　works　were　commenced　in　1818。　　They　were　in　full

progress　when；　unhappily；　the　same　hurricane　which　in　1819　did　so

much　injury　to　the　works　at　Peterhead；　also　fell　upon　those　at

Banff；　and　carried　away　a　large　part　of　the　unfinished　pier。

This　accident　had　the　effect　of　interrupting　the　work；　as　well　as

increasing　its　cost；　but　the　whole　was　successfully　completed　by

the　year　1822。　　Although　the　new　harbour　did　not　prove　very　safe；

and　exhibited　a　tendency　to　become　silted　up　with　sand；　it　proved

of　use　in　many　respects；　more　particularly　in　preventing　all　swell

and　agitation　in　the　old　harbour；　which　was　thereby　rendered　the

safest　artificial　haven　in　the　Murray　Firth。



It　is　unnecessary　to　specify　the　alterations　and　improvements　of　a

similar　character；　adapted　to　the　respective　localities；　which　were

carried　out　by　our　engineer　at　Burgh　Head；　Nairn；　Kirkwall；　Tarbet；

Tobermory；　Portmaholmac；　Dingwall　（with　its　canal　two　thousand

yards　long；　connecting　the　town　in　a　complete　manner　with　the　Frith

of　Cromarty）；　Cullen；　Fortrose；　Ballintraed；　Portree；　Jura；

Gourdon；　Invergordon；　and　other　places。　　Down　to　the　year　1823；

the　Commissioners　had　expended　108；530L。　on　the　improvements　of

these　several　ports；　in　aid　of　the　local　contributions　of　the

inhabitants　and　adjoining　proprietors　to　a　considerably　greater

extent；　the　result　of　which　was　a　great　increase　in　the　shipping

accommodation　of　the　coast　towns；　to　the　benefit　of　the　local

population；　and　of　ship…owners　and　navigators　generally。



Mr。　Telford's　principal　harbour　works　in　Scotland；　however；　were

those　of　Aberdeen　and　Dundee；　which；　next　to　Leith　（the　port　of

Edinburgh）；　formed　the　principal　havens　along　the　east　coast。

The　neighbourhood　of　Aberdeen　was　originally　so　wild　and　barren　that

Telford　expressed　his　surprise　that　any　class　of　men　should　ever

have　settled　there。　　An　immense　shoulder　of　the　Grampian　mountains

extends　down　to　the　sea…coast；　where　it　terminates　in　a　bold；　rude

promontory。　　The　country　on　either　side　of　the　Dee；　which　flows

past　the　town；　was　originally　covered　with　innumerable　granite

blocks；　one；　called　Craig　Metellan；　lying　right　in　the　river's

mouth；　and　forming；　with　the　sand；　an　almost　effectual　bar　to　its

navigation。　Although；　in　ancient　times；　a　little　cultivable　land

lay　immediately　outside　the　town；　the　region　beyond　was　as　sterile

as　it　is　possible　for　land　to　be　in　such