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mill on Biel water, in the parish of Dunbar (f): But we may suppose that it
has not been very profitable, as it has not been followed by similar establish-
ments. At Dunbar, where the spirit of industry seems to enliven the people,
there is a soap manufacture. At Prestonpans was established, in 1750, a
manufactory of oil of vitrol; it was soon extended to the making of aquafortis,
spirit of salt, white ashes, and Glauber salts (g). At Prestonpans there are
potteries which produce white and cream-coloured ware, and which began
about the year 1754, and employ seventy persons, though the materials are
brought from England. There is another fabric of stoneware at Cuttle, in the
same parish of Prestonpans, which from early times seems to have been
moved by an energetic spirit (h). At Morrison's-Haven, there is also a manu-
factory of brown stoneware, from clay which the neighbouring fields supply (i).
At the end of the seventeenth century there was erected at the same place, a glass-
house for the making of bottles (k). In Tranent, there is a considerable tannery;
and there is here also a small manufactory of locks and nails (l). At Saltoun,
where ingenuity and patriotism early began to energize the people, there is
a paper mill (m). Yet the foregoing details do not evince that Haddingtonshire
is a manufacturing county. Experience has everywhere shown that manufactures
are plants which naturally spring up in an unpromising soil, but cannot be easily
cultivated by artificial means.
Salt is one of the earliest manufactures of Scotland. It was practised along
the East-Lothian shore during the 12th century. The monks of Newbotle,
who obtained a grant of Preston before the year 1189, from Robert de Quincey,
and who had the honour of discovering coals within their lands, established a
salt-work here, which gave rise to the name of Preston-Pans (n), and along
this shore, the manufacture of salt is still confined during the present times ;
(/) Stat. Acco., v., 481.                                    (g) Ib., xvii., 67-8.
(h) In 1663, the parliament passed an act " for two fairs to be held yearly in the barony of Preston."
Unprinted Act of that year.
(i) Stat. Acco., 66-7.
(k) Id. When John Bay travelled along this shore in August 1661, " he saw glasses made of kelp
and sand mixed together, and calcined in an oven. The crucibles which contained the melted glass,
they said, were made of tobacco pipe clay." Itinerary, 194.
(l) Stat. Acco., x., 88.                                              (m) Ib., 258.
(n) Fear Gullane, at the mouth of the West Peffer, there was of old a salt work, which imparted
to the place the significant name of Salt-cote. On the shore of Oldhamstocks there was anciently
a salt work, which gave to the place the appropriate name of Salt-pan-hsHl. Stat. Acco., vii.,
406.