DmECTORY.
portraits of Scottish monarchs, the last of the series belug James
VII., m whoso time the ediflco was completed. This line erection
was once removed by the magistrates, but was afterwards restored
by civic authorities of better taste. The Market House which
stands in Market street, i<i one of the largest and most beautiful
buildmgs of Its kiud in the kingdv-m; it was erected by a joint-
stock company, and opened in 1842, It contains two floors and
north and south galleries. In the west end of the market is a
beautilul fountain of polished Peterhead granite. The Theatre is
situated m Guild street, adjoining the Imperial Hotel. It is 71 feet
8 inches in leub'th, with a mean depth of au feet, and the height of
the front 13 611 feet from the street. The entrance doors for the
pubho are hve in number, all to the front. Commodious re-
Ireshment, retiring, and cloak-rooms are provided for visitors.
ihe theatre is seated for 1,67U persons. The stage and all its ap-
pliances are of the most approved modern description. The Bar-
racks on the Castle hiU are lltted up for the convenience of six
hundred men, although, according to the usual mode of military ao-
commodatiou, they are capable of containing double this number ■
there is an excellent hospital attached to them on an adioinine
eminence. The town is admii-ably paved with granite, well lighted
with gas, and plentifully supplied with excellent water, takeirfrom
the Dee, about three miles and a half above the village of Bauchorv
The arrangements for cloausing the streets and watching the city
are fully elhcient. -^
The port of Aberdeen is admirable adapted for commercial inter-
course with the northern parts of Emope, and it also participates
in a good share of trade with America and the West Indies Early
m the seventeenth century, a considerable number of ships, of small
tonnage, belonging to the port. A considerable import and export
trade was earned on with various parts of the continent, as well as
coast trading. The shipping appears to have considerably decayed
during the civil wars aud visitations of the plague, and no revival
took place for many years. In 1656 there wer^ onl, uine vessels ol
the aggregate amoiiui of 440 tons. In 1692 all the shipping was
two galhots of thirty tons each. Soon after this time, however
when the aliairs of the country got into a more settled state, we
and shipping, along with general trade, making considerable pro-
gress. In 1788, the number of ships registered was 169, and the
aggregate tonnage, 11,820; and in 1818, the ships registered were
ji37; tonnage, 36,471; in 1873, 218 vessels; tonnage, 100 279 01
late years the number of ships has not so much increased as
the tonnage. In the year 1865 the average of tonna-e
per ship was 34, while in 1876 it was 494. The num-
oer of vessels, including steamers, registered in the port of
Aberdeen was in 1876,330; amount of tonnage 108,067. Notwith-
standing that a large portion of trade is absorbed by the railwivs
north and south, the imports and exports are increasins vearlv •
though in some departments, such as the exports of cattle and
salmon sea transports shows a declhie. The total revenue for 1876
was i45,118 The number of sailing and steam vessels entered aud
cleared in the colonial, foreign, and coasting trades in 1876 was—
British, 3 8tb; tonnage, 666,987; foreign, 231; tonnage, 62 "PS
Revenue ol the customs for the same year. £93,208; revlnue ti-om
whiskey £45,bS0; total, £133,738. Since the year ISIO, when the
principal improvement in the harbour commenced, there has been
expended upon it vast sums. The diversion of the river and the
new breakwater are two of the latest undertakings. The first turf
S?n Tt'^'; ''""Si™ o'tlio i-ivor was by Lord Provost Leslie on the
22nd of December, 18b9. The new comse is about a mile in len-th
andforms a arge arc of a circle, from the suspension bridge to
about opposite Marischal street, and from that point to Torrv
where it joins the harbom- entrance. The bottom of the new
channel is 170 est wide. The north bank has a giadient o 1 iSs"
and the south bank 1 in 10. There is a fine slope for salmon iishing
and as the ground is mostly composed of line sand, it affords
capital and safe bathing accommodation ; the new breakwater, the
entire length ot which is 1,300 feet, has recently been completed
this has earned the work out to a depth of wfater 60 feet at hicli
tide Lxtensive improvements are now (1877) being effected at the
harbour entrance. Powerful machinery and extensive appliances
of various sorts are in full operation, and the progress made mSst
be legardod as in every way satisfactory to the Harbour Commis-
sioners and the public, and creditable in the highest degree to
Mr.DyceCay theengmertotheboard and the stafT undir him
Ihe lame of the " elipper bow," so justly due to the sliip builders
elafr^f «"'^'' *° }^''- ^"^ "''"' '>''' successfnUy estabfished hi
claim to the invention, lias spread the fame of Aberdeen ship-
burldmg to all quarters of the world. From May 1864 to Hay 1866
there were built and launched U ships of the aggregate of 8 385
tons, giving an average of about 780 tons per ship. In 1870 th'or,-
were built 13 vessels, aggregate tonnage 6,305, six saiUn^ vessels
and SIX steamers and the number has now (1877) couside?aWy1n-
creased. The salmon lishinga on the Dee and Don have for Ion..
marh/°f ™*°";'?°'- ^?.°'=1>.°« industry; but whatever tte effect
Safist?., J'""'"" '^8'^""'°° '" fostering the breed of this fish, the
dnci . ,1 "' "^"=5' '!>',e'">e y««3 show a marked decline in the pro-
duce 01 the Dee and Don river and coast fishings
Aberdeen has been the seat of manufacture'from a very early
period We hnd Provost Jaffray, with his coadjutors, estabUsMng
a wooUen manufactory in 1636, m the Correction wyi d uader thf
patent ol Charles I. for the manufacture of •• broad cob kerseys
stof kf^r' "il"'' '^""^Sf.'^lo'l'S." The manufacture ol these an7of
stockmgs had been cultivated so successfully and extensively for
remarkeTth^M.s7H''*'r'' Drummond, conservator of HolLnd
forretnrn r,f \^ !=Mtland was more obhged to the town of Aberdeen
Wl, ^"? of money in its export trade than all other towns in
Scotland." Messrs. Alexander Hadden & Sons, have three estX
T w'T"?'" "■? '^"""'' "' ^^'^"SiB Mills, and at Gordon's sluis
The r chief produce are carpets, tweeds, hosiery, worsted ami
premis"eJ''the- a^" ^'^'^'V™ '° '^^ ™t"i.-'l manufactured on their
th^?™,„; 1^ ^'™ <^mPloy"'™t to a great number of women over
ZuTl^r^ ""T"'* ™ '^y'"»"y«^msin Aberdeen The demand
^tlU oontmues to expand, the quaUty of the Aberdeen iXTcs
ABERDEEN.
ABERDEENSHIPE.
being found very superior Jute spinningis also carried out to som
extent here. The only cotton spiuninp establishment now in Aber
deems that of Banner Mil , belonging to Messrs. Eobinson, Urum
i Co. Limited The manufacture of combs was introduced about
the year 1830, by Messrs. Stewai t & Kowall, and has been conducted
on a very extensive scale since that period, first by the original firm
and latterly by Mr. Stewart and his son. It is ivlso carried on bv
Messrs. John M'Pherson & Co. and Mr. C. Eh-ick. Eleven flrm3
are engaged in the manufacture of preserved provisions AU
manner of fish, flesh, soups, vegetables, fruits, &c., are preserved
in tin cases of all sizes, and every variety of preparation. Messrs
Mitchell & Muil, biscuit manufacturers to the Queen have un ex-
tensive manufactory here. The extensive paper-works at Stoney-
wood, carried on by Slossrs. Pirie & Sons, were established nearly
one hundred years ago, and they are the largest manufacturers in
Scotland. Messrs. C. Davidson & Son, Limited, manufacture
very extensively wrapping and packing papers of all kinds ;
they have also a patent for making paper bags, in which
they do a considerable trade. Messrs. Thomas Tait & Son,
of Inverarie Blills, havo a mill for the manufacture of
prmting papers. There are several large horticultural builders in
Aberdeen, among the most prominent may be mentioned Messrs.
J Garvie & Sons, and D. Macandrew & Go, ; the former hav.j er.cted
hothouses for Her Majesty at Balmoral. The chemical works at
Sandilands, near the Links, cover several acres of ground, and were
begun by Messrs. John Miller & Co., in 1848, for the purpose of
working up the Gas Company's liquid products into naphtha,
creosote oil, asphalte, sulpliate of ammonia, Ati. But scvor.tl
branches have been added since, the most important of which are
the manufacture of artificial manures, paraffln wax, sulphuric acid,
&c. The distillation of whisky is carried on extensively in Aber-
deen by John Begg, of the famed Lochnagar Distillery (who hag
solely supplied all the Koyal Palaces since IS 18) ; Messrs. Henry
Ogg & Co. of the Strathdee Distillery, and the Bon-Accord Dis-
tillery Co. Limited, &c.
The granite trade may be said to be indigenous to Aberdeen.
The greater part of the county, and portions of the adjoining dis
tricts,is composed of igneous rock of all varieties, the quarryin" of
which commenced about 250 years ago, but made little progres
till the year 1741, when a disastrous fire occurring in Aberdeen,
destroyed a large number of the wooden houses of which the town
was chiefly composed. Au act of the ni.igistrates and council was
then passed ordaining the outside walls of dwelling houses to be
built ol stone or brick. About 1764 the streets of London began to
be paved with Aberdeen granite ; but it was not till 1796 that larger
blocks were required, and machinery began to be applied. R'lbislaw
Quarries then supplied stones for the Government docks ■ and
Dancing Cairn, which began to be wrought about this time, sup-
plied granite for Union Bridge, and the new street extension
of the city. Subsequently the demand has considerably in-
creased, as granite is used extensively in the construc-
tion of bridges, docks, and other public works. There
are over 20 quarries in operation in the district, yielding
granito of various colour and quality. The quantity of store
.luan-iedaunually is about .5,5,000 tons, 40,000 of which is exported
chiefly from this port. The trade is estimated to be increasing at
the rate of about 500 tons annually. The facilities .afforded hv the
railways in lessening the expense of carriage from the various
quarries has tended to increase the demand. Granite poli^ihing has
now acquired large dimensions here. About 50 years ago, the late
-llr. Macdonald was the first to apply machinorv"to the cutting and
pohshing of granite. The present Arm, Messrs. Macdonald, Field
& Co., had the honour to supply the enormous granito sarcophn^na
(30 tons weight), now containing the remains of bis late Royal
Highness the Prince Consort, in the royal mausoleum at Frogmore
besides a smaUer one for Her late Royal Highnass the Duchess of
h-ent. John Eraser & Son, of the granite works. Broadford ■ Messrs
Petric, of the ClayhiUs Granite Works; Mr. Keith, of King street"
with other firms, do considerable business. The nrocess ol all their
operations is by steam machinery. From 10,000 to 12 000 tons of
granite per annum are used for polishing purposes at the various
works. The demand for polished granite increases every year and
orders for architectural, general, and monumeutal purposes come
from all parts of the world to the Granite City.
There are three Joint Stock Companies for the manufacture and
sale ot agricultural materials. The Commercial, the Lime aud the
Northern Agricultural, each ot them having steam mills for ivilvor-
ising bones. The latter, in addition, carries on the manufacture of
oilcake, linseed oil, rape oil, &c. Messrs. Ben. Reid & Co. have a
largo establishment for the manufacture of aoricultural imple-
ments. Messrs. Harper & Co. carry on an extensive business in
the manufacture of agricultural implements and machinery aud
wire weaiang, especially the construction of wire suspension
bridges. Three brick and tile manufacturing companies, two =ioaD
and candle manufactories, ten coach buildcr.s, and many ..'tlior
large establishments, ot which our space prevents us from ui •!■•
details, are located here. The iron an.l metal works emplov a larae
number ol skiUed workmen. There are several engineering estab-
lishments and foundries, with other works connected with shinnine
-sail and rope works, boiler making, &c. &c. Apart from the
import of foreign timber, there is a large business carriol on in
home-grown wood, from the upper districts of Aberdeenshire.
Deeside flr has been a staple article in Aberdeen from time imme-
morial. A"*"XD
■ '^Sj.^^'r'i*^' banking company formed in Aberdeen was started
in 1752. It was begun on a scale which must now be regarded as
limited, even for the comparatively moderate requirements ot that
S°*,' "^A t' ''?^ "'" longei^e fie schemo was relinquished. In
I7bb the Aberdeen Banking Company " was originated, aud long
enjoyed almost a monopoly of the banking business of the north.
About twenty-five years ago it was merged in the " Union Bank of
bcotlaud," sinking its individual title. It still maintains a good
connection, aud continues to do" a considerable business, bath in
the town and over the northern district. Besides renrescntativea
of most of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Banks, there are lu Aberdeen
two thriving native banks. The Aberdeen Town and County Bank^
estabhshed in 1825, having fifty-two branches, and the North of
Scotland Bank in 1836, with fifty-four branches. By each of these
1-1 2U