ABERDEEN, New, is the capital of the shire of Aberdeen. For extent, trade, and beauty, it greatly exceeds any town in the north of Scotland. It is built on a hill or rising ground, and lies on a small bay formed by the Dee, deep enough for a ship of 200 tons, and above two miles in circumference.—The buildings (which are of granite from the neighbouring quarries) are generally four stories high; and have for the most part, gardens behind them, which give it a beautiful appearance. On the high street is a large church which formerly belonged to the Franciscans. This church was begun by Bishop William Elphinstone; and finished by Gavin Dunbar, bishop of Aberdeen, about the 1500. Bishop Dunbar is said likewise to have built the bridge over the Dee, which consists of seven arches. In the middle of Castle street is an octagon building, with neat bas-relieves of the kings of Scotland from James I. to James VII. The town-house makes a good figure, and has a handsome spire in the centre. The grammar school is a low but neat building. Gordon's hospital is handsome; in front is a good statue of the founder: it maintains forty boys, who are apprenticed at proper ages. The infirmary is a large plain building, and sends out between eight and nine hundred cured patients annually. But the chief public building in the New Town is the Marischal College, founded by George Keith earl Marischal, in the year 1593; but since greatly augmented with additional buildings. There are about 140 students belonging to it. In both the Marischal and King's college the languages, mathematics, natural philosophy, divinity, &c. are taught by very able professors. The convents in Aberdeen were: one of Mathurines or of the order of the Trinity, founded by William the Lion, who died in 1214; another of Dominicans, by Alexander II.; a third of Observantines, a building of great length in the middle of the city, founded by the citizens and Mr Richard Vans, &c.; and a fourth of Carmelites, or White Friars, founded by Philip de Arbuthnot in 1540.
Aberdeen, including the Old Town, is supposed to contain 25,000 inhabitants. Its trade is considerable, but might be greatly extended by an attention to the white fisheries.
The harbour was long a great detriment to its trade, and occasioned the loss of many lives and much property. A stranger could never depend upon finding it
as he left it; while vessels lay at anchor in the road till Aberdeen the tide should make, they have often been wrecked by storms which suddenly arose. It was very narrow at the mouth, having the easterly rocky point of the Grampian mountains on the south, and a flat blowing sand on the north, extending along the coast for many miles. By the easterly and north-east storms the sand was driven in a long ridge across the harbour's mouth, and formed what was called the bar. Upon this bar the depth of water at low tide was sometimes not above three feet. Clearing away the sand, though but a partial and temporary remedy, was a matter of great expense to the community. If it was cleared one week so as to have five or six feet of water at ebb, a fresh storm the next week undid all that had been done. The town at last came to the resolution of erecting a strong pier on the north side of the harbour. This pier is 1200 feet in length, and gradually increases in thickness and height as it approaches to the sea, where the head or rounding is 60 feet diameter at the base, and the perpendicular elevation is 38 feet. The whole is built of granite, which is a very durable stone: many of the outside stones are above three tons weight, with hewn beds. It was built under the direction of Mr Smeaton; and the expense, amounting to above 17,000l. is defrayed by doubling the harbour dues, which are chiefly paid by the inhabitants.
A little to the south of the bar, they have now a depth of 17 fathoms at low water; and at the harbour's mouth, from eight to nine fathoms, where they had formerly but a few feet.
Aberdeen once enjoyed a good share of the tobacco trade. At present, its imports are from the Baltic; and a few merchants trade to the West Indies and North America. Its exports are stockings, thread, salmon, and oatmeal. The first is a most important article, as appears by the following state of it: For this manufacture, 20,800l. worth of wool is annually imported, and 1600l. worth of oil. Of this wool are annually made 69,333 dozen pairs of stockings; worth, at an average, 1l. 10s. per dozen. These are the work of the country people in almost all parts of this great county, who get 4s. per dozen for spinning, and 14s. per dozen for knitting; so that there is annually paid them 62,329l. 14s. There is, besides, about 2000l. value of stockings manufactured from the wool of the county. The thread manufacture is another considerable article, though trifling in comparison of the woollen. The salmon fisheries on the Dee and the Don are a good branch of trade. About 46 boats and 130 men are employed on the first; and in some years 167,000lb. of fish have been sent pickled to London, and about 930 barrels of salted fish exported to France, Italy, &c.—The fishery on the Don is far less considerable. The fish of this river are taken in cruives above the bridge; a practice contrary to the ancient laws of the kingdom, unless where the nature of the water rendered the net fishery impracticable. The inhabitants likewise export considerable quantities of pickled pork, which they sell to the Dutch for victualling their East India ships and men of war; the Aberdeen pork having the reputation of being the best cured of any in Europe for keeping on long voyages.
"It is however remarkable, Mr Knox observes, that there is not a single decked vessel fitted out from Aberdeen.
Aberdeen, now an excellent harbour, an active people, conversant in trade, and possessed of capital; seated within six hours sailing of Long Forts, and two days sailing of the Shetland isles. This inattention is the more extraordinary, as the exports of Aberdeen, though very considerable, do not balance the imports in value. The herring and white fisheries, therefore, if prosecuted with vigour, and cured and dried with judgment, would not only extend the scale of exports, but also furnish the outward bound vessels with freights, and better assortments for the foreign markets. The salmon of the Dee and Don are taken in great abundance, cured in the highest perfection, and greatly valued at the European markets. If the merchants, in addition to these, should also export the cargoes of 50 or 60 vessels constantly employed in the herring and white fisheries, the port of Aberdeen would in a few years become the most celebrated mart of fish now existing.
From a round hill at the west end of the city, flow two springs, one of pure water, and the other of a quality resembling the German Spa. Aberdeen, with Aberbrothick, Brechin, Montrose, and Inverberny, returns one member to parliament.