although an independent burgh, may be considered the seaport of Edinburgh, from which it is only about a mile and a half distant. The Water of Leith, at its confluence with the Firth of Forth, divides the town into two parts, called respectively, North and South Leith. The first mention made of Leith is in the charter of erection of Holyrood Abbey, founded by David I. in 1128, where it is styled Inverleith. The magistrates of Edinburgh obtained a grant of the harbour and mills from Robert I. in 1329, and they subsequently purchased, from Logan of Restalrig, all the other rights and privileges. Its municipal government and admiralty jurisdiction continued in their hands until the year 1833, when the Burgh Reform Act conferred on Leith the right of electing its own magistrates, and the management of its own municipal affairs.
From the earliest times down to a recent period there existed a petty rivalry between the inhabitants of Leith and Edinburgh, an evidence of which was given so early as the year 1485, when the magistrates of Edinburgh, to prevent the citizens of Leith competing with them in trade, passed an act ordaining that no merchant of Edinburgh should presume to take into partnership an inhabitant of Leith under the penalty of 40 shillings Scots, and the loss of the freedom of the city. The civil and political history of Leith is thus so united with that of the metropolis that most of the leading events are described in the account of the latter. Its importance as the principal channel for the admission of troops and supplies made the possession of it an object with the conflicting parties during the turbulent period of the Reformation, and the subsequent contests for ascendancy between the supporters and enemies of the Stuart family. As Edinburgh was the stronghold of the Protestant party, Leith was that of the Roman Catholic party, who, headed by Mary of Guise, then Regent of Scotland, and assisted by a body of French soldiers, sustained within it, in the year 1560, a siege of two months.
The modern streets of Leith are spacious and well built, but the older ones are irregular and contracted. The principal buildings are the Exchange, the Custom-house, the Town-house, the church of South Leith (one of the few ancient Gothic buildings now used in Scotland for public worship), and the Forts, one of the military stations of the United Kingdom for a small body of artillery.
The chief manufactures of Leith are ropes, sailcloth, locomotive engines and machinery, glass, soap, ale, refined sugar, and oil-seed cakes. Iron and timber ship-building is also carried on to a considerable extent.
Various efforts have from time to time been made to overcome the natural obstacles that lay in the way of Leith as a shipping port. In 1720 a dock was formed on the E. side of the river, and in 1777 a small quay called the Custom-house quay was built. Between 1800 and 1817, two wet docks were constructed, each measuring 750 feet in length by 300 in width, and having a united area of about 10 acres. In 1831 two great additional works were undertaken, viz., an addition to the old or E. pier of 500 yards, and the formation of a covering bulwark, by means of which the water in the channel was deepened about two feet. There were still, however, only 17 feet of water over the bar at its mouth at high-water spring tides, and no vessel of above 400 tons could enter the harbour without lightening. Further improvements were commenced in 1848, and completed in 1855. These included the formation of the Victoria Dock, equal in extent to either of the others; the new western pier and low-water landing slip; the extension of the eastern pier 1000 feet seaward. The length of the E. pier is now 3530 feet, and of the W. 3123 feet. They are unsurpassed by any in the kingdom; and, in addition to other important purposes, afford the means of a healthful and pleasant promenade. By means of these improvements, a depth of 26 feet water has been obtained in the new harbour at high-water spring, and of 21 feet at neap tides. The Victoria Dock has 25 feet water at spring, and 20 feet at neap tides, upon the gate sill, and two feet more within the dock; and the two old docks have 18 feet at spring, and 13 feet at neap tides. Vessels of upwards of 2000 tons burden, of 320 feet in length and 58 feet in breadth, can be accommodated in the Victoria Dock.
There are also five dry or graving docks at Leith, of the following dimensions:
| No. of Docks | Length | Width | Depth of Water over Dock Sills at High-Water Spring Tides | |--------------|--------|-------|----------------------------------------------------------| | | ft. | ft. | ft. | | 1 | 160 | 174 | 45 | | 1 | 173 | 177 | 32 | | 1 | 166 | 172 | 38 | | 1 | 117 | 121 | 41 |
A new graving dock of greater capacity is proposed to be made on the E. sands, and to enter the present new harbour a little to the N. of the entrance to Victoria Dock. The following are its proposed dimensions. Length of floor 300 feet, at top 330 feet; width of floor 45 feet, at top, 80 feet; of coizam, 72 feet; depth of water over sills at high-water springs, 24 feet 5 inches.
Besides having regular steam communication with Rotterdam, Hamburg, Hull, London, Newcastle, and the north of Scotland, Leith trades largely with the Baltic, Mediterranean, North America, and Australia. The exports are principally coal, iron, spirits, ale, paper, linen yarn, &c. Of coal and iron the quantities exported during the last three years were as follows:
| Dates | Coals | Pig-Iron | Malleable Iron | |----------------|-------|----------|----------------| | 15th May 1853 to 15th May 1854 | 29,773 | 21,072 | 2008 | | | 1854 | 35,093 | 33,094 | | | 1855 | 30,898 | 29,220 |
The principal import is grain, of which the quantity imported during the last three years is given in the following table. After grain and timber the chief articles of import are hemp, flax, wool, linseed, oilcakes, guano, agricultural seeds, butter, cheese, fruit, corkwood, wines, spirits, oil, sugar, tea, &c.:
| Dates | Wheat | Barley | Oats, &c. | Flour | Timber from Baltic & other ports | Timber from North America | Guano | |----------------|-------|--------|-----------|-------|----------------------------------|---------------------------|-------| | 15th May 1853 to 15th May 1854 | 277,256 | 89,541 | 86,203 | 30,637 | 36,350 | 10,547 | 14,183 | | | 1854 | 271,917 | 105,731 | 94,427 | 46,898 | 10,339 | 15,234 | 14,294 | | | 1855 | 254,006 | 149,970 | 106,524 | 35,700 | 23,544 | 13,089 | 14,861 |
Number and Tonnage of Vessels Arriving at Leith.
| Dates | British Sailing Vessels | British Steam Vessels | Foreign Vessels | Total | |----------------|-------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------|-------| | 15th May 1853 to 15th May 1854 | 3406 | 192,936 | 643 | 89,111 | 833 | 87,432 | 4912 | 369,499 | | | 1854 | 3314 | 193,431 | 626 | 86,052 | 816 | 78,481 | 4755 | 357,964 | | | 1855 | 3289 | 194,739 | 630 | 88,064 | 774 | 81,139 | 4693 | 363,941 |
Number and Tonnage of Vessels Sailing from Leith.
| Dates | British Sailing Vessels | British Steam Vessels | Foreign Vessels | Total | |----------------|-------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------|-------| | 15th May 1853 to 15th May 1854 | 3419 | 191,300 | 630 | 87,504 | 842 | 82,218 | 4892 | 364,022 | | | 1854 | 3316 | 194,284 | 625 | 85,899 | 778 | 73,486 | 4719 | 353,669 | | | 1855 | 3303 | 195,227 | 628 | 87,663 | 842 | 88,585 | 4773 | 371,475 |
The amount of customs duties received at Leith for the last four years were,—1853, L485,915; 1854, L455,403; 1855, L462,917; and 1856, L498,172. The vessels registered as belonging to the port on 31st December 1855, were,—sailing vessels, of and under 50 tons, 71; tonnage, 2218; above 50 tons, 80; tonnage, 17,058;—steam vessels, of and under 50 tons, 14; tonnage, 289; above 50 tons, 23; tonnage, 6654. The recent war with Russia has checked the increase in the trade that would otherwise have resulted from the greatly enlarged accommodation.
Leith is governed by a provost, 4 bailies, and 10 councillors; and unites with Portobello and Musselburgh in returning a member to Parliament. Pop. (1851) 30,919; constituency, 1375.
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1 The increase would have been much greater had not most of the Leith steamers being employed as transports. Since the peace the increase has been very decided. During the seven months ending 31st December 1856, 565 steam vessels, of 81,000 tons, entered; and 558, of 78,727 tons, left the port.