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shortened. It must likewise be remembered that the act of parliament passed in 1792 had these great objects in view, and that the Legislature was aware that the communication by means of the ferries would not be made complete and perfect, until convenient landing places were erected at. Newhaven and Burntisland as well as at Leith and Pettycur.

to such an amount as to enable them to obtain by these means the whole of the money required.

Report by Mr RENNIE, Civil Engineer, respecting the proposed Improvements at PETTYCUR, and intended Ferry-Boat Harbour at NEW

HAVEN.

GENTLEMEN,

The trustees, impressed with the importance of the objects now mentioned, applied to Mr Rennie to sur-smitted to me by your Sheriff, David

vey the harbours of Burntisland and Newhaven; and obtained from him reports and plans which will be found annexed. Mr Rennie has reported it as his opinion that the object in view may be completely accomplished, and that a passage may at all times be depended upon at one or other of the ferries now alluded to; and the expence of the improvements necessary for these purposes is estimated by him at about L.15,000 Sterling.

IN consequence of directions tran

Monypenny, Esq. I took a view of the Harbour of Pettycur on the 27th and 28th of October last, and carefully examined its situation, the nature of the ground, and the manner in which the sand is drifted into it by the tides and storms, the construction of its Pier, &c.

It appears to me, that this Pier is constructed and laid down in a manner which is little calculated either for shelter, or for keeping the Harbour The trustees are hopeful that, when clear of sand. From southerly and south the importance of this object to the easterly winds, (which are, no doubt, whole of the north of Scotland, is ta- the most dangerous) the shelter is token into view, and also the advantage lerably good but the exposure to the to Government in the transportation south west is great; and from this of troops, and in the victualling and quarter and from westerly winds the watering of the ships of war in the sea ranges over such an extent of flat Frith of Forth, and shipping naval sandy shore, that it never fails to bring stores at all times of tide, at Newha- in great quantities of sand and mud, ven and Burntisland, which can only and thereby cheaks up the harbour. be done at particular periods, at Leith, To remove this, two basons have been that both Government and the north erected; one may be said to be within ern counties of Scotland, or the gen- the harbour itself, and the other at the tlemen who have property situate in east end of the pier, between the road these counties, will concur in promo. to Kinghorn and the Firth; neither of ting the measures now in contempla- which have been made of sufficient cation, by assisting to procure the funds pacity to hold such a quantity of wanecessary for the purpose, and that ter as would effectually scour the harthus a sum of money will be levied, bour, had their construction been ever which though in itself considerable, so perfect: the former has been built cannot be reckoned disproportioned to entirely on the sand, and therefore has the advantage which the public will never held water; but, even if it had, derive from the expenditure. It its capacity is by no means equal to seems only necessary to add, that the the task, and its situation is the most trustees could not venture to recom- injudicious that could well have been mend it as an expedient measure, to chosen with the exposure of this harraise the toll on passengers and goods bour a considerable sea is brought in

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to it whenever the wind blows from any point between south and west, and with such winds the waves strike directly against this bason, rebound on the inside of the pier, and occasion a great swell in the harbour itself, which is injurious to the passage-boats: I am therefore of opinion that it should be removed without delay.

The other bason, although placed in a proper situation, is of so confined a capacity, that, even when filled with water, it produces very little effect in scouring out the harbour; but its bottom lies so high that it is very seldom filled except when near the top of spring tides; neap tides can scarcely be said to go into it.

The pier itself not being under the controul of the Trustees, I need say nothing concerning it:-were it under their direction, I would advise it to be extended, and to have a head different from that it now has. But, had there been no pier at all, a much better thing could have been made of it than it now is. All that can be done with the limited funds the Trustees possess, is to make a bason of sufficient capacity to scour away the mud and sand as it is thrown in by the sea. For this purpose I have to recommend that a larger bason be made between the inner end of the pier and the Inn. This I propose to do by a straight wall built in a line from the southern extremity of the point of the rock that juts out from the Toll-house and the south west corner of the Inn, as represented on the plan, having an area of 2422 square yards, and its bottom being sufficiently deep to take in at least four feet depth of water at neap tides; this will give about eight feet in depth at ordinary springs, which will form a scour, I trust, equal to the

purpose.

The culvert which is to lead from the bason to the harbour, should be of large dimensions; not less than four feet wide and the sluice should be placed near to the upper end of the

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harbour, and from thence its direction should be straight, so that the water after it has passed the sluice may meet with no obstruction to retard its velocity before it passes into the harbour and begins its scour.

There being only one harbour on each side of the Fortb, namely, Leith on the south and Pettycur on the north, from whence the passage-boats usually ply, great inconvenience and detention in crossing is often experienced. If the wind blows strong and directly from the south or even some points to the westward or eastward of south, it is very difficult to make a passage from Pettycur to Leith; and if the wind is from the north or several points to the eastward or westward of north and blows fresh, it is equally difficult to make a passage from Leith to Pettycur. The former I experienced on the 28th of October; the wind blew fresh from about three points westward of south; after beating in the Firth for about three hours, we were obliged to return to Pettycur, and to save time I went round by the Queensferry. While, therefore, there is only one harbour on each side of the Forth to which the passage-boats can ply, no certainty of a passage can be had. This points out the necessity of some other places being chosen for this purpose.

On the north side there is an excellent situation at Burntisland, where the harbour is commodious, safe, and of great extent. There is no better situation for a harbour in the Firth of Forth: nature has already done much, and a good deal has been done by art: the water is deep; and a small sum of money would render it fit for the entry or departure of passage-boats at all times of tide.

On the southern side nature has not been so bountiful; but at Newhaven a harbour might be made for no very large sum, sufficient for the reception and accommodation of passage-boats at all times of tide. If, therefore, a

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proper pier was to be erected at Newhaven, and also one at Burntisland, there would be very few days in the year that a boat could not make a passage. Burntisland fyes as about 25 degrees west of north, or due north by the compass from Leith; and Newhaven lyes about 7° west of south from Pettycur, by Downie's Chart: so that from one or other of these places a passage would be almost certain. If, therefore, funds could be raised to accomplish these objects, it would be of great consequence to those who have -occasion to cross these ferries.

I have examined Newhaven, and am of opinion, an excellent harbour for the ferry-boats may be constructed there; and for this purpose, have made such a design as appears to me will afford the accommodation and facilities wanted.

Had the Magistrates of Edinburgh been possessed of sufficient funds to complete the great work they have already begun, sufficient accommodation might have been had for the passageboats at Newhaven ; but as this is not the case, and as from the extent of the work it is not likely that it can be accomplished for a very long time to come, something suitable to the accommodation of the ferry-boats ought in the interim to be made.

It has been suggested to me, that if a harbour were now to be made for the passage. boats at Newhaven, this might be so done as to form a part of the proposed works for Leith harbour, when they should be so extended; but after having given this proposition all the consideration in my power, I am of opinion it cannot be done. The magnitude of their works-the depth of water intended--the size of materials they will require, would occasion an expence far beyond what is required for a work of this sort, and therefore precludes all idea of rendering a pier for the passage-boats of any use in the intended works for the harbour of Leith. I am therefore of opinion,

a harbour had better be constructed to the west of these works, and done in a complete and substantial manner, SO as to answer the purpose of a passageboat harbour, even after the works of Leith harbour are completed; by such a harbour the passage-boats will be at liberty to ply to and from it, without experiencing any interruption from the trade of Leith, or occasioning any inconvenience to the ships that frequent that harbour.

It will appear from the design that accompanies this report, that what I propose will be quite clear of their works-the harbour will consist of a straight pier, extending from the shore at Newhaven quite to low water spring tides, being a distance of about 480 feet, having a return-head of about 100 feet in length. To this pier I propose to give a regular declination from high to low water-mark, with a depth of about 8 feet at its extremity, by which means the passage-boats will be enabled to come or depart, as may best suit them.

The return-head to have a jetty of about 20 feet long placed a short distance within the head, to prevent the lash of the waves from affecting the vessels within the harbour.

I propose to remove the rubble stones which now lie thickly scattered over the beach, and to lay them in a form represented in the plan, which will break the force of the waves in north westerly and westerly winds, and thereby quiet the water within; and as the pier, if built the heighth necessary only for taking in or landing passengers, would afford no good shelter in northerly and north-easterly winds, I propose that the outside wall should be carried up to a sufficient height to answer this purpose, with counterforts within, by which means they will not only have the advantage of going into or out of it when it suits them, but they will be completely sheltered, and lye in safety, whatever may be the weather. The expence

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of this work will however be considerable, much greater than the present funds will accomplish; but as the work cannot be done at all unless under the sanction of an Act of Parliament, I should apprehend that for such an accommodation no one will object to the payment of an additional toll; and as by the certainty of the passage the intercourse will encrease, I would fain hope that the additional toll, requisite to lay on the passengers for the purpose of raising the funds, would not be a material addition to the expence of the passage.

That a harbour of less extent than that I have designed might be made to answer to a certain extent, I will not 'pretend to deny, but one of less accommodation would but partially answer the object so much to be desired, namely, a certain and safe passage at all times, unless in calms and in storms, when it would not be safe for the boats to proceed to sea --but this would be but a half measure, and therefore unless it can be well done, the purpose could not be attained, and probably it would be better not to do the work at all, than to expend a considerable sum of money in the execution of an imperfect one.

I am,

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on that part of the subject, my object being only to point out what additional works will be requisite for the harbour of Burntisland to render it fit for boats to enter or sail at all times of tide, together with the probable expence attending the establishing of such works.

Burntisland is situated on a projecting head of land bounded on the east by a sandy bay lying between it and the Pettycur, from which the harbouris distant about two miles and a quarter. This sandy bay is dry at low water; and near its western extremity is a point called the Sand-end, which extends about half a mile to the southward of Burntisland Harbour, and distant from it about a mile and a quarter, and bearing nearly two points to the southward of east. At the east end of the island there is another point called the Clay Ness, which stretches out and forms a bay between and the harbour, called the Kirk Bay. So that, with the projecting land at the Pettycur, the Sand-end, and the ClayNess, this harbour is completely sheltered from the seas brought up the Forth by easterly winds. On the west, Burntisland is bounded by Ross's Bay, which may be said to extend to the Hall Craig near Aberdour, the point of which bears about 10° southward of Burntisland Harbour, and distant from it nearly a mile and a half about three miles farther to the westward the Firth becomes narrow; and at the entrance of this narrow part, the island of Inchcolm lyes about half a mile from the shore; it is distant from Burntisland harbour about S miles and a half, and bears from it nearly south west: thus, from the narrowness of the Firth and the situation of Inchcolm, no sea of any great force can come from westerly points. But it is said that the storms which affect this harbour the most are from the south west: if so, this can only arise from its exposure being more to the south west than to any other quarter

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ter no heavy sea can come, because those winds must always act across the current of tide: admitting, however, that seas from the south west are the worst, they do not materially affect the harbour, because there are on each side of the entrance a projecting ledge of rocks which run out for about 130 yards, called the East and West Bush, which defend its mouth from this quarter.

except the south; but from this quar-mouth. Possessing, therefore, só many local advantages, it is somewhat remarkable that this has not long ere now been made the principal resort. for the ferry-boats in place of the Pettycur, which, in its present state, is one of the worst harbours in the Firth of Forth. It might, no doubt, be greatly improved; but its capability is far short of Burntisland; its situation, however, on the coast, renders it a place of considerable importance as a harbour for the accommodation of the passage-boats, and it is to be hoped that money for improving it will be obtained sooner or later.

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The soundings from the harbour to seaward encrease gradually to about four fathoms, and the water is equally deep to the westward to within a short distance of Aberdour, and to the eastward nearly as far as the Sand-end, the whole forming what is called the Inner Roadstead, in which the anchor ing ground is excellent and there is no sunk rock except that called the Kirk Bush, which is nearly in a line between the harbour and the north end of Inchkeith, and those near the Common rock. A little further to seaward the soundings encrease to six fathoms, where large ships generally ride; the anchoring ground is equally good, and this forms an excellent outer roadstead. Good, however, as this roadstead is said to be, vessels sometimes drag their anchors in strong westerly winds; but no damage has ever been known to arise therefrom.

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High water at Burntisland at full and change of the moon is at a quarter past two; and spring tides generally rise from 18 to 19 feet; neaps rise only from 7 to 8 feet. The springs ebb in the Forth about six hours and a half, and flow about five hours and a half. The current inshore begins to run to the westward about two hours before low water, and the ebb begins to run to the eastward in-shore about the same time before high water. The direction of the making tide at the harbour is from the E S. E. and the ebbing tide from the W. S. W. both of which may be said to lead a vessel into the harbour

The spring tides ebb from twenty to thirty yards without the piers of Burntisland harbour, and therefore in its present state passage boats and other vessels cannot enter or sail from it at low water, nor indeed for a considerable time before and after it.. What, therefore, is wanted is an extension of piers into water sufficiently deep to float passage-boats at low water. For this purpose the two ledges of rocks before mentioned, namely the East and West Bush, afford an excellent opportunity; but, owing to their being upwards of 400 feet in length, the expence will be considerable. The distance between these ledges at their extremity is about 200 feet, and the soundings between them at low water spring tides is from seven to eight feet, and the decrease of depth from thence to the present pier is gradual. No pier, therefore, that falls short of the extremity of the East or West Bush would effect the desired object, nor would it furnish shelter to passage boats and enable them to sail or enter the harbour at all times of tide. Admitting, then, that an extent of this sort is necessary, a question naturally arises, namely, Whether, for the use of the passage-boats only, it will be necessary to build such a pier on each side of the entrance, i. c. on both the West and East Bush? To this it may be answered, that one pier only

** might

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