Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 1, A-AME

ABE t 26 ] ABE
Aberdeen, crofles. In the year 1631 this fteeple was thrown
down by a ftorm, but was foon after rebuilt in a more
(lately form. This college was founded in 1494, by
William Elphinllon billrop of this place, lord chancel¬
lor of Scotland in the reign of James III. and lord
privy feal in that of James IV. But James IV. claimed
the patronage of it, and it has fince been called the
King's College. This college, and the Maril'chal Col¬
lege in the New Town, form one univerfity, called the
XJniverfity of King Charles. 1 he library is large, but
not remarkable for many curiofities. Heftor Boethius
was the frit principal of the college ; and fent for from
Paris for that purpofe, on an annual falary of forty
ruerks Scots, at thirteen pence each. The fquare tower
on the fide of the college was built by contributions
from General Monk and the officers under him then
quartered at Aberdeen, for the reception of ftudents ;
of which about a hundred attend the college, many of
whom lodge in it.
Aberdeen, is the capital of the (hire of A-
berdeen. For extent, trade, and beauty, it greatly
exceeds any town in the north of Scotland. It is built
on a hill or riling ground, and lies on a fmall bay
formed by the Dee, deep enough for a ffiip of 200 tons,
and above two miles in circumference.—The buildings
(which are of granite from the neighbouring quarries)
are generally four dories high 5 and have for the mod
part, gardens behind them, which give it a beautiful
appearance. On the high dreet is a large church which
formerly belonged to the Francifcans. This church
was begun by Biffiop William Elphindon •, and finiffi-
ed by Gavin Dunbar, bilhop of Aberdeen, about the
J500. Bithop Dunbar is faid like wife to have built
the bridge over the Dee, which confids of feven
arches. In the middle of Cadle dreet is an oftagon
building, with neat bas relievos of the kings of Scot¬
land from James I. to James VII. The town-houfe
makes a good figure, and has a handfome fpire in the
centre. The grammar fchool is a low but neat build¬
ing. Gordon’s hofpital is handfome •, in front is a good
datue of the founder : it maintains forty boys, who are
apprenticed at proper ages. The infirmary is a large
plain building, and fends out between eight and nine
hundred cured patients annually. But the chief pub¬
lic building in the New Town is the Marifchal Col¬
lege, founded by George Keith earl Marifchal, in the
year 1 ^93 but fince greatly augmented with addi¬
tional buildings. There are about 140 ftudents be¬
longing to it. In both the Marifchal and King’s col¬
lege the languages, mathematics, natural philofophy,
divinity, &c. are taught by very able profeffors. 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. j a third of Obfervantines, 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 fuppofed to
contain 25,000 inhabitants. Its trade is confiderable,
but might be greatly extended by an attention to the
white filheries.
The harbour was long a great detriment to its trade,
and occafioned the lofs of many lives and much pro¬
perty. A ftranger could never depend upon finding it
as he left it 5 while veffels lay at anchor in the road till Aberdeen,
the tide ftiould make, they have often been wrecked by s—-y——.
ftorms which fuddenly arofe. It was very narrow at
the mouth, having the eafterly rocky point of the
Grampian mountains on the fouth, and a flat blowing
fand on the north, extending along the coaft for many
miles. By the eafterly and north-eaft ftorms the fand
was driven in a long ridge acrofs the harbour’s mouth,
and formed what was called the bar. Upon this bar
the depth of water at low tide was fometimes not above
three feet. Clearing away the fand, though but a par¬
tial and temporary remedy, was a matter of great ex¬
pence to the community. If it was cleared one week
fo as to have five or fix feet of water at ebb, a frefh
ftorm the next week undid all that had been done. rlhe
town at laft came to the refolution of erecting a ftrong
pier on the north fide of the harbour. '1 his pier is
1200 feet in length, and gradually increafes in thiek-
nefs and height as it approaches to the ft a, where the
head or rounding is 60 feet diameter at the bafe, and
the perpendicular elevation is 38 feet. Ihe whole is
built of granite, which is a very durable ftone : many
of the outfide ftones are above three tons weight, with
hewn beds. It was built under the direction of Mr
Smeaton; and the expence, amounting to above 17,000!.
is defrayed by doubling the harbour dues, which are
chiefly paid by the inhabitants.
A little to the fouth of the bar, they have now a
depth of 17 fathoms at low water j and at the har¬
bour’s mouth, from eight to nine fathoms, where they
had formerly but a few feet.
Aberdeen once enjoyed a good (hare of the tobacco
trade. At prefent, its imports are from the Baltic ; and
a few merchants trade to the Weft Indies and North
America. Its exports are ftockings, thread, falmon,
and oatmeal. The firft is a moft important article, as
appears by the following ftate of it : For this ma-
nufadture, 20,800!. worth of wool is annually im¬
ported, and 1600I. worth of oil. Of this wool are
annually made 69,333 do^en pairs of ftockings ;
worth, at an average, il. 10s. per dozen. Thefe
are the work of the country people in almoft all parts
of this great county, who get 4s. per dozen for Ipin-
ning, and 14s. per dozen for knitting*, fo that there
is annually paid them 62,329!. 14s. There is, befides,
about 2000I. value of ftockings manufadlured from the
wool of the county. The thread manufadlure is an¬
other confiderable article, though trifling in comparifon
of the woollen. The falmon fiffieries on the Dee and
the Don are a good branch of trade. About 46 boats
and 130 men are employed on the firft j and in fome
years 167,0001b. of fiffi have been fent pickled to
London, and about 930 barrels of falted fiffi exported
to France, Italy, &c.—The filhery on the Don is far
lefs confiderable. The fiffi of this river are taken in
cruives above the bridge ; a pradlice contrary to the
ancient laws of the kingdom, unlefs where the nature
of the water rendered the net fifliery impra£licable.
The inhabitants likewife export confiderable quantities
of pickled pork, which they fell to the Dutch for
viftualling their Eaft India ffiips and men of war j
the Aberdeen pork having the reputation of being the
beft cured of any in Europe for keeping on long
voyages.
“ It is however remarkable, Mr Knox obferves,
that there is not a fingle decked veffel fitted out from
Aberdeen