Memorials of the lineage, early life, education and development of the genius of James Watt

JAMES WATT. 31
have supposed that the remote and inconsiderable burgh of barony of
Crawfordsdyke should have been called on to take part in the transac-
tions ■which resulted in that most important event, the Revolution, even
to the extent of incurring a debt of twenty-five shillings for powder,
and for heads for a drum.
Such important financial deliberations, it should be remarked,
however, formed but an insignificant portion of our mathematician's
public functions. The bailie was eminently a person of versatile
talent, and willing as he was able to render his services available in
all emergencies. In a capacity, therefore, in which he was officially
second only to the Superior or Baron himself, the duties of the burgh
in his hands were of a character sufficiently miscellaneous. Besides
his judicial engagements, his services were called into requisition for
the adjustment of the public weights and measures, for collecting the
government cess, the minister's stipend, the schoolmaster's salary,
the assessment for the poor, and the funds for repairing the kirk,
the bridge, the public clock, &c. &c. Crawfordsdyke, it may be re-
marked in passing, had then both a clock and a bell ; at a time, too,
when the town of Greenock possessed neither of these public conveni-
ences, so essential to the comfort of a well-ordered community. A
regular assessment was laid on the inhabitants, or vassals, for defray-
ing the expense of keeping the clock in repair and ringing the bell.
Greenock, at the time referred to, had only the old or west kirk bell,
which was then as remote from the town as was the Cartsdyke bell :
and as a substitute for a clock, the inhabitants were content with a
sun-dial placed on the corner of the house forming the north-east
head court in reference to " the militia money for the outreech and wages of John Gray alias
that was laid out in the tyme of the late insur- M'Glashan, militiaman, outreched for the barony
rection," (the rebellion in 1715,) "payed by the of Cartsburn ;" and so much " debursed in the
laird and fewars and tenants," so much was laid time of keeping guard, for coall and candle, peel
out " for a gun, sword and belt, and oyrways, and and dressing of the town drumm."