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

JAMES WATT. 77
and also that there is ane other bark that is said to pertaine to James Johnstone.
Depones also, that there is ane travellar boat that is sd. to belong to James Kankine.
Depones this to be trueth, as he shall answer to God. Sic subscribetur, Allan Speir,
Jo. Maxwell. Wm. Tarbat, Clk."
" Compeared, Alexr. Mitchell, mert. in Greenock, unmarried, aged 22 years or
thairby, who being solemly sworne, purged, and examined — Depones, that their is ane
shippe called the John that is said to belong wholly to the inhabitants of Greenock,
as als the George, Nepptoune, and Hendrie, and the two barks and the travellar boat,
contained in the preceding deposition, but that it is reported that the partners in them
are Glasgow people ; to wit, the partners of some parts of the sds shipes is said to
belong to Glasgow, and the boats and barks wholly to Greenock ; and this to be
trueth, as he should answer to God. Sic subscribetur, Alexr. Mitchell, Jo. Maxwell.
Wm. Tarbat, Clk."
To return from this digression. In 1 702, Sir John Schaw — whom
for distinction's sake we have called the great or the good Sir John —
prosecuted, before the Scottish Legislature, his favourite scheme of
having a proper harbour at Greenock ; and although meeting with
small encouragement, from the causes before alluded to, he was yet far
from abandoning an object so important to the welfare of the com-
munity. He resolved to act independently of public aid. A mutual
contract was entered into with his feuars, according to Avhich each
party agreed to advance money to be employed in defraying the cost
of the projected Harbour. It is much to be regretted that this con-
tract of 1 703 is not extant, as a monument at once of the patriotism
of Sir John, and the public spirit and energy of the town of Greenock 1
1 Although the year 1705 is generally assigned marks, Scots money, advanced hy Sir John, "to
as the period ahout which the Superior and the he instantlie and forthwith applied for the erection
inhabitants began to raise money by voluntary and use of the new harbour of Greenock, conform
subscription, there is evidence, in two of the bonds to ane mutual contract, betwixt the said Sir John
or money obligations granted at the time, that a Schaw and the feuars of Greenock, dated the ■
regular contract had been entered into between day of , 1703 years." The date of the bond
Sir John and the feuars, in the year 1703. It is or obligation itself, is 25th May 1705, and on the
referred to in a bond or obligation granted to Sir back of it there is a regular discharge of the money,
John, by Allan Speir, treasurer of the fund for signed by Sir John, on 22d November 1720. On
building the New Harbour, for one thousand 28th February 1707, Sir John made another ad-