Notes on Burghead

33
left it ; the coasting trade of smacks had died away,
and was succeeded by steamers, but a time was ap-
proaching when a new element was to be introduced.
In the year 1846, an Act of Parliament was obtained
for making a railway between Aberdeen and Inver-
ness, with branches to Burghead and other ports.
This was perhaps the best line ever devised for the
north of Scotland, and had it been carried out in its
integrity, would probably have superseded all other
lines, and been a most profitable concern ; but a time
of depression and scarcity of money succeeded, and
the great crisis of 1848 put a stop for some time to
all thoughts of making railway lines ; and this pro-
jected line, called the " Great North of Scotland
Railway," only gradually crept northward, and even-
tually stopped at Keith. Meantime the people of
Inverness had not been inattentive spectators of
what was going on, and they were anxious to make
a beginning for themselves, and in 1855 they pro-
cured an Act for making a railway from Inverness
eastward to Nairn. In the year 1846, some enter-
prising individuals in Elgin and its vicinity obtained
an Act of Parliament for making a line of railway
from Elgin to Lossiemouth, which was completed,
and thus brought Elgin and Lossiemouth into close
connection. In 1856 an Act was procured to con-
tinue the line of railway eastward from Nairn to