Star.
London, England, 1801-10-16 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

♦ NOTI OC RARIOUS•MF.ASCRES ChLCOY4I:I4p FOR
THR iIIaPROVRINENT OF THE COUNTY OF CAITH•

NESS, CAtlltiti6 ON Aston ;Sot.
T. Mr. Headrick, and Mr. Bufby the Mineralo-
gical Surveyor, hive been fent ncfth by the Barons
of the Eechecttier in Scotland, to bore for coal
at Scrablier, in the neighbourhood of Thnrfo, on
lands belonging to the Cronin, where there is a•
great probability that a" very valuable mine of
coal will be dikovered.
2. Mr. Telford, a refOrftable and intelligent
Engineer, ilaS received orders from the Treafury
to furvey the Harbours Ott ME (aft of Caithness;
in partienlat thole of Wick, Thnrfo, and Dun-
heath, and to eflimate the expenee of Making the
fame. Some public affifiance sMy be expated for
carrying bn there important undertakings, ift the
promothni of which the Direftors of the l#ritifh
Fifhing Society, and Mr. Vanfittart, Secretary to
the Treafury, have marl interefted themfelves.
3. For the purport of improving the Fillieries
on the area of Caithness, Government has tent,
bee from expence, force Dutch fitherinen, to be
employed in the herring fithery at Wicfc.
4. Mr. Charles Abercrombie, fo celebrated for
his (kill .in lining our roads, has received orders
from Lieutenant-General ityfe, authOtifed for that
puipofe by Lord Pelham, Secretary of State for
the Home Department, toline out the roads about
the Ord end hills of Berridale, and along, the bor-
ders of Caithnefs anal Sutherland, Per as finally to
fettle the dire/Han throughout a trail; of country
which is reckoned the molt diffieultto make of any
in Scotland.
5;. Application is made to Government for au-
thority to lay out a ram of money this year, in
making the roads of the entitle!, to be repaid out
of the balance of the forfeited eftates in Scotland
with a clew not only of carrying on foeffential an
improvement, but Alb of furnifiting a numbet of
induftrious labourers with the means of Ibbfiftence.
6. A perfon from Perth, well acquainted with
the linen trade, has examined in the comic of this
year, the adrantages which Caithnefs palettes for
carrying on the linen manufatittre, and has placed
them in fo ftriking a point of view, that no doubt
is now entertained of its being loon eftablifhed on
a large scale in the county. Some flax is already
raised, and great quantities of yarn fpun, wove,
and bleatled, to as great perfcaion as in any part
of Scotland.
7. when the Irathoir of Dunbeath is made, it
is propofcd to carry on a regular iutercourfe with
the oppofite coaft of Moray and Banff, for the
purpofe of importing lime from Portfoy, &c. and
for exporting cattle, too large for fending round by
the heads of the Friths, or in too good condition
' to be driven to any great diftance throughout a
rugged country.
8. A number of farmers froin the Lothians and
'other Southern Counties, have been examining the
farms in Caithnefs, where it is fuppoff..l that (eve;
ral of them will fettle. They have every induce-
ment to do fo, as the crops in Caithnefs were
abundant for the two lag years, when they failed
in fo many other diftriets.
9. Robert German. from tire connty of Cam.
bridge, has come to Caithnefs with the peculiar
fort of ploughs, adapted for trying the fen huf-
bandry, as pratifed in Lincolnfhirr, Cambridge-
, Ibire, &c. This is the mod profitable of all farm-
ing, producing, at a flnall expence, great crops of
grain, grafs, rape, tares, turnips, &c. by paring
and burning ninety lands, not worth, in their pre-
fent Rate, a fltilling Or acre; There is every rea-
fon to hope that this important improvement will,
answer, equal to the moft fanguine expatations ofl
thole brwhom it has been introduced.
to. Mr. Stephens, junior, proposes being in
Caithnefs in Otlober, to examine to what extent
watering of land, and draining, can be carried on
in the county, that fuch effential improvements
may be purfued with proper fpirit in the comic of
next feafon.

t. The refolutions adopted by the Gentlemen
of the county laft year, for eflahlifhing winter
herding, preventing the calling of fcal and divot,
and including 'other branches of Police, have al•
ready had fo beneficial an effee, that It is rtfolired
to enforce them as much as pnflible. Indeed 'the
intelligent farmers in the county are fo fenfible of
the advantages refitlting from them, that no com-
pulfive meafures are naceffary wiih them to infu.e
their obfervance.

t a. Mr. Scott, a rerpefiahle builder from Edin-
burgh, is employed in crating houfes in the New
Town of Thu rfo. He has difcoveted a very valu-
able free-fione quarry in the neighbourhood, whish
will be of the ntmoft fervice in procuring the build-
ing of that town, and indeed it may become an ar.
tide of exp srt to London and to other places, be-
ing of uncommon good qttlity. The town of
Thutfo now contains about two thoufand inhabi-
tants, and has increafed about fos.r hundred within
the lafl ten years.
13. The trees which have been planned in the
hilly parts of Caithnefs promifing to waster, it is
propofed to carry m► plantations on an ettenfive
fcale, and to etlablifh nnrfery men, by whom the
Gentlemen of Caithnefs may be fupplied with
young trees accultomed to the foil and climate,
and confeqnently more likely to thrive than any
that can he imported.
if Some promifing veins of copper, and oflead
ore, and fpecimens of the moil beastifol marble,
having been difeovered in different parts rfCaith-
nefs, Mr. Hotchinfon of Allton Mont, in Cumber-
land, came north to examine them, and is fn much
pleAfed with their appearance, that it intends, in
conjandtion with his frieteds, to eilablifh a com-
pany for working Inch at are likely to be the moft
prodeMlive and velnablo.
15. The introdtaftioa of th: Chariot bread of

.
:htep ft; retraeOti etilitAtteir time 4is -
n.
peed to increak them confisforably. The •• „r -
a
one proprieror aireasty asniumut to netween 7r
aid 4000, and be propoks augmenting the ci:tn.
ber to to,ooo, which wilt probably be the In-.
flock of fo valuable a fort in the 'flans]. 1:1.1:etT.:.;
*lll thus be furnithed for a woollen manufaaine,
which has long been much willed for.
16. Though (beep meta. be the llaple nrtic!c
the hilly chili ids, yet eattle,ought to be the prin.
cipal objerit in the plain country, until there is a
maritet for confiderable numbers of fat fhcep. TI•le
cattle of Caitbnefs are much improved in quality
particularly thofe which have been crolted with the
Galloway breed. Ist order to accommodate the
drovers who :tray with to purchate them, and ;hat
the cattle may be brought to their proper v.iluc,
r it is propofed to hold regular fairs- in the begin.
•nkg of the months of fume, Angutt, and Scptem-
ber, which leveret dealers have already engaged
to attend. _ _ _

t 7. A tegularand fte4ttent communication with
other places is effential for the improvement of any
diariet. To obtain thji advantage for Caitimers,
it is neceffary that a daily polt Mould be eflablifh-
ed to the two principal towns, and it is to be hoped
that an- intended applitation to the Pelimaffer.
General for that pure will be fuecefifill. It is
further propofed tohave packets or veffeh to fait,
at fixed periods, from Leith to the towns of
Thurfo and Wick, and alto to carry on an inter-
courfe with the metropolis by means of the fifiling
IMacks;which 'apply the London:markets with cod
and other fifh, and which rendezvous for feraral
months in the rear at Scrablter, near Thurfo.
Tnitend of applying either to Courts of Law
or to Parliament for authority to divide the corn.
mons, it is not unufual, at prefent, to refer the
fame to the deeilion of one or more Gentlemen or
the county; who are not interefied in the divilN-i ;
and fo much are the proprietors in general difpni-
ed to promote fuch meafures, that a favourite toot
here is likely foots to be realised, " May a cos ruse
b.: an etwortawa fpeetacle in Caithnefs,"
tq. The late fcarcities have pointed out the ?1.-.
ceffitr of improving the agriculture, and extending
the Cultivation of the kingdom. In regard to the
katter point, there is every reafon to hope 'int the
County of Caithnefs will not be deficient. A great
extent of walk land has been improved !his year
in various parts of the diftriet, and the crop pro-
mites amply to pay the expence, more efpeciAlly on
shoffy lands. The (pint of inclofmg and cultivst.
fog walks is now to prepralent, that one Gentle-
man has pledged hitnfelf that he and his tenants
will improve Soo acres in the coutfi of next year,
and a isillaltam taper is propofed; to albertain the
quantity which the different prop ictors of the
county will undertake to improve in the courfe of
next feafon.

so. As edneatil.n is the balls of all permanent
improvement, it is intended immediately to erta
an academy at Thurfo, where all the principal
branches of education will be taught by proper
mailers. A boarding fchool for girls has already
been ellablifhed there, and is conduded much to
the fatisfadion of the town and neighbourhood -I'
and as Thurfo will loon rival, in regard to the ion.
portant article of education, any town, of its et.
tent in Scotland, that, joined to the cheapnef, rf
living, and other conveniencies, mall be a great
inducement to fictions of moderate incomes to nt.
tie there.

It will appear froth the preceding enumeratior,
what-a variety of important improvements are
uow carrying on in Caithnefs, which die late fr.-
vourable (carom, and the high price-of the artic'ei
which the country produces, has greatly teinkd
pramote. In the courfe of lag fpring and ren:-
mer, from goo to 500 labourers came in from Cie
neighbouring counties in quell of woric, and hi-
' thei to they have all found occupation in building,
inelofing, trenching, road making, and other fob.
Randal improvements. Indeed, Inch has been the
happy lunation of Caitlinels, during (*ea fon s whith
have unfortunately borne fo bard on who plac:;s,
that no perfon either living in it, or st:so chore t
come into it from any of the nciglibrouting 1:1"-
triets, had any occalion to feel the want of ei.h::r
food or employment.