LEITH, a populous sea-port town in the county of Edinburgh, situated on the southern shore of the Frith of Forth, at the mouth of the Water of Leith, and distant about a mile and a half from the centre of the Scottish capital. The ancient name of the town, which is of considerable antiquity, having been for several centuries not only the first, but almost the only port in Scotland, was Inverleith, a compound word of Gaelic origin, inver signifying in that language the mouth of a river, and being thus descriptive of the situation of the pört.

Although there are traces of the existence of Leith in ancient documents as far back as the twelfth century, yet little is certainly known regarding it until the fourteenth, when it had acquired such importance, and begun to hold out such prospects of commercial benefit, as to attract the notice and excite the cupidity of the magistrates and citizens of Edinburgh, who, with the view of availing themselves of the advantages it offered for maritime adventure and speculation, obtained a grant of its harbour and mills from King Robert I. for the yearly payment of fifty-two merks. This right they subsequently extended so far as to secure almost the entire trade of the port, to the exclusion, and even ruin, of its inhabitants, by purchases at various times from Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig, who [7:13:218]was proprietor and baronial lord of Leith; and finally completed its feudal subjection by purchasing the superiority of the town from Queen Mary, to whose mother, Mary of Lorraine, it had been sold by Logan, in the year 1565, for 10,000 merks. Even at this early period, the trade of Leith was considerable, at least comparatively so; and not a few names of celebrity in the ancient naval annals of Scotland are found associated with it. From these we may select that of the Bartons, famous as mariners in Scottish story.

Besides being a place of pretty high antiquity, Leith is also one of no small note in the history of Scotland, having been the scene of more military service perhaps than any other town in the kingdom. Neither has it been less remarkable for the frequency of its misfortunes. In 1313 all the vessels in the harbour were burned by the English, and again in 1410. In 1488 (an occasion, however, on which it suffered no injury) it was occupied by the forces commanded by the disaffected lords who had risen in arms against James HL, after the defeat of the latter at Bannockburn. In 1544 it was plundered and burned, its pier destroyed, and its shipping carried off, by the Earl of Hertford, whom Henry VIII. had sent down by sea to Scotland, with an army of 10,000 men, to avenge the insult which he conceived the Scotch had offered him, by refusing to betroth their young queen, Mary, to his son Prince Edward. Three years subsequently to this, viz. in 1547, immediately after the battle of Pinkey, it was again plundered and burned by the English under Hertford, now Duke of Somerset, and protector of England. On " this occasion, although the town itself did not suffer to the same extent as before, its whole shipping, together with all that in the Forth, was entirely annihilated by the English admiral, Lord Clinton, who co-operated with Hertford with a fleet of no less than thirty-five ships of war, besides tenders and other vessels. Four years after this, the town was fortified by Desse, a French general, who came over with 6000 men to assist the queen-regent in suppressing the Reformation. On the completion of these fortifications, which consisted in throwing a strong and high wall, with towers at intervals, around the town, the queen-regent took up her residence there, and, surrounded with her countrymen, hoped to be able to maintain her authority in the kingdom. These measures, however, had only the effect of widening the breach between her and her subjects, till they finally took up arms, and besieged her in her stronghold. In October 1559, the lords of the congregation, as the disaffected leaders called themselves, invested Leith with an army, but after various ineffectual attempts to gain access to the town by scaling the walls, they were driven back with great slaughter by a desperate sally of the besieged.

In the month of April in the succeeding year, the forces of the congregation again invested the town, being now aided by an army of 6000 men under Lord Grey of Wilton, which had been dispatched to their assistance by Elizabeth. On this occasion the contest was protracted and sanguinary, hundreds falling on both sides in the fierce assaults and sallies which were daily made by the besiegers and besieged respectively. For two months, during which the town suffered dreadfully from famine, as well as from the more violent casualties of war, the struggle continued, without any decisive advantage being gained by either side. At the end of that period, however, both'parties being heartily tired of the contest, a treaty was entered into, by which it was stipulated that the French should evacuate the kingdom, that they should be allowed to embark unmolested, and that the English army should, upon the same day, begin its march to England. Immediately after the conclusion of this treaty, the walls of Leith were demolished by order of the town-council of Edinburgh, and no vestige of them now remains. The town, however, was temporarily re-fortified by the Earl of Morton during die regency of the Earl of Lennox, by whom it was constituted the head-quarters of the king’s faction, and was thus once more involved in the miseries of war. Some new fortifications were shortly afterwards erected around it by the regent himself, who came to reside there, holding his. court in the town, and making it the general rendezvous for the friends of his party.

In giving this chronological sketch of the most remarkable events which distinguish Leith, it would be a defect to omit noticing the landing, at that port, of the unfortunate Queen Mary, when she came from France to take possession of the throne of her ancestors. This event took place on the morning of the 20ιh of August 1561, between the hours of seven and eight o’clock. She landed upon the pier; but that pier has long since ceased to exist. "

In 1643 the solemn league and covenant was signed by the inhabitants of Leith with great solemnity. Two years afterwards, the unhappy town was visited by the plague, by which it was nearly depopulated. Many melancholy memorials of this dreadful calamity have, up to a late period, been found in its vicinity; amongst these, quantities of half-decayed bones wrapped up in blankets, the remains of its unfortunate victims, for whom there was not room in the church-yard, nor time to provide them with the usual decencies of sepulture.

The next remarkable period in the annals of Leith is the year 1650, when it was taken possession of by Cromwell, and subjected to a monthly assessment of about L.22 sterling, besides the proportion of an exaction of L.2400 Scots, which was levied by the conqueror on Edinburgh and the vicinity, including Leith, immediately on his arrival. Upon Cromwell’s return to England, General Monk, who was appointed commander-in-chief in Scotland, took up his residence in Leith, where he constructed a strong fort, and established a regular garrison. Some portions of this fort or citadel still remain, including the house in which Monk himself resided. The former was of a pentagonal shape, and consisted of five bastions, with one principal gate fronting the east. The expense of the whole was L. 10,000 sterling. Whilst resident in Leith, Monk induced a number of respectable English families to come down and settle in the town. These introduced with their wealth a spirit of mercantile adventure, besides establishing certain branches of manufacture that greatly benefited the town, and laid the foundation of much of the prosperity which it has since enjoyed.

In 1715, the citadel was taken possession of by a party of the adherents of the Stuart family, headed by one Mackintosh ofBorlum; but, being threatened by the Duke of Argyll, who was then in Edinburgh, with a strong military force, he evacuated the fort after dark, availing himself of low-water to march his men over the sands, upon which the citadel opened to the seaward; and with this event terminates the military history of Leith.

For a long period Leith was celebrated for its horseraces. These were held during the recess of the tide, on a large tract of sand lying on the east side of the town, and were first established at the Restoration. Though far inferior to a regular race-course, on account of the wetness of the sand, which rendered it exceedingly bad footing for the horses, these races were long celebrated with a spirit, and accompanied by a feeling of satisfaction and universal joy, which is rarely witnessed on similar occasions at other places. The race-week was, indeed, considered as a sort of carnival by the citizens of Edinburgh, which during its continuance was crowded by persons of rank and fashion from all parts of the kingdom. The races were removed, in 1816, to the Links of Musselburgh, a distance of about six miles, where the ground is much better adapted for this pastime.

Leith, though, as already stated, a pretty ancient town, [7:13:219]has not many antiquities of a very marked character to boast of; modern improvement having swept them nearly all away. Amongst the few of any note that remain is the parish church of South Leith, a fine old Gothic edifice, though of comparatively but small dimensions. The precise date of the erection of this structure is not known; but it is certain that it was built previous to the year 1496. Of the ancient pier, the pier on which the ill-fated Mary landed in 1561, nothing now remains but a few blackened stumps, which have been seen protruding through the sand a little to the eastward of the present pier; but, from the frequent shifting of the former, they are rarely visible, and have now, we believe, disappeared altogether. Upon the south-east side of the town, on extensive downs, or, as they are called in Scotland, links, are several mounds, which were raised by the besieging army in 1560, and crowned with cannon. These are still entire, and, to all appearance, precisely in the same state in which they were left by those who constructed them. The only other piece of antiquity that remains to be noticed is the old church of North Leith. This ancient structure was founded in the year 1493, and was dedicated to St Ninian. It was long the parish church of North Leith, but has now been for many years disused for religious purposes. To these memorials of other times may be added a few private houses situated in the oldest parts of the town, which, though now, for the most part, in a dilapidated state,, and inhabited by the poorest classes, bear evident marks of having been once of no small consideration. Amongst the ancient buildings of note that have disappeared may be mentioned, 1^, an ancient monastery, founded in 1435, and dedicated to St Anthony; its monks were of the order of St Augustin; the establishment, which was a very extensive and magnificent one, was situated at the head of the Kirkgate, but no trace of it remains, excepting some vaults, now included in the premises of a brewer. 2<√, The King’s Work, a building of great antiquity, and on good,grounds believed to have been a royal residence; it was situated at the foot of Bernard Street,or rather between that street and the Broad Wynd; but all vestige of it has long since disappeared. 3<7, The old Tolbooth was erected in 1565, and occupied the site of the present structure. 4√Zt, Trinity-House, a very 7 old building, stood where the modern house stands. Lastly, King James’s Hospital; this edifice, now entirely removed, stood on the east side of the Kirkgate; it was founded by the church-session of South Leith in 1614, and endowed with certain lands and tenements belonging to the preceptory of St Anthony. Of the ancient pier, and of the walls and citadel, we have spoken elsewhere.

Leith is divided into the parishes of North and South Leith, the division being marked by the Water of Leith, which intersects the town. The greater and principal part of the latter, however, stands on the south side, where the chief business of the place is conducted. The town altogether may be about from one mile and a half to two miles in circumference; but, as it is in various places straggling and detached, it occupies more ground than would bear a fair proportion to its population. It is for the most part irregularly and confusedly built, and a great portion of it is extremely filthy, crowded, and inelegant. Some parts of it, again, are the reverse of this, being spacious, cleanly, and handsome. Such are two or three of the modern streets, and various ranges of private dwellings erected of late years on the eastern and western skirts of the town. Many of these, indeed, occupy situations and command views of so pleasant a character as to render them very desirable places of residence. The modern public buildings of Leith worthy of remark are, the Exchange Buildings, a large and elegant structure in the Grecian style of architecture; they contain a spacious and handsome assembly-room, a commodious hotel, and public yeading-room, and the expense of the erection was L.16,000: the Custom-house, situated in North Leith, is also a very splendid building; it was erected in 1812, at an expense of L.12,000: the Leith Bank, a neat little edifice, erected in 1805-6: the new Court-house, by far the most elegant building in the town, and forming altogether, whether the chasteness of the design or the neatness of the workmanship be considered, a very favourable specimen of modern architecture on a small scale., The grammar school is a spacious building, of an oblong figure, in the Grecian style, erected in 1805-6.

Sea field Baths. — These are situated at the distance of about half a mile from the town. They were erected in 1813, at an expense of L.8000, raised in shares of fifty guineas each. The building is large and handsome, and, besides the baths, contains a hotel; but it has not been a thriving speculation. The Trinity-House is another handsome though small edifice, in the Grecian style. It was erected in the year 1817, at an expense of L.2500. The Tolbooth is a new structure, in the Saxon style of architecture. It has several suits of well-lighted apartments; but, never having been legalized, is not used as a jail, the new courthouse being employed for that purpose, although only as a place of temporary confinement, offenders against the laws being sent as soon as possible to Edinburgh. The Markets of Leith are both spacious and handsome. They were erected in 1819, and include a butcher-market, which is of an octangular form, surrounded with neatly-fitted up stalls, well lighted witþ×ğas'; a fish-market; and poultry and vegetable markets.

The ecclesiastical statistics of Leith include the parish church of South Leith, which has been already spoken of. This charge is collegiate, one of the two ministers being appointed by the crown, the other by the magistrates and incorporated trades. It became the parochial place of worship in 1609, and was originally dedicated to St Mary. This parish has a chapel of case of spacious dimensions. The parish church of North Leith is an exceedingly handsome though plain structure, surmounted by a lofty and tasteful spire. The stipend of the clergyman, who is appointed by the inhabitants, is reckoned one of the best in the Church of Scotland, and includes the tithe, now commuted into money, of all fish landed on., the beach. To these fall to be added a neat though small English chapel, one Methodist, one Relief, one Independent, and three United Secession churches, capable altogether of containing, including the two parish churches and chapel of ease, upwards of 10,000 persons.

The charitable institutions of Leith arc, a female society for relieving indigent and sick women; a society for relieving the destitute sick; the sympathetic society; a female school of industry; and a charity school for boys. To these may be added the Trinity-House, formed on the usual principles, for the relief of indigent or superannuated mariners.

• The chief manufactures of Leith are ropes and cordage, sail-cloth, bottles, soap, and candles. Ship-building is also carried on there to a considerable extent. There are likewise several breweries, a distillery, and an extensive sugar - refining establishment. Crown-glass was also till lately manufactured there on a large scale; but not having been found a profitable speculation, it has been abandoned.

Hitherto we have treated of Leith merely as a town: we shall now proceed to consider it as a sea-port. For this it possesses no natural advantages; and the consequence has been a perpetual struggle, attended with enormous expense, to supply its deficiencies by works of art, and hitherto without by any means attaining fully either the objects aimed at, or a commensurate benefit for the outlay incurred.

The trade of Leith, as we have elsewhere said, has been [7:13:220]considerable for several centuries past; but notwithstanding this, it was not till the year 1720 that any thing of importance was done for the improvement of its harbour. In that year a dock was formed on the east side of it, and that part of the present pier which is of stone erected. Fifty-seven years after this (for so long an interval occurred before any other improvement was attempted), a small quay, called the custom-house quay, was built; but these trifling accommodations being found wholly inadequate to the increasing demands of the port, the city of Edinburgh, in the year 1799, obtained an act of parliament authorizing them to borrow L. 160,000, to enable them to form the present superb wet-docks designed by Mr John Rennie, civil engineer. These docks, of which there are two, were begun in the year 1800, and were completed in 1817. Each of them measures 250 yards in length and 100 in breadth, and both include a space equal to 10⅜ English acres. On the northern side are three graving docks, each 136 feet long and forty-five wide at bottom, and 150 feet long by seventy feet wide at the top, with an entrance of the width of thirty-six feet. The whole of these works are protected from the sea by a strong retaining wall. At average spring tides the depth of water in the wet-docks is sixteen feet nine inches; and at average neap tides, twelve feet nine inches. They are lined on the south side by a row of lofty and spacious warehouses for bonding and storing foreign liquors and other goods.

The expense of these works amounted altogether to about L.285,000, of which L.265,000 was subsequently borrowed by the city of Edinburgh from government, at the rate of five per cent, interest, of which three per cent, was to be the rate of interest payable annually, and two per cent, to go to a sinking fund. This rate of interest, however, was, for certain considerations, reduced to four per cent, for twelve years. The security given by the city for this loan was a preferable claim on the whole of their Leith property, and a concurrent claim with other creditors over the entire property of the city of Edinburgh, besides ceding a part of the docks and shire-ground to the admiralty. Of this debt the sinking-fund cleared off about L.25,000, but subsequent arrears have left it nearly in its original state.

Since the improvements above mentioned were effected, another has taken place in the extension of the pier, and in the formation of a covering bulwark; the former at the expense (L.28,000) of the city of Edinburgh, the latter (L.12,000) at that of government. The addition which has been made to the length of the pier is 2550 feet, making it altogether upwards of half a mile in length. The object proposed by this extension, and the erection of the bulwark, was to increase the depth of water in the channel, an effect which it has had to the extent of about two feet.

It would appear, however, that the natural disadvantages of Leith are so great, and of so irremediable a character, that no ingenuity nor expense can ever wholly overcome them, or make it more than a mere tidal harbour, and even as that, but a very indifferent one. At present, notwithstanding all that has been done for it, it will not at any time admit of vessels of more than 400 tons, and not always of ships approaching that burthen; circumstances which, when added to its heavy charges, must always greatly limit its prosperity.

The collection of the revenues of the docks and harbour of Leith is in the hands of the corporation of Edinburgh, and the business of management is invested in a commission, formed by persons nominated both by Edinburgh and by Leith.

The general trade of the port has of late years been, upon the whole, rather on the decrease. In 1826 the tonnage belonging to Leith was 25,674 tons; in 1832, 23,094 tons; in 1835, 22,073 tons; thus showing a progressive decay. At one time it enjoyed nearly all the Baltic trade in the east of Scotland, but a great portion of this has now found its way to Kirkcaldy, Dundee, and Aberdeen. During the war, too, it was the principal naval station to which prizes were brought for condemnation; a source of benefit which it has likewise lost. Like many other towns also, it has suffered severely by foreign speculations; but, unlike some of these, it seems never to have entirely recovered from its misfortunes.

The opening of the Union Canal has likewise operated unfavourably for Leith, in as far, in particular, as regards its coal trade, of which it has deprived it of nearly one half. The quantity of this article formerly brought into Leith averaged about 57,000 tons annually. It does not at present much exceed 33,000. A branch railway, however, is now being introduced into Leith from Musselburgh and other places, which may have the effect of improving this department of its trade.

Leith enjoys a small West India trade, chiefly carried on by Glasgow merchants. This trade, again, is improving, and now employs shipping to the amount of 1768 tons, being an increase of upwards of 1000 tons within the last ten years. At some previous periods, however, it has employed an amount nearly equal to the former.

The coasting trade of Leith is still pretty extensive, and its foreign trade, particularly with the north of Europe, considerable. The chief imports in the latter are cheese, bark, hides, tallow, timber, rags, and flax. Large quantities of wine and tobacco are also imported into Leith.

The following tables will give a correct idea of the amount of the trade of the port, with its fluctuations; in the one case, during the last ten years; in the other, during three parts of a century.
[table]

The feus, rents, and other revenues at the wet docks, for the year 1836, amounted to L.3108. 19s. 3⅜d.
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[table]

The want of a sufficient depth of water, as has been elsewhere remarked, is one of the great disadvantages under which Leith labours. At present, after all that has been done to remedy this evil, there are only seventeen feet water on the bar at high water during spring-tides, and only fourteen during neap tides. The depth of water is indicated to vessels approaching, or at anchor in the roads, from a small light-house erected on the pier, by a train of signals during the day, and at night by a stationary light, which is exhibited whilst there are nine feet water on the bar.

Vessels that do not choose to enter the harbour, or that cannot enter it in consequence of drawing too much water, anchor in the roads off the town, at the distance of about a mile and a half or two miles, where they have from four to six fathoms water, with good anchorage ground.

There are three companies belonging to the town, engaged in the London and Leith trade, who have altogether eighteen vessels in constant intercourse with the two ports. One of these companies has, besides, three large steamships for passengers and goods in the same trade. There is also a company in the Leith and Hull trade, with five vessels; a company in the Liverpool and Leith trade, with five vessels; a company in the Leith and Newcastle trade, with four vessels; one in the Hamburg and Rotterdam trade, with eight vessels; one in the Aberdeen trade, with four vessels; one in the Inverness trade, with two vessels; one in the trade with Wick, with two vessels; one in the Helmsdale trade, with one vessel; one in the Greenock trade, with four vessels; besides companies which trade with different parts of Fife, with Dundee, Stirling, and other places. To these may be added, a Newcastle steamer, which sails once a week in winter, and twice a week in summer; two regular traders to Peterhead, one to Berwick, and one to Banff.

There are five vessels belonging to the port, engaged in the Greenland trade. Formerly, that is, within these three or four years, there were seven, but they are now reduced to the number stated.

she municipal government of Leith was formerly vested virtually, and at an earlier period literally, in the town council of Edinburgh, which exercised an uncontrolled judicial authority over the town and suburbs. But by a bill William 3 and 4, cap. 77, passed on the 28th August 1833, and which came into operation on the first Tuesday of November following, Leith was rendered wholly independent of the city of Edinburgh in the constitution and exercise of its municipal government, the latter being invested in a provost, four bailies, and twenty-five councillors, with their officers, to be chosen by the inhabitants by popular election.

The judicial authority of Edinburgh over Leith, therefore, is now entirely abolished, and the former discharged from interfering with or exercising any control over the affairs of the town. This, however, does not extend to the city’s rights in the harbour and docks, nor to the revenues arising therefrom, which remain untouched. The provost and treasurer remain each three years in office, whilst the councillors go out by a special order of rotation specified in the act.

By the same act the admiralty jurisdiction, which was formerly invested in the council of Edinburgh, has been transferred to the provost and magistrates of Leith; the former beifig admiral, and the latter depute-admirals, inheriting all the rights, power, and privileges connected with this jurisdiction enjoyed by the body by which it was formerly exercised.

Leith has also a resident sheriff-substitute, an officer of recent appointment, who holds a small debt court every Friday. This functionary, whose salary is L.200 per annum, is paid out of the funds of the burgh; but this burden on the latter ceases with the death or removal of the present incumbent, Leith being declared relieved in such case from all charge for any future sheriff-substitute that may l⅛ appointed. Leith, together with Musselburgh, including Fisherrow, Portobello, and Newhaven, returns a member to parliament. The town is lighted with coal-gas, manufactured there by a joint-stock company; and is supplied with water by a branch of the pipes by which Edinburgh is furnished with that article.

The town’s expenses are defrayed by a heavy assessment upon the inhabitants. Neither literature nor the fine arts are much cultivated in Leith. A laudable and successful attempt, however, has been made to introduce at least one branch of the latter, viz. music. In 1830, a Philharmonic Society was instituted, which has since acquired considerable celebrity. There are also two public subscription libraries, and a mechanics’ institution, with a library and lecture-room, in the Exchange Buildings.

Having concluded our sketch of Leith, we have only to add, that we have studiously avoided all allusion to the protracted disputes in which it has been engaged with the city of Edinburgh, not thinking these fit matter for a work of this nature. The population of the parishes of North and South Leith in 1831 was 26,000, and is now estimated at 30,000.