Francis Hindes Groome

“ Leith is an important centre of trade in grain, timber, and wool, and in wine from Spain, Portugal, and France. It is also head of one of the twenty-five fishery districts of Scotland. Granted to the city of Edinburgh in 1329, it first became an independent parliamentary and municipal burgh in 1832-33, with Portobello and Musselburgh returning one member to parliament, and being governed by a provost, four bailies, a treasurer, and ten councillors. The annual value of real property amounted in 1882 to £366,295, against £150,642 in 1860, and £252,349 in 1873. ”

“ In 1511 James IV. here “buildit the ‘Michael,’ ane verrie monstruous great ship, whilk tuik sae meikle timber that schee waisted all the woodis in Fyfe, except Falkland wood, besides the timber that cam out of Norroway;” at present three shipbuilding yards employ together nearly two thousand men. During the six years 1875-80 10 sailing vessels of 932 tons and 34 steam-vessels of 11,217 tons were built at Leith, of which those built in 1880 were all steamships—11 of 3655 tons being of iron, and 5 of 191 tons of wood. ”

“ Of 3838 vessels of 952,580 tons that entered in the twelvemonth ending 31st December 1880, 861 of 215,268 tons were foreign, 464 of 61,514 tons were in ballast, and 2241 of 343,005 tons were coasters; whilst of 3766 of 935,607 tons that cleared in the same year, 837 of 212,250 tons were foreign, 1093 of 225,655 tons were in ballast, and 2611 of 471,055 tons were coasters. The total value of foreign and colonial imports was £7,887,096 in 1876, £9,777,270 in 1877, £8,514,889 in 1878, £7,351,548 in 1879, and £9,475,030 in 1880. ”