An account of the improvements on the estate of Sutherland, belonging to the Marquis and Marchioness of Stafford / [Anon].
- James Loch
- Date:
- [1815]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: An account of the improvements on the estate of Sutherland, belonging to the Marquis and Marchioness of Stafford / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.
19/24 page 17
![[ 1? ] It Was an object of great moment, therefore, both for prefent faving, and for the future profperity of the country, to difcover if any of thefe firft neceftaries in the advance¬ ment towards a higher ftage of civilized life exifted, or could be manufa&ured, in the country. This vas im¬ portant alfo, as either the difcovety of the one, or the ellabliftiment of the other, would open a new fource of employment to the inhabitants. Of thefe articles, lime, upon the whole, was the moft effential. The fubftantial tenant could, either by himfelf, or in conjunction with others, purchafe a cargo of lime from Sunderland ; and mutual neceflity made the landing and fecuring it the buhiiefsof the adjoining farmers. Such an exertion, however, was tar above the means of thofe fettlers, either individually, or collectively; who, removed from the mountains, were (training every nerve in the \CuJtivation of their lots, or in converting their mud huts into cottages built of {tone and lime. Unlels this article there¬ fore could be procured by them, as the occafton fuited,(whe¬ ther for the onepurpole or the other) in quantitiesfufficiently filial 1, and at fuch periods as they could obtain the hire of a horfe and cart, it is evident that their exertions mult have been checked in the outfet, and all chance of their improvement mult have been at once cut off. A diligent fearch was accordingly made, and limeftone was difeovered near the village of Golfpie, to the fouth of Dunrobin Caftle. Fuel to burn it was not abfolutely wanting, fo long as peat or turf could be procured. Still, however, the labour and colt of getting this, made it a tedious procefs and an expenfive article. Coal had for¬ merly been worked on this coaft, near the mouth of the river Brora, north of Dunrobin Caftle. The Marquis of Stafford determined to make another trial, and his Lordfliip fucceeded in finding a coal from 3 feet 2 inches to 3 feet 8 inches thick, at the depth of 250 feet from the furface. It has been fkilfully contrived to fix the fituation of the firft pits in fuch a manner, that the raifing of the coal, and the pumping of the water, is performed by a very powerful water wheel, capable of two motions—a rail-way, extending about 800 yards has been laid from thefe pits to the mouth of the Brora, where a moft con¬ venient harbour and fhipping-place for coals has been con- d ftru6tedj](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30372288_0019.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
