Leith.] TRADE OF THE PORT. 289
Even in times of undoubted depression the
docks at Leith have always retained an appearance
of bustle and business, through the many large sailing
ships laden with guano and West Indian sugar
lying at the quays; but guano having been partly
superseded by chemical manures, and West Indian
by Continental sugar, the comparatively few vessels
that now arrive are discharged with the greatest
expedition. In the close of 1881 one came to
port with the largest cargo of sugar ever delivered
at Leith, the whole of which was for the Bonnington
Refinery.
As a source of revenue to the Dock Commission,
steamers which can make ten voyages for one performed
by a sailing vessel are, of course, very much
preferred ; and, as showing the extent of the Continental
sugar trade, it may be mentioned that quite
recently 184,233 bags were imported in a single
month. Most of this sugar is taken direct from the
docks to the refiners at Greenock.
A very important element in the trade of Leith
is the importation of esparto grass, both by sailing
vessels and steamers. This grass is closely pressed
by steam power into huge square bales, and these
are discharged with such celerity by the use of
donkey-engines and other appliances, that it is a
common thing to unload 150 tons in a single day.
The facilities for discharging vessels at Leith
with extreme rapidity are so admirable that few
ports can match it-the meters, the weighers, and
the stevedore firms who manage the matter, having
every interest in getting the work performed with
the utmost expedition.
As a wine port Leith ranks second in the British
Isles, and it possesses a very extensive timber trade;
and though not immediately connected with ship
ping, the wool trade is an important branch of
industry there, the establishments of Messrs. Macgregor
and Pringle, and of Messrs. Adams, Sons, and
Co., being among the most extensive in Scotland.
The largest fleet of Continental trading steamers
sailing from Leith is that of Messrs. James Cume
and Co. In 18Sr this firm had twenty-two
steamers, with a capacity of 17,000 tons. Messrs.
Gibson and Co. have many fine steamers, which
are. constantly engaged, while the Baltic is open
and free of ice, in making trading voyages to Riga,
Cronstadt, and other Russian ports
A trade with Iceland has of late years been
rapidly developed, the importation consisting of
ponies, sheep, wild fowl, and dried fish ; while in
the home trade, the London and Edinburgh Ship
ping Company do a very active and lucrative business,
having usually two, and sometimes three large
steamers plying per week between Leith and Loo-
133
don ; and in 1880, important additions were mad&
to tht lines .of trading steamers by several large
vessels owned by the Arrow Line being put on
the berth, to ply between Leith and New York ;
while the North of Scotland Steam Shipping
Company transferred their business to the port
from Granton.
So steadily has the trade with New York developed
itself, that from three to four steamers per
month now arrive at Leith, bringing cargoes of
grain, butter, oilcakes, linseed meal, tinned meats,
grass seeds, etc. Over 200,ooo sacks of flour Came
to Leith in one year from New York, and in one
month alone 33,312 sacks were imported.
Some of the Leith steamers sail direct to NewYork
with mixed cargoes; others load with coal, and proceed
there, vid the Mediterranean, after exchanging
their cargo for fruit. Then Messrs. Blaik and
Co., of Constitution Street, have large steamers of
3,650 tons burden each, built specially for this
trade. The passage from New York, ?north
about,? i.e., through the Pentland Firth, usually
occupied sixteen days, but now it is being reduced
to twelve
Prior to the opening of the Edinburgh Dock a
difficulty was found in berthing some of the great
ocean-going steamers, and many that used to bring
live stock from New York had to land them on the
Thames or Tyne, the regulations of the Privy
Council flot permitting these animals to be landed
at Leith.
?( Permission was first asked by the Commission,?
says a local print in 1881, ?to enable the animals
to be taken to the Leith slaughter-house, which is
on the south side of the new docks, and only a few
yards from one of the entrances. The Privy
Council having refused this request, the Dock
Commission, with a desire to foster the trade, then
made arrangements with the Leith Town Council,
by which they could build a slaughter-house within
the docks. Asite was proposed and plans prepared;
but being objected to again by the Privy
Council, the subject was allowed to lie over.?
We have mentioned the transference of the
North of Scotland steamers from Granton to
Leith, and this change has proved monetarily
advantageous, not only to the Cornmission, but to
the majority of the shippers and passengers, and a
special berth was assigned at the entrance of the
Prince of M?ales?s Dock for the Aberdeen steamers,
so that they sail even after high water. Besides
the usual consignments of sheep, cattle, and ponies,
vast quantities of herrings, in barrel, are brought to
Leith, generally for re-shipment to the Continent of
Europe.
