CHAP. X.

THE POLICE OFFICE-ROBBERIES-LIGHTING OF EDINBURGHSUPPLIES OF WATER -COALS-FRAUDS-THE BALLANTYNE PRESS THE LUNATIC ASYLUM-THE CHARITY HOUSE-THE GOLF THE CADEES-A MUSICAL BANQUET-THE RACES-NATIONAL PRIZE DANCING-DELICACY IN DANGER-BAGPIPE ANECDOTES-HARPS-THE HARPERS' SEAT-KING DAVIDSCOTTISH MELODIES-QUEEN MARY AND PURCEL-COLD AND RAW.

A STRANGER, who wishes to see a display of the peculiar manners of the Scotch, will be gratified by visiting the Police Office of Edinburgh. This office, so important to the citizens of Edinburgh, was established by act of parliament, on the 17th July, 1805; the magisterial chair of which is ably and honourably filled by John Taite, Esq. as Judge of Police. The powers of this magistrate are very extensive. He has authority to commit, either to the tolbooth of Edinburgh, or to bridewell, persons convicted of offences against the peace, health, and comfort of the city, and of petty depredations, enumerated in the act, for a space not exceeding sixty days; and when persons are committed to bridewell, he may prescribe the kind of labour in which such persons may be employed, consistent with the regula

tions of that prison. He has also power to fine any person, convicted of such offences, in any sum not exceeding 40s. and to give judgment in damages for any sum not exceeding 31. with the expenses in either case. The fines and penalties so recovered are paid to the collector or collectors, appointed by the general commissioners, or to persons authorised by him or them to receive them; onehalf of which is to be distributed amongst the officers of police, watchmen, and others, employed in the execution of the Police Act, in the discretion of the superintendent; and the other half, or as much as is necessary, to the treasurer for the bridewell, for the aliment and clothing of persons committed to that prison. In the discharge of his duties the Judge is indefatigable. The beneficial effects of this establishment to the city, under such direction, will appear from the following statement, which I extracted from the book containing the proceedings of this court:

Therefore the number of offences committed, and cognizable by this court, and prosecuted there, were, in the second year of the establishment of this new system of police, 893 less than in the first year. In the present Judge of Police I found another instance of that passion for literature so observable in the Bench and Bar of Scotland. Mr. Taite, like his

much-respected and distinguished brother magistrate in England, Henry Jame Pye, Esq. Poet Laureat, has at various times gratified the public with several elegant effusions of poetry, amongst which his Tears of Genius, prefixed to an edition of Gray's work, and the Cave of Mora, have excited considerable approbation.

The establishment of this new system of police has led to the reduction of the town-guard from one hundred and twenty-six men, who were raised for the defence of the city, to one officer and thirty men, who now form a guard for the Provost. The town-guard is of very ancient origin; it was first formed from the fears of the citizens of an attack from the English, after the unfortunate battle of Flowden, in which James IV. and most of the Scottish no bility perished. There is also a society of sixty constables annually elected amongst the merchants and tradesmen. In no city is there more security from robbery than Edinburgh, a circumstance which may be attributed to the natural honesty of the people, as well as the vigilance of the police; for few cities are worse lighted, or afford, in consequence, a greater facility to depredation. I remember one night, in the latter end of July, when it was remarkably dark, that my hands were of as much use as my eyes, and occasionally more serviceable, in enabling me to find my way. from George's-square to St. Andrew's-street, a distance of

WATER SUPPLIES.

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nearly a mile over the North Bridge. No lamps are lighted but in the winter, and then with great parsimony. The city is tolerably well supplied with water. The reservoir on the Castle-hill is well worth seeing; it contains about 300 tons of water: there is another lately erected near Heriot's Hospital, which contains nearly the same quantity. When the fountain-head, at Corniston, which is about three miles and a half south-west of the city, and about forty-four feet above the reservoir on the Castle-hill, is full, the great pipe of the latter discharges into the reservoir in town 210 Scots pints per minute, or nearly 840 English pints. Private families

are

accommodated with pipes to their own houses, upon payment of a small annual sum to the magistrates. Many of the inhabitants of the Old Town, on account of the height of the houses, are supplied with water by persons who live by bringing it in small barrels on their backs. It is in contemplation to introduce a copious spring of water from the side of the Lothian-road, westward of the Castle, which at present runs entirely to waste. This spring may be most beneficially applied in watering the streets in hot weather; in cleansing the public markets, which sadly require it; and the surplus may be used for affording occasional supplies to the common sewers. If I might be permitted, I should strongly recommend the stone pipes made at Mr. Hill's circular masonry, in London, as the most cheap, pure, and durable conveyance of the water.

Coal is the only fuel used in Edinburgh, with which, from the neighbouring pits, it is well supplied. Coals brought to town are always weighed, at a weigh-house adjoining the town-gate; each cart ought to carry twelve hundred weight. As knavery is sometimes practised here, as well as in London, by the coal-dealers, it frequently happens, upon examination, that they have been discovered to have only ten hundred weight. The carriers sometimes have been known to drop some of the coals on their way to the city, which were taken up by some comrade, and then make up the weight by pouring water over the rest.

Very near the Police-office is the Exchange, on the north side of the High-street. This building is in a square form, with a court in the centre; it is sixty feet high towards the street, and one hundred behind, owing to the declivity of the ground. Although this building offers every convenience to the merchants to transact their business under cover, inveterate habit induces them to prefer the site of the ancient cross, in the open street, where they assemble in all weathers. This building exhibits the date of the improvement of Edinburgh; it was erected in 1753, at which time the city covered the same space of ground as it had done two centuries before. Near to the Exchange is the Weigh-house, in which the standard weights are kept, for weighing all kinds of goods, at the requisition of the inhabitants, and which attracts attention