OS1/1/73/82

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[Page] 82
Town of Peterhead

Harbours - [continued from previous page] harbour; but as the town had not funds of its own adequate to the undertaking, this made application to Government, and also to the Governors of the Merchant Maiden Hospital: they also received contributions from several individuals, the whole amounting to £4,000. The foundation Stone of the South pier was laid in July 1774 by George Earl of Errol, and was finished in 1781. The West pier was begun in 1782, and was not completely finished till 1813. The harbour has been much improved by the erection of these Quays, especially the South one. The outside of the old South Quay, which was opposed to the Sea, was of a convex form, so that if vessels attempted to take the harbour with a S.E [South East] wind, they were generally thrown in at the back of the West pier and wrecked. The form of the present South Quay is the reverse of the old one, being converse towards the Sea, which is undoubtedly the most proper plan as there has not been an instance since it was built of a vessel being put past the mouth of the harbour, unless she had been previously rendered ungovernable; but on the contrary we have often had the pleasure of seeing vessels make the harbour, when according to all probability the thing was deemed next to impossible. The length of this Quay is 480 feet greatest breadth 42 feet height from the base to the top of the parapet 26 feet, the breadth of the entrance between the piers is 90 feet. The principal defect of the South Quay is owing to its having been built of too small stones, and part of the West [continued on page 83]

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