| Description | Council meeting, 30 October 1804
[Sederunt given]
The Council decided the report of the committee appointed to oversee the work on the harbour should lie on the table for further consideration. The committee made the following observations and orders:
First, the committee ordered William Johnston, overseer, to repair the small breaches in the Pocra Pier and North Pier.
Second, the committee recommended to the Council to take action against the salmon fishers on the Raik who, by adding and removing stones from the River Dee, had caused the River Dee to take a northerly direction opposite the house occupied by John McKenzie, thereby reducing the Navigation Channel and directing the current onto the pier heads.
Third, the committee had directed the Shoremaster to order the Ballast Lighters to cut through the hirst on the south side of the River, opposite the Lower Pier, in order to return the River to a more southerly direction, and to allow the River to scour the Navigation Channel.
Fourth, the committee recommended that a new pier should be built further up on the north side of the River.
Fifth, the committee recommended that instructions sent to Mr Rae, and authority be given to William Johnston, overseer, to complete the deepening of the basins and the Navigation Channel from the Lower Quay to the Upper Quay. (Instructions to undertake the work had been neglected by the Ballast Master and the Ballast Lighters.)
Sixth, the committee ordered repairs to be made to the lifeboat, and instructed Mr Copland to write to Newcastle to ascertain the best means of transporting a lifeboat.
Seventh, the committee ordered William Johnston to secure loose pawls, to move those pawls opposite Footdee nearer to the Navigation Channel, and to erect a new pawl on the east side of the channel, a little below Mr Brebner's wood yard.
Eighth, the committee observed that the Lime Quay was not sufficient for the accommodation of shipping, owing to a great increase in the lime trade, and recommended that the walk or pier towards Footdee should be extended by forty feet.
Ninth, the committee ordered part of the high road along the canal basin connected with the pier, to be gravelled, under the direction of Mr Johnston, overseer.
(171v - 173v)
The Council admitted the following to bursaries of four years duration at Marischal College. James Reith, son of Robert Reith, merchant in Aberdeen; and John Sim, son of John Sim, residing at Gilcomston; each awarded one of Sir Thomas Crombie's bursaries of £7. Peter Blaikie, son of John Blaikie, plumber, Burgess of Aberdeen, awarded one of Katharine Rolland's bursaries of £7. Harvey Thomson, son of the deceased James Thomson junior, merchant in Aberdeen; George Brown, son of Alexander Brown, wheelwright in Aberdeen; John Davidson, son of Andrew Davidson, advocate in Aberdeen; John Moir, son of John Moir, merchant in Aberdeen; and Thomas Cock, son of Thomas Cock, residing in Aberdeen; each awarded one of Mr James Cargil's bursaries of £6 10 shillings. Alexander Mitchell, son of Rev Dr Patrick Mitchell, Minister at Kemnay, awarded Mr Alexander Cruden's bursary of £5. (174r)
The Council remitted to the magistrates the petition from James Singer, Overseer of the Cranes, requesting an addition to his salary, as he was being obliged to leave his work to prevent the new crane on the Quay from being destroyed by people who did not understand how to use it. (174r - 174v) |