| Description | Council meeting, 4 February 1805
[Sederunt given]
Robert Tower and Alexander Gibbon qualified as members of Council by swearing the usual oaths, and Mr Tower swore the oath de fideli as Master of Kirk and Bridge Works. (179v)
The Council admitted five Burgesses of Guild. [No names given]. (179v)
The Council appointed the following students to bursaries at Marischal College on the recommendation of the Principal and Professors of Marischal College. William Meston, present student at Marischal College was awarded one of Dr Duncan Liddel's bursaries of £5 for two years, in place of James Shirrefs, who had left the College. Robert Barclay, student, was awarded James Milne's bursary of £5 for that session only, in place of Alexander Cushnie, who was awarded a better bursary by Sir Robert Burnett. (179v)
The Council refused the application from Baillie William Kelman of Fraserburgh, on behalf of the Managers of Fraserburgh, requesting a contribution to the expense of improving and enlarging Fraserburgh Harbour to the plan furnished by Mr Rennie, engineer. The Council refused the application because there were no funds which could be used for that purpose, the Harbour funds being strictly limited by Act of Parliament for the improvement of Aberdeen Harbour. (179v - 180r)
The Council remitted to a committee of the magistrates, the Dean of Guild and the Treasurer, and the Shoremaster, or any three of them, the following matters: a representation from John Rae, Tacksman of the Shore and Weigh House Dues, and Tacksman of the Ballast Lighters, concerning the employment of the Ballast Lighters; and the Baillie Court summonses to the Shoremaster at the instance of Messrs Harrison & Company of Sunderland and Garden Farquharson & Company, lime merchants in Aberdeen, concerning the damage caused to the vessel Henry of Sunderland by the anchor of one of the Ballast Lighters in the Navigation Channel. The Council recommended to the committee to take action to defend the Shoremaster against any claim made against him. (180r - 180v)
The Council remitted to the magistrates to arrange the public roup of a three-year lease of the Shore and Weigh House Dues and the Ballast Lighters, which had been let to John Rae. (180v - 181r)
The Council granted the petition from William Milne, painter and glazier, for the office of Precentor of the Psalm in the West Church, made vacant when Mr William Maxwell Shaw left the country several months before. The petition was supported by Dr Shirrefs and Dr Brown, the Ministers; Baillie Shepherd, Baillie Garden and Baillie Duguid; Dr Fordyce and Mr James Calder. The Council authorised the Master of Kirk Work to pay an annual salary of £20 to William Milne, plus a proportion of a year's salary for the period he had been officiating as Precentor. (181r)
The Council considered a petition from certain societies, bankers and other public bodies in and about Edinburgh, to the Right Honorable the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, requesting the establishment of a branch of the Stamp Office at Edinburgh; also two letters to Provost Leys on the same subject from Mr John Tait, Writer to the Signet, Secretary to the petitioners. The Council resolved to support the petition, and recommended to Provost Leys to request Mr Farquhar, Member of Parliament for the Burgh, to lend his support to the request. (181r - 181v)
The Council remitted to a committee of the magistrates, the Dean of Guild, the Treasurer and Provost More, or any three of them, a petition from George Christie, shoemaker, concerning straightening of the boundary between that part of the Craigwell Croft belonging to him, and the planted brae belonging to the Town, on the west side of the Denburn. (181v - 182r)
The Council remitted to a committee of the magistrates, the Dean of Guild and the Treasurer, a petition from James Glenny, merchant, requesting permission to open a doorway from the northern side of his house, which lay on the north side of Upperkirkgate, into Drum's Lane; and proposing to purchase the unoccupied part of the English School. (182r)
The Council considered a letter from Mr Silver, proprietor of the Lands of Muchals, requesting concurrence from the Master of Mortifications in the grant of a discharge of the warrandice rights over the Lands of Cowie, to the representatives of Mr Foulerton of Gallery. The Council directed the Clerk to seek the opinion of Mr Morice, Town's Assessor, on the request. (182r - 182v)
The Council refused the application from George Knox, builder in Aberdeen, requesting a feu or purchase of a piece of ground at Footdee between the new road through the Links and the houses and yards belonging to David Izat. (182v)
The Council approved the Provost's subscription of 30 guineas, on behalf of the Council, to the expense of training and exercising a crew for the life boat and for maintaining the lifeboat, which had been presented to the City by Alexander Baxter of Glassel. (182v)
The committee appointed to consider the memorial from William Forbes Esq of Echt, offering to purchase the feu duties on his Lands of Springfield and Springhill, and on his rope work at Footdee, reported that the Council could not dispose of these feu duties, in accordance with the original Act of Council on the sale of feu duties. (182v - 183r)
The Council remitted to Mr Morice, Town's Assessor, the petition from Mr Gordon, concerning the fishing of Murtle. (183r) |