ALLOA, a sea-port town in Scotland, in the county of Clackmannan, situated upon the north side of the Frith of Forth. Till very lately Alloa was ill supplied with water, as is generally the case with towns which are built on coal strata ; but it has been recently brought in from the river at a considerable expense. It is filtered through a circular bed of sand, and freed from those sediments with which river water com monly abounds. The filter is about 70 feet diameter, and after the plan of the inventor, Mr Gibb of Paisley.
Alloa has been long famous for its mines of coal, which are of the best quality. Those known by the name of the Alloa coals, have been wrought by the family of Mar for nearly two centuries.
The collieries, together with the distilleries in the neighbourhood, are the principal support of the town. The manufacture of a woollen stuff, named camblet, was formerly carried on here to a considerable extent ; but at present there is not a single loom employed iu it. There is a glass-house for the manufacture of common bottles, most advantageously situated on the river side, and where the coals arc brought direct from the coal pits to the furnace, by means of a waggon-way, which renders the situation of the manufactory the best in Scot land.
The harbour of Alloa is safe and commodious, having 16 feet of water in neap tides, and 22 feet in spring tides. It has been ascertained by actual survey, that the bottom of the harbour is nearly on a level with the top of the pier of Leith ; so that, if it were not that the water was forced up above its level, there would be no tide at Alloa.
There is a phenomenon regarding the tides, which is very preceptible here, viz. a double tide at each flow ing and ebbing, which is termed the Leaky tide. When the tide has apparently reached its lowest ebb, it begins to flow ; but after having risen about two feet it again ebbs, and falls lower than it did at first, and then it be gins to flow as usual. After having flowed to the ap parent pitch of high water, it ebbs about 18 inches, but returns again, and rises sometimes two feet above the first flowing. From this circumstance, it is common to hear a sailor enquiring," V the tide is gone for all tides." See TIDES.
The port of Alloa comprehends the creeks on both sides of the river, from Kincardine to Stirling inclusive.
The imports are chiefly coals, spirits, and bottles. The coals are generally sent coastways to Leith and the Frith of Tay, to the amount of about 35,000 tons per annum. In the year 1806, upwards of one million gallons of whisky were shipped for the Scotch and English mar kets. The imports are chiefly grain, lime-stone, iron stone, and Baltic produce.
Adjoining to the harbour is an excellent dry (lock, suitable for large ships ; to the west of which is the Alloa ferry, where the river is about 500 yards broad. It has good, piers, or landing places, carried down to low water mark ; but the rapidity of the tides during stream, and the floating ice in winter, render the passage frequently tedious. The building of a bridge across the river at this place has been long talked of ; and a survey was lately made by the celebrated 1lr Reim nit, to ascertain the practicability and expense of the work.
To the cast of the town stands the tower of Alloa. built prior to the year 1.;15. It was the residence of the earls of Mar and their descendants till within these felt years, the n hole mansion-Louse, excepting the tower, was burnt to the ground. Tie tower Is 90 feel high, and 11 feet thick in the walk.
The tower and lands of Alloa NI,cie exchanged In David the 11. king of Scotland, in I.:6S, with Thomas, lord Erskine, for the lands and estate of Strathgartnev, in Perthshire. The pleasure grounds adjoining a ere. laid out by John, earl of Mar, about the year 170e. according to the French style, with radiated avenue'', of trees, intersecting each other in every direction. adorned with statues and ornaments, and were esteem ed superior to any thing of the kind in Scotland at tint! period.
Many of the Scottish princes received their education in the tower of Alloa ; as they were for more than two hundred years wards of the lords Erskines and earls of Mar, who were governors of Stirling castle, and who also frequently held the other two principal fortres,es. Edinburgh and Stirling. There are still preserved in the tower, the cradle of I 'envy, prince of Wales, the last heir of the Scottish monarchy, and the child's chair of James VI. Population 3000. NV. Long. Sn 46'. N. Lat 7'. (a. a.)