As connected with the trade and manufactures of this tout), we may notice the banks, viz. the Dundee, New, and Union Banks, which are local, and a branch of the British Linen Company.
This town has made a figure in the history of the otmtry. It was twice taken by the English in the reign ( f Edward, and retaken by Wallace and Bruce, by the latter of whom the castle was demolished. It was taken and burnt by Richard 11. and again in the reign of Ed ward VI. of England. The Alarquis of Montrose took it by assault, and it was saved from pillage by the cove nanters. It was lastly taken and entirely pillaged by Monk, in Cromwell's protectorate—one sixth of the inhabitants having been destroyed on that occasion, and all the soldiers loaded with immense booty. Wallace, the Scottish patriot, is said to have been educated at the school of Dundee, and to have commenced his atchieve mous by killing the son of the English governor.
Dundee is a Presbytery scat. There are eight clergy men of the established church, (two of the charges are collegiate,) who officiate in four churches and three cha pels of case. in one of the latter, the clergyman preaches in Gaelic, although very few understand that language. The stipends of the clergy are very inade quate. The dissenters are divided into the following classes : two congregations of Burghers, two of Anti burghers, two of Relief, two of Glassites, and two of Episcopalians. Baptists, Methodists, Bereans, Indepen dents, Unitarians, and Roman Catholics, have also meet ings. The Ilaldanite Independents had a large house, capable of containing 2000 people ; but it has been lying waste for several years. The means of education arc,
1st, An academy, which is so far a charitable institution. that at least 300/. per annum is expended for the educa tion of boys and girls, the former of whom receive in struction two years at the academy free of expence: 2dly, A grammar and an English school, at which about 300 youths of both sexes are educated; exclusive of va rious private schools. Every branch of useful and polite education is taught here with success and reputation. There arc two libraries, well supplied with books, and there is a weekly newspaper published, of which about 900 copies are circulated. There is a weekly market on Friday for corn; on Tuesday and Friday there are ordi nary markets, and every day there is a butcher market, all of which arc well supplied. In August and Septem ber annually, there are two great cattle markets.
The harbour of Dundee is at present inconvenient ; but a survey has been taken, and a repot t made by Mr Stevenson, engineer, for its improvement. lie recom mends the conversion of the upper harbour of Dundee into a wet (lock, to the extent of 3+ acres, to serve the double purpose of keeping ships always afloat, and of occasionally scouring the lower part of the harbour through sluices. This it is estimated will cost 34,902/. 103. 6d. Subordinate to this radical improvement, an extension of the quays is projected; and it is extremely probable that, to a certain extent at least, the plan will be adopted. See Statistical Account of Scotland; Laing's _History of Scotland, l'fc. (A. P.)