QUEENSFERRY, Soutu, a royal burgh and sea port town of Scotland in the county of Linlithgow, is situated on the south side of the Firth of Forth, about 9 miles from Edinburgh, and on the great north road. It consists principally of an irregular street, composed of ill-built houses, and a few of which are of decent as pect. There are, on the west side of the town, the re mains of an old chapel, with a stone roof.
Queensferry derives its chief importance from the ferry which is at Newhalls, about a quarter of a mile to the east of the town. This ferry has long been un der excellent Good piers of solid ma sonry project Into the sea, so that there is a passage at all times of the tide. The south pier, which is double, is particularly excellent ; and theme is a light and watch house erected on a rock at The north pier. There are also sundry piers on the south zide, one to the west of the town, and another to the east of Newhalls.
The passage is only about two miles wide ; and half way through there is a rock with a small on its summit.
The town, which sends a member to Parlhment in conjunction with Stirling, Dunfermline, Inverktithing, and Culross, is governed by a provost, one land Gailie, two sea bailies, a dean of guild, and a town-council. In old charters, the town is called Passagium Regina, in honour of Margaret, Malcolm Canmore's queen, who frequented and patronised the place.
The principal manufacture of the town is brown soap; and the place is sustained chiefly by it and by the fishery, and the business of the ferry.
The Firth at this place was surveyed several years ago, with the view of cutting a tunnel beneath it ; but the enterprise was then deemed too hazardous, and has not been revived even in this period of specu lation.
Hopetoun House, the magnificent mansion of the Earl of Hnpetoun, is partly situated on the top of the ridge which rises from the shore to the west of the town.
The great road from Edinburgh to the ferry has re cently (in 1824) been greatly improved by an elegant bridge over Cramond water ; and as the road passes by the fine and picturesque grounds of Dalmeny park, the residence of the Earl of Roseberry, and commands oc casionally fine views of the Forth, the stage between Edinburgh and Qucensferry is perhaps one of the finest in the kingdom. Population about 560.
North Queensferry consists of an inn and a few houses, on the north side of the Firth, and exports whinstone from the extensive quarries in its vicinity.