The increase of population, and prosperous state of commerce in Arbroath, will most forcibly appear from the following facts. There is a respectable gentleman still alive there, who recollects the time when he could have sat down and told the name of every householder in the town and suburbs. And the writer of this article has just now before him, a receipt from the town-trea surer of Arbroath, granted to the tacksman of the shore dues, for the year 1717, the amount of which, rendered into sterling money, makes their annual value 29/. 54. 4d. : And in the year 1 80 7, the shore-dues were sold by public roue for 7351. sterling. To these may be added the income arising from other duties and property be longing to the town ; making the present annual re venue from 1700/. to 1800/. sterling.
A new town-hcuse, including prisons, town-hall, tow n-clerk's office, and register-room, &c. is just now building, after a very elegant plan, by Mr. David Logan, architect. This building, when completed, will acid considerably to the embellishment of the High Street, which, from a want of taste too prevalent in former times, is crooked and irregular. In the year 1797, a private library was established by a few of the principal inhabitants and neighbouring gentlemen, which at pre sent consists of 112 members, contains about 2000 vol umes, is rapidly increasing, and promises to promote the diffusion of literary and scientific knowledge. The
old town-house, a large and respectable building, has been recently purchased by the guildry, and will be occupied as a guild-hall, coffee-room, library-room, Exc. Within these last twenty years, a very great addition has been made to the extent and population of the town, by building upon ground taken in perpetual feu from the adjoining proprietors, in which more attention has been paid to the regularity and uniformity of the streets. The greater part of these additions are without the royalty, and in the neighbouring parish of St Vigeans. The population, including the suburbs, may be reckon ed about 9 00 0.
Arbroath is healthfully situated, enjoys a free circula tion of air ; and, although it cannot boast of many rich capitalists employed in trade, or wallowing in luxury from overgrown fortunes, yet it display s a spirit of pro gressive industry and improvement, which may be just ly considered as the true source of national prosperity : And it has often been remarked by strangers, that it exhibits perhaps fewer instances of abject poverty and extreme wretchedness, than most WWII', of equal popu lation in Great Britain. Lat. N. 56° 32' 30". Lung. 2' 34' 15". (A. n.)