Manufactures.— The principal manufactures in Edinburgh are printing, type-founding, coach building, ale brewing, and cabinet-mak ing. It is the seat of the principal government departments for Scotland, and the headquarters of the book trade.
Government.—The town council consists of lord provost, magistrates known as bailies, treasurer, a dean of guild, and 41 ordinary councillors. Edinburgh was a royal burgh as early as the time of David the First, its desig nation at that time being Edwinesburgh. The outlying suburb of Portobello on the northeast was added in 1896.
Railways.— The two principal railways con necting Edinburgh with other parts of the country are the Caledonian and North British railways. There are 25 miles of cable tram ways throughout the city. The system has been municipally owned since 1893; and in 1910 a beginning was made with an overhead electric system in one of the suburbs. To this system there was at one time a rootc1 aver sion, due to a desire to preserve the amenity of Princes street; but on the expiry of the present operating company's lease in 1919, it is certain that the whole system will be electrified.
Electricity.— The city is beautifully lit by an electric installation, which has been one of the most successful in the Kingdom. Not only is the public supplied on an extensive scale, but all the private houses of the modern parts of the town have electricity as the domestic light.
Parks.— Edinburgh is particularly well off with open spaces. The King's Park, including Arthur Seat, Salisbury Crags, etc., is one of the most handsome in the Kingdom, although very little is done to adorn it either by the govern ment or the local authority. The Braid Hills and Blackford Hill, on the latter of which is the Royal Observatory, are picturesque resorts in the summer time, while in the very centre of the town there are the Calton Hill, East and West meadows and Bruntsfield links. Invor leith Park on the north, and Saughton Park on the western outskirts, are recent additions the latter a noteworthy one. A fine zoological garden has been opened on Constorphine Hill, west of the city.
Climate.— Robert Louis Stevenson, who was constitutionally ill adapted for the bracing and somewhat rigorous climate of his native city, has said that Edinburgh °pays cruelly for her high scat in one of the vilest climates under heaven," and has described the east winds that prevail in spring as making of the city a °meteorological purgatory." Despite these strictures the city is a healthy one, with an annual mean temperature of 47 F., and a rain
fall of 27 inches.
Churches.— Edinburgh is noted for its churches. It is distinctively a Presbyterian city, there being in connection with the Church of Scotland some 46 churches, and with the United Free Church, about 66.
Population.— The population in 1901 was 316,479; in 1911, 320,318. The ratable value of the city in 1915-16 was $16,633,100.
Charitable Institutions and Libraries.— Among benevolent institutions are the Royal Infirmary; Donaldson's Hospital; Deaf and Dumb Institution; Royal Blind Asylum and many others. There are four large libraries situated in the centre of the old town: the Ad vocates' Library, 550,000 volumes, the Univer sity Library, the Library of Writers to the Signet, 110,000 volumes, and the Public Library.
History.— The history of the city is largely the history of Scotland. Before the 11th cen tury it did not figure more than as a fortified town, but in the time of David I it begins to be mentioned in charters under the name of Edwin'sburg. In 1128 the Abbey of Holyrood was founded by David I and between it and Edinburgh was the Canongate, which had a separate municipal authority down to 1856. The old wall of the city is said to have been built in 1450, and was extended after the battle of Flodden in 1513. The English under Hertford in 1544 burnt the city to the ground, with the exception of Saint Giles Cathedral, and 17 years later, Mary, on her return from France, took up her residence at Holyrood Palace. The modern history of the town is more asso ciated with literature than with commercial and industrial enterprise.
Bibliography.—Maitland's
of Edin burgh' (1753); Arnot's
of Edin burgh' (1758) ; Crauford's
of the University of
(1808); Bower's
of the University of Edinburgh' (1817) ; Chambers'
of
(1824) ; Steven's (Heriot's
; Wilson's
(1890) ; Grant's (Old and New Edinburgh' ; and 'Burgh Record Society Pub lications'; Williamson,
An His torical and Topographical Account of the City) bee EDINBURGH (1906); Blaikie,
Haw MORRISON, Chief Librarian, Edinburgh Public Library.
D. S. Dount.as, Editorial Staff of The Americana.