The period at which we have now arrived, being one of internal peace,
is distinguished as the time when the practice of several of the
useful arts was first introduced into Scotland. Sir George Hay, the
Clerk Registrar--ancestor of the Earls of Kinnoul--a man of talent
and intelligence, had set up, at the village of Wemyss, in Fife, a
small glasswork, being the first known to have existed amongst us. An
ironwork, of what nature we are not informed, was also originated by
Sir George.
The Privy Council informed the king that Sir George Hay had
enterprisingly set up works for iron and glass, which for some years he
supported at high charges, in hopes of being remunerated by profits.
‘But now he has found, by experience, that all the country dispatch of
his glass in ane haill year will not uphold his glassworks the space of
ane month.’ It was entreated that the king would allow of Sir George’s
glass being sold unrestrainedly in England, and at the same time
restrict the exportation of coal into that country. By such means he
admitted he had a hope of thriving.--_M. S. P._
It would appear that the native manufacture, after all, prospered; for
in February 1621, the Privy Council appointed a commission, including
Sir George Hay, to meet and confer anent the glassworks, to examine and
try the glass, and see that measures were taken for the full supply of
the country, so as to save the introduction of foreign glass.
The commission soon after reported that the glassworks at Wemyss were
going on satisfactorily. The cradles or cases contained fifteen wisps,
each wisp having three tables, three-quarters of a Scots ell and a
nail in depth. The glass was fully as good as Danskine glass, though
they could wish it to be ‘thicker and tewcher.’ Being less sure of the
character of the drinking-glasses produced, they recommended patterns
of English glass of that kind to be established in Edinburgh Castle,
for trying the sufficiency of Scots glass in all time coming. On the
strength of this report, the Council granted the desired monopoly as
against foreign glassmakers, on certain conditions, one of which was,
that the price of ‘braid glass’ should not exceed ‘twelve punds the
cradle.’--_P. C. R._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: OCT. 20.]
[Sidenote: 1619.]
Before this time, soap was imported into Scotland from foreign
countries, chiefly from Flanders. It was estimated that the entire
quantity brought in was about a hundred and twenty lasts. The king
now gave a patent to Mr Nathaniel Uddart for the manufacture of soap
within the country, and Mr Nathaniel accordingly raised a goodly work
at Leith, furnishing it with all matters pertaining to the business.
Before he had been at work two years (June 21, 1621), he petitioned
the Privy Council that foreign soap should be prohibited, professing
to be able himself to furnish all that was required for the use of
the country people, and thus save money from being sent out of the
country--a piece of false political economy much in favour, as we
have seen, in those days. The Privy Council, after taking some
pains to ascertain the character of ‘Mr Nathaniel his soap,’ and
becoming convinced that he could furnish the quantity needful, granted
the prohibition requested, but not without fixing down the native
manufacturer at a maximum price. This was decreed to be £24 per barrel
for ‘green soap,’ and £32 per barrel for ‘white soap,’ each barrel to
contain sixteen stone.
If we are right in considering the stone at 17·39 pounds avoirdupois,
and the last as containing twelve barrels, the estimated amount of
regularly manufactured soap annually used in Scotland at that time
might be approximately 400,880 pounds. In 1845, taking its consumption
of the same article as one-seventh of that of Great Britain, Scotland
consumed about _twenty-seven million pounds_!
Matters had not proceeded upon the footing of protection for above two
years, when complaints became rife as to the inconveniences sustained
by the lieges. The merchants of Edinburgh felt it as a grievance that
their traffic for soap with the Low Countries was interrupted. They
also complained of the quality of the article produced at Leith. The
merchants of Dumfries and other distant ports groaned at being obliged
to carry soap a long land-journey from Leith, when they could have it
brought by ships direct to their doors. In short, it was not to be
borne.
The Lords of Council took pains to inform themselves of the whole
matter. They also had a letter from the king testifying his ‘dislike
of this and others the like restraints, as being a mean to overthrow
traffic and to destroy commerce.’ Being now satisfied that Uddart’s
privilege was ‘hurtful to the commonweal,’ and that ‘the subjects has
not been so commodiously furnist with the soap made by the said Mr
Nathaniel as formerly they were with foreign soap,’ they decreed (July
1623) that the restraint should terminate in a year, or sooner, if he
should produce an inferior or dearer article.--_P. C. R._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1620.