MR TROTTER S 
 fHe&tfieiJ 
 
 PLAN OF IMPROVEMENTS 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 EARTHEN MOUND, cfcc 
 
 [PHICE TWO SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE.] 
 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 Getty Research Institute 
 
 https://archive.org/details/planofcommunicatOOtrot 
 
A 
 
 PLAN 
 
 OF 
 
 COMMUNICATION 
 
 BETWEEN THE 
 
 NEW AND THE OLD TOWN OF EDINBURGH, 
 
 IN THE 
 
 LINE OF THE EARTHEN MOUND, 
 
 AND OF 
 
 BUILDING UPON THAT SITE, 
 
 WITH 
 
 OBSERVATIONS AND GROUND-PLANS. 
 
 By ALEXANDER TROTTER, Esq. of Dreghorn. 
 
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 EDINBURGH; 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 OLIVER & BOYD, TWEEDDALE-COURT ; SIMPKIN & MARSHALL, LONDON; 
 AND ROBERTSON & ATKINSON, GLASGOW. 
 
 1829 . 
 

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 I 
 

OBSERVATIONS 
 
 To those born in Edinburgh, and who have witnessed the progress by 
 which it has now become one of the finest Cities in Europe, it must be mat¬ 
 ter of great regret to find its Principal Streets and Squares appropriated to 
 shops and warehouses; which, but a few years ago, were places of resi¬ 
 dence for the principal Inhabitants. But this has been the natural conse¬ 
 quence of particular situations not having originally been set aside for this 
 necessary accommodation to the Public. From the accidental construction 
 of the Earthen Mound, a situation peculiarly adapted to this purpose has 
 gradually arisen, which now presents itself to our notice, as having become a 
 principal thoroughfare, connecting the Old with the New Town so rapidly 
 advancing to great magnificence; and it is meant by the subsequent obser¬ 
 vations, to show, that, by a judicious application of this site, a check might 
 still be put to this growing evil. 
 
 Mr Trotter, who ventures to make these observations, was early 
 aware, that the high prices given for shops in the finest situations of the 
 New Town, would produce the baneful effect above alluded to ; and in 
 1821, being at that time in Florence, he conceived a plan of building upon 
 
2 
 
 the Mound, which he now regrets had not then been brought under the 
 consideration of the Public, as he thinks it might, in a great measure, have 
 met the views of two intelligent correspondents, (viz. ‘The Amateur of 
 4 Architecture,’ and ‘ Arnica Veritas,’) in the Edinburgh Evening Courant 
 of the 17th and 26th of June 1820 ; the first of whom, in offering his 
 opinion upon plans then given in by two eminent Architects, for building- 
 in this situation, flattered himself, ‘ that some design might be obtained, 
 
 ‘ combining elegance and utility, which should not be distinguished by the 
 ‘ extreme simplicity of the one, nor by the useless magnificence of the 
 ‘ other.’ 
 
 Mr Trotter, when afterwards at Venice, being no draftsman himself, sub¬ 
 mitted his ideas upon this subject to the Master of the Architectural School 
 at that place, (whose name, he regrets, has escaped his recollection,) who 
 Plate, No 1 . favoured him with an Elevation for his plan, which is hereto append¬ 
 ed. The whole design Avas afterwards laid before an eminent Engineer 
 at Geneva, who declared it to be perfectly practicable under all the dis¬ 
 advantages of such a foundation as the Earthen Mound could afford. 
 In attempting to accomplish the object Avhich the Amateur of Archi¬ 
 tecture had hoped to obtain, Mr Trotter, in giving instructions to the 
 Architect at Venice, regarding his Elevation, did not think it necessary to 
 impose upon him a total disregard to magnificence, but only requested that 
 he would confine himself to a strict observance of plain and simple Roman 
 or Grecian Architecture ;—which species of magnificence, he conceived, 
 Avould not be liable to be censured as useless by the Edinburgh corre¬ 
 spondent, in any of his future criticisms. Mr Trotter rather hoped, that 
 the design might meet the Amateur’s idea, as being of a character calculat¬ 
 ed to adorn this part of the town in an eminent degree, whilst the pur¬ 
 poses, to which the building might be applied, would mainly contribute to 
 the accommodation and comfort of the Public. 
 
 It will be seen by the Elevation, that a Grand Gallery, to serve as an un- 
 piatf, No ]• interrupted communication between the Old and the New Town, of 750 feet 
 in length upon the western side of the principal floor, formed the prominent 
 feature of the original Plan : That the whole of the east side, being the re- 
 
3 
 
 maining space upon that floor, was allotted to shops; and that the occupiers 
 of these shops were each to have had a large ware-room and commodious 
 dwelling apartments in the upper stories of the building. 
 
 But this Elevation, however elegant, and these purposes, however useful, 
 must now no longer be insisted upon as possible to be effected to the ex¬ 
 tent originally meditated. Part of the ground proposed for this purpose is 
 already occupied by the building belonging to the Royal Institution,—and 
 Mr Trotter has only mentioned his original Plan, as flattering himself that 
 the general principle upon which it was projected might still be maintain¬ 
 ed, and perhaps adopted, upon a smaller scale, with advantage to the public. 
 
 But, before proceeding farther in the detail of his new Plan, Mr Trotter 
 begs to anticipate and observe upon the general objection that has been 
 made to building upon the Mound at all, which has been alleged to afford 
 no solid foundation, from its having been formed of what is termed travelled 
 earth, laid upon swampy ground. In reply to which, he can only refer 
 to the opinion before-mentioned, of the Engineer at Geneva, who fully 
 sanctioned the design obtained at Venice, by which a much heavier super¬ 
 structure than that which is now contemplated, was proposed to be built 
 upon a chain of strongly-connected cylinders, which, running quite through 
 the building, were to have formed the basement-story. This provision, 
 applied to the lighter building, may be sufficient, under this authority, to 
 remove the apprehended danger; but how far it is really calculated to do 
 so, or whether such precaution may be necessary at all, must be left to the 
 decision of others, and those best fitted to judge, in which class Mr Trotter 
 does not presume to include himself. 
 
 To descend, then, from the magnificent Gallery in the original design, to 
 the more humble, although equally useful and beautiful. Arcade, still 
 practicable to be erected in this situation, Mr Trotter proceeds to state the 
 shape which, in his humble opinion, it might be made to assume, and the Plate, No 
 useful purposes to which it would be applicable,—believing, at the same time, 
 that it might be effected without incurring any expense to the public, in the 
 shape of a cess or otherwise, by the revenue to be derived from it. 
 
 The Mound has already been stated to be 750 feet in length ; 155 feet 
 
 B 
 
4 
 
 Feet, of this space is now occupied by the building erected by the Members of 
 
 Institution, - 155 
 
 street behind, 55 the Royal Institution ; and it would be proper to reserve 55 feet more for 
 street, . ’ _ 55 a cross-street at the back of that building-. It is proposed that the next 
 
 750 4 85 feet should be allotted to the Arcade, and the remaining 55 feet to 
 another cross-street at the southern extremity of the Mound. 
 
 In pursuance of this plan, Mr Trotter has procured an Elevation of the 
 Plate, No 2 . proposed Arcade from Mr Archibald Elliot of London, son and successor 
 of the late Mr Elliot, whose works have contributed so highly to the mag¬ 
 nificence now beginning to be displayed in the public buildings of Edin¬ 
 burgh. And he takes this opportunity of acknowledging his great obliga¬ 
 tions to Mr Hamilton of this city, for the valuable information which he 
 has so obligingly and readily afforded him, regarding the levels of the con- 
 Pkte, No 3 . tiguous streets, and of the surrounding grounds, by which he flatters him¬ 
 self he has been enabled to propose a communication by a line of road 
 between the south and north parts of the town, of easy ascent, and in itself 
 highly ornamental. 
 
 In giving instructions for the Elevation of the Arcade, Mr Trotter has 
 requested Mr Elliot in some measure to preserve an accordance with the 
 building already occupying part of the Mound, corresponding with it both 
 in height and in breadth, and that it should have the appearance of a single 
 story, although including another. By the section shown, it will be seen 
 Plate, No 2. that each shop will communicate with a ware-room above it, to be lighted 
 from the roof, having also borrowed lights into the upper part of the 
 Gallery. 
 
 The Gallery, although upon the Ground-Floor, will likewise be lighted 
 from the roof, as it is carried to the whole height of the building. The 
 Shops will all communicate with the Gallery, having each a Door and two 
 Windows looking into it, and each would also have a Door and 'Windows 
 to the streets upon the east and west of the building. 
 
 Mr Trotter, at this time, took occasion to mention to Mr Elliot his plan 
 of building the basement-story of the Arcade upon cylinders, which, instead 
 of running quite through the building, would be intersected by the Gallery, 
 leaving 30 feet of the cylinders on each side of it, to be appropriated to 
 
5 
 
 Shops ; but lie, as well as Mr Hamilton, who has so carefully watched and 
 assisted in maturing the meditated improvement of Edinburgh, are of opi¬ 
 nion, (the superstructure now proposed being so much lighter than the 
 building which Mr Trotter had originally in view,) that such precaution 
 would be quite unnecessary. 
 
 It will be seen by the Ground-Plan, that it is proposed to reduce every 
 part of the Mound to the level of Prince’s Street, at the bottom of Hanover 
 Street, leaving only a rise of 3 feet at the southern extremity, in which 
 operation the earth to be removed from the upper part would serve to widen 
 the whole to the breadth of 260 feet. The intended building (95 feet in 
 breadth) to be carried along the centre would, with the Institution already 
 erected, and the streets surrounding both buildings, occupy the whole of the 
 space. 
 
 The level streets upon the east and west, 63 feet in width, extending the 
 full length of the Mound, would form part of the grand communication be¬ 
 tween the Old and the New Town, and which would fall in with the splen¬ 
 did improvements, suggested by Messrs Hamilton and Burn, that are now 
 in progress under the direction of the former gentleman. 
 
 Plate No 3. 
 
 Fed. 
 
 Street west of the 
 
 Arcade, 
 
 03 
 
 Area to Arcade, 
 
 10 
 
 Arcade, 
 
 95 
 
 Area to ditto, 
 
 
 (east,) 
 
 10 
 
 Street east of 
 
 
 Arcade, 
 
 03 
 
 Walk on the 
 
 
 outside of the 
 
 
 East Balus¬ 
 
 
 trade, - - 
 
 19 
 
 2(10 
 
 In proceeding to detail the purposes to which this Arcade might be 
 applied, Mr Trotter would propose, 1st, That the whole should be put 
 under one management, somewhat similar to that of the Bazaar in London, 
 which has proved so useful to the public, and so beneficial to the ingenious 
 projector of that establishment: That, in conformity to which, an efficient 
 person should be appointed by the Directors to have a certain control in re¬ 
 gard to the cleaning, the lighting, the watching, and the shutting up of the 
 premises, under given regulations, particularly as to the Gallery and Shops 
 being shut to the public on Sundays. 2d, That such person, with a certain 
 establishment, should reside in the buildings, be empowered to let the 
 Shops, and receive the Revenue to be derived from them. 
 
 This Gallery, from its height, might be appropriated to an exhibition of 
 such of the works of our modern Painters as should be considered by the 
 Governors of the Establishment to be worthy of admission. To this mode 
 of embellishing its walls the Artist would no doubt be happy to contribute, 
 
6 
 
 as no situation could be better adapted to display his Works, nor could any 
 be better calculated to procure him Purchasers for his paintings, if intended 
 for Sale. 
 
 This Gallery, in fact, would afford to the respectable part of a great po¬ 
 pulation an elegant communication between the Old and the New Town, 
 and to the foot-passenger, as far as it extended, a shelter in that much-fre¬ 
 quented passage from the violent gales and piercing winds so prevalent in 
 the Good Town of Edinburgh, and so particularly felt in passing the North 
 Bridge, where, in bad weather, the passenger is sure to encounter the storm 
 in all its force. To the infirm, it would afford the opportunity of taking 
 exercise without exposure to the eastern blast;—the stranger would enjoy 
 the variety and novelty of the scene,—the lounger would here find subject 
 to pass the hour, or kill the time.—The Shops and a Bazaar Establishment 
 would not fail to attract the Belles, and Beaux would follow in their train. 
 Judges and Gentlemen of the Law, Professors and others connected with 
 the University, all now chiefly residing in the New Town, would daily 
 have occasion to pass and repass to and from the Courts of Law and the 
 College; and all would contribute to the prosperity of the Shopkeeper. 
 
 The proposed Gallery, possessing these peculiar advantages, induces Mr 
 Trotter to assume, that the Shops attached to it would be of great value, 
 and that the rent to be derived from them would more than indemnify any 
 public body undertaking to execute a Work so useful in its purposes, and 
 at the same time so eminently calculated to ornament a Capital, wanting 
 only in a greater display of Public Buildings, but otherwise famed for its 
 ancient grandeur, and for the magnificent private houses by which it is now 
 adorned. 
 
 The back of the Shops alone, being opened into the Gallery, would cause 
 it to assume the appearance of a Bazaar, which, at the rate of rent obtained 
 by the proprietor of the Bazaar in London, (3d. per foot,) would, if adopted, 
 produce a very considerable Revenue ; and this rent, under similar regula¬ 
 tions to those of that Establishment, would be received in ready money at 
 the close of every day. 
 
 But such an appropriation of this part of their Shops might not be pre- 
 
7 
 
 ferred by tlie occupiers, as this Arcade would more resemble the Burlington 
 Arcade in London, or the Galleries of Paris, surpassing them all in situa¬ 
 tion, as every Shop would have the double advantage of fronting a princi¬ 
 pal Street, as well as in having a front into a Gallery so eminently calculated 
 to attract the great population of Edinburgh. 
 
 It is farther to be observed, that the Arcade, as above described, may be 
 constructed in such a manner as to render fire-places altogether unneces¬ 
 sary. The whole building is appropriated to the Gallery, and to a certain 
 number of Shops, with a Ware-room over each, requiring no fire for Culin¬ 
 ary or other purposes,—warmth in cold weather being all that is neces¬ 
 sary to make them comfortable, and this may be procured by means of 
 Boiling Water applied through Horizontal Tubes to every part of the 
 Building. One Furnace only would be wanted, the smoke from which 
 might be carried under the Street into the high Bank on the South end of 
 the Mound, from whence it might be drawn off through a Chimney, hav¬ 
 ing the appearance of a column upon the top of the Bank.—For a more 
 particular account of the process of this ingenious mode of heating Green¬ 
 houses, &c., and which may be applied to this purpose in the present in¬ 
 stance, Mr Trotter begs to refer the reader to the 225th Number in the 8th 
 Volume of the London Mechanics’ Magazine, published by Knight and 
 Lacey of London. 
 
 Mr Trotter will now conclude the explanation of a plan which, he hum¬ 
 bly imagines, would improve a situation so long neglected, upon which 
 many have made remarks, while others are engaged at this moment in sug¬ 
 gesting measures different from those now submitted, although having the 
 same laudable object in view—of assisting in arriving at something worthy 
 of being finally adopted ; and he hopes that he may be excused by his 
 friends for the trouble he may give them, in begging them to honour it 
 with their consideration. 
 
 Dreghorn, 2 d June, 1828. 
 
 c 
 

 
 
 
ADDENDA. 
 
 Dreghorn, May, 1829. 
 
 Having now procured Drawings of my proposed Improvements upon 
 the Mound, and finding the Plan, upon which I had made the foregoing 
 Observations, has in some degree attracted the notice of the Public, as well 
 as of my own particular Friends, I have endeavoured to make it still more 
 worthy of their attention, by additional Drawings, which may serve further 
 to illustrate the subject, and I now venture to enter more fully upon the ad¬ 
 vantages which might be derived by what I have proposed being carried 
 into execution. 
 
 My Plan of the Grounds connected with the proposed line of communi¬ 
 cation will be seen to be bounded by Prince’s Street on the North,—the 
 North Bridge, extending to about Adam Square, upon the East,—by the 
 Old Town on the South, and by the Mound on the West 
 
 On this Ground-Plan I have inserted letters of reference to a list of levels 
 of the principal situations, by which the height of each above Prince’s 
 Street, and consequently their relative heights, may easily be seen ; and to 
 render these levels more intelligible to those who may have studied the 
 Plans of the City-Improvements, suggested by Messrs Hamilton and Burn, 
 the level of each place under the Reservoir at the Castle-hill, from which 
 these Gentlemen have taken their levels, is mentioned in another column. 
 
 No 3. 
 
10 
 
 I shall leave it to the imagination of those who may take the trouble to 
 Plates, Nos 3 and o. trace the New Approach which I have proposed in this Plan, leading from 
 Prince’s Street to nearly opposite to the Cathedral Church in the Old 
 Town, to conceive the beauty of a road carried in this direction, 
 when the Grounds to the east of the Mound shall have been adorned 
 and laid out with the same taste which has already been displayed in the 
 Valley to the West; and I will not dwell or make any calculations upon 
 the Revenue to be derived from the many new situations which will arise 
 in the execution of this work, and which cannot fail to prove eminently 
 fitted for feuing, whether for building or for pleasure-ground. 
 
 I have already mentioned my obligations to Mr Hamilton for the infor¬ 
 mation he has afforded me upon the subject of the several levels mentioned 
 in this plan, and upon which I rely as being accurate; and that Mr Elliot 
 had favoured me with an elevation of the proposed Arcade. The Perspec- 
 piate. No 4. tive Drawing, taken from Prince’s Street, has been made out by George 
 Bell, a young Student in the Academy of the Royal Institution, whose 
 early genius in this particular line of Drawing, he being only 16 years of 
 age, may, I hope, recommend him to the favourable notice of the Public. 
 For the Sketch of the Scenery I am indebted to the picturesque pencil 
 of my friend Sir James Stuart, who takes a high interest in the prosperity 
 of our City. 
 
 As Plans of this sort are better shown by a Model than by Drawings, I 
 have prepared one, which, although very roughly executed, and not yet 
 finished, may be seen at the shop of Mr Hatton, Carver and Gilder, No 98, 
 Prince’s Street, who has been so obliging as to allow it to stand there for 
 the inspection of any Gentleman who may be desirous of being better 
 informed upon the subject to which my Observations relate. 
 
 The Shops, as shown in Plate No 2, from their size, will admit of their 
 being adapted to every purpose of Trade,—places of Public Mart,—Read¬ 
 ing-Rooms,—Coffee-Houses,—Insurance-Offices, &c. &c. In one of them 
 I have shown where counters may be placed to advantage, for the common 
 uses of Milliners’ Shops, or Shops for Clothiers, Jewellers, &c. &c. ; but of 
 course the interior may be fitted up agreeably to the purposes required by 
 
11 
 
 those to whom the Shops may first be let; and from the great advantages 
 which must attend their being concentrated in so public a situation, forming 
 a rue des Marchands, I think, as I have said before, there can be no doubt 
 of a revenue being produced from them which would more than indemnify 
 any Public Body undertaking to execute the work. 
 
 Great additional accommodation to the Arcade may be acquired, if 
 thought necessary, by an Area, between the Building and the Railing, being 
 substituted for the Pavement which is shown by Mr Elliot’s Plan, in which 
 case Vaulted Cellars might be had under the Street, and a Sunk Story un¬ 
 der the Shops. 
 
 I must not conclude these additional remarks without taking notice of two 
 parts of my Plan, upon which I am free to confess there may be ground 
 for difference of opinion: 1st, Considering it, in the view of improving 
 the scenery in this situation, it may be asked. Whether in fact this object 
 would he attained by an additional building of any hind being erected 
 upon the Mound P 2d, In the event of the building which I have pro¬ 
 posed being approved of, Whether the body of earth of which the Mound 
 is composed has acquired a sufficient consistency to ensure a solid founda¬ 
 tion P Regarding the first of these points, upon which a difference of opi¬ 
 nion may exist, I have only to repeat, as an apology for obtruding my 
 Plans upon the notice of the Public, that my attention was originally drawn 
 to this subject, by observing in the Public Papers, when in Italy, that leave 
 had been obtained from Parliament to build upon the Mound, by which 1 
 concluded that such a measure had been resolved upon, and every one being 
 at liberty to give his opinion upon what he may think would best improve 
 a public situation, I have ventured to offer mine, under the impression that 
 our Public Authorities have now determined to build upon this site; but I 
 wish to be allowed to say, I by no means liave made up my mind in regard 
 to the primary important question,— to build oil not to build ? This, 
 in my opinion, should be submitted to a Committee of Gentlemen having no 
 local nor pecuniary interest in the proceeding, and who should be otherwise 
 properly qualified to decide on a matter so important to the appearance of 
 our good old City. Should the verdict of this Committee be to build, I 
 have herein taken the liberty to suggest what, in a pecuniary point of view, 
 
 D 
 
12 
 
 would, in my opinion, more than pay for carrying the building which I 
 have proposed into execution,—a building which, at the same time, would 
 afford great comfort and much conveniency to the Public, and this (by Mr 
 Elliot’s assistance) in a shape which would add another to the many beau¬ 
 tiful specimens we now can show of an improved taste in Modern Architec¬ 
 ture. On the other hand, should the verdict of the Committee be not to 
 build, or should able Engineers, who ought to be consulted upon this im¬ 
 portant question, give it as their opinion, that no dependence can be placed 
 upon the foundation to be obtained upon this site ; my Arcade, of course, 
 must be abandoned, or, as my friends might pleasantly say, my Arcade must 
 fall to the ground ; still, however, I would take the liberty of recommending 
 to the Public, a fair consideration of the line of communication between 
 the New and the Old Town, which I have suggested and shown in my 
 Plan. 
 
 That every view of my plan may be entitled, as far as I can effect it, 
 Plate, No 5 . to a fair consideration, I have procured another sketch from my friend 
 Sir James, of the appearance which the Mound connected with the sur¬ 
 rounding scenery would assume were it only levelled and brought into 
 shape without any other building being erected upon it. 
 
 Scotland had long beheld her ancient Capital rising abruptly from her 
 deep and natural base in the North Loch. Of this imposing appearance 
 she has been robbed within these last fifty years by the bad taste of her in¬ 
 habitants, who, at first with only the view of obtaining a paltry foot-way 
 across the valley, have since regarded with passive indifference the gradual 
 accumulation of a body of earth in that situation which at length has 
 proved destructive of its beauty. 
 
 By the Plan just mentioned, the upper part of this mound of earth will 
 have to be lowered between 50 and 60 feet; which would give altitude 
 in the same degree to this part of the Old Town, when measured from its 
 base thus lowered ; and by this means would so far restore to it the height 
 and grandeur of which it has been bereft by this unfortunate attempt to ob¬ 
 tain a communication with the New Town. The line of North Bank 
 Street (as may be seen by plate No 3) would form a Terrace upon the top 
 
13 
 
 of the abrupt embankment, which, by levelling the Mound, would be left 
 at its southern termination ; and which, continued and adorned with houses 
 in the ancient style of the present buildings, till it formed a junction with 
 the new road on the Castle-hill, could not fail to give a magnificent and 
 picturesque appearance to that commanding situation. 
 
 The Castle, too, by the Mound being levelled, when viewed from the East, 
 will be seen with its lofty battlements, to rise from a horizontal base in greater 
 splendour than it now does ; and our view of the rock upon which it so proudly 
 stands will no longer be intercepted by the inclined surface of an unseemly 
 mass of earth; neither will this evil remain to be the means of distorting 
 our view, and of diminishing the imposing appearance of other parts of the 
 Old Town, which, when seen from the West, appear, by this line inter¬ 
 secting them, to rise from an inclined instead of a horizontal base,—an 
 effect always unpleasant to the eye in contemplating architectural scenery. 
 
 I proceed to observe, that, by this measure, the Royal Institution would 
 be seen as a beautiful termination to an area, perfectly level, of nearly 600 
 feet in length, and 241 in breadth ; which, having handsome balustrades of 
 stone on the sides, would be terminated upon the south by the semicircular 
 wall shown upon the Plan. In the bosom of this semicircle a Fountain,— Plate, No :i. 
 an ornament hitherto unknown, or at least, I believe, never displayed in 
 Edinburgh,—might be placed to the greatest advantage; and the whole not 
 altogether hid, but seen partially through the tops of trees and shrubs, pro¬ 
 fusely planted on the bank below, would have an effect most pleasing to 
 the eye ; so also would be seen the rock embankment or buttressed wall piate, No «. 
 made to support the upper road upon the southern bank of the valley, 
 whilst the road below, leading to the markets, would be altogether masked, 
 by the planting being brought a very little into the loch, to the north of 
 that line. 
 
 The great length of the balustrades should be broken at proper distances by 
 pedestals, all bearing lamps, excepting those in the centre on each side, which, Vide P] . lte No 
 I would propose, should be surmounted by statues,—specimens of the rapid 
 strides which our modern Artists have made in their progress to eminence in 
 sculpture: thus, in short, the whole would form a magnificent Place dij 
 Carrousel in the very centre of our City. 
 
14 
 
 Tlie road to the Old Town, sweeping by the north of the Bank of Scot¬ 
 land, and leading by a gentle acclivity to the High Street, would command 
 a view of the New Town, the Frith of Forth, and the coast of Fife,—a dis¬ 
 play of scenery unrivalled in this or perhaps in any other country, and by 
 terminating immediately opposite to the Courts of Law and the High 
 Church, a direct access would he given to both, and a view would be open¬ 
 ed of our ancient Cathedral to Prince’s Street. In forming the line of road 
 in this direction, a place of deposite otherwise difficult to be found would be 
 readily obtained for the great body of earth which must be removed in lower¬ 
 ing the High Street,—a measure which may be said to be actually in pro¬ 
 gress. The earth required to complete the line would be obtained at little 
 expense of carriage in the operation of levelling the Mound ; and the whole, 
 I calculate, could be effected for a sum not exceeding £2000 or £3000. In 
 this estimate I do not include the purchase of property in the above pro¬ 
 posed Line of Approach to the Old Town. This is an expense which 
 more or less must be incurred in whatever line the communication between 
 the New and the Old Town may be ultimately carried; and which will be 
 diminished in this instance, by setting against it the value of the ground 
 to be acquired for feuing, without considering or taking into calculation the 
 great importance of the object itself. 
 
 But, however great may be the expense of this or any other line, a 
 communication with the Improvements in the Old Town is due as an act 
 of justice to the inhabitants of the New Town, who have been assessed 
 to pay a share of the expense attending this popular undertaking. These 
 Improvements are now rapidly advancing under the able direction of Mr 
 Hamilton; but it must be admitted that, until an access be given to them 
 from the north, they can be of little value to those residing in the north 
 and the west parts of the New Town ; so that an arrangement of this na¬ 
 ture should be cheerfully met by the Commissioners appointed to manage 
 the Works now in progress. 
 
 Under these considerations, it is most desirable that the Improvements 
 to be made upon the Mound (of whatever description) should be carried on 
 simultaneously with those in the Old Town; and allow me to add, that the 
 levelling of this prodigious body of earth, and the forming of the Road 
 
15 
 
 which I have proposed, might be made the means of affording great relief to 
 the industrious labourer, now and so often suffering under want of employ¬ 
 ment. In the winter of 1817, by the same laudable application of our 
 public charity, we acquired the beautiful walk under the Salisbury Crags, 
 as well as those upon the Calton-hill, which are now so much the admira¬ 
 tion of all strangers, and so highly valued by ourselves. 
 
 It cannot be denied, that to allow the Earthen Mound to remain in its 
 present state would be a reflection upon our public taste. To make it har¬ 
 monize with the surrounding scenery, it appears to me, that sooner or later 
 it must be reduced to the level of Prince’s Street; and, as I have said above, 
 the present is the proper time to begin this operation. In its progress, the 
 communication so much wanted will necessarily arise, as the quantity of 
 Earth to be removed from the upper part of the Mound, together with that 
 which must be taken from the High Street, would (as before stated) be 
 sufficient to form such a line as I have suggested. 
 
 By the last view I have taken of this subject, my before-mentioned Plan Plate, No 
 would be much curtailed ; but the main object of a communication between 
 the New and the Old Town, so absolutely necessary, would in the meantime 
 be obtained ; and should the line which I have ventured to recommend be 
 adopted, the part of the Mound upon which in the more extended Plan I 
 have proposed to erect an Arcade, would also in the meantime be formed 
 and prepared to receive such a building at any future period, when it is 
 possible that all apprehension of danger in building upon this (by some 
 thought questionable) foundation may be removed; so that this measure 
 may still be kept in view, to be brought forward when it should be thought 
 advisable to have recourse to it as a source of profit, or when it should be 
 found expedient to be carried into effect, as calculated to afford that com¬ 
 fort and benefit to the public, which, with great deference, I have endeavour¬ 
 ed to show may be acquired by a well-arranged Plan of Improvement upon 
 the Eakthen Mound. 
 
 ALEXANDER TROTTER. 
 

 
MINUTE OF A MEETING HELD AT EDINBURGH, 
 
 5th May, 1829. 
 
 Mr TROTTER of Dreghorn having bestowed much attention on devising a judicious 
 method to connect the Improvement of the Earthen Mound with the projected Alterations 
 contemplated in the adjoining quarter of the City, requested a Meeting of a few of his 
 Friends, with a view to submit to their examination the matured result of his inquiries 
 and suggestions on this subject. 
 
 The following Gentlemen accordingly met this day, viz. 
 
 The Right Honourable Sir Robert Liston, G. C. B., in the Chair. 
 
 Sir John Hope of Craighall, Bart. 
 
 Sir John Hay of Hayston, Bart. 
 
 Sir James Stuart, Bart. 
 
 Sir William Arbuthnot, Bart. 
 
 General Sir John Oswald, G.C.B. 
 
 Admiral Sir David Milne, K. C. B. 
 
 Sir Henry Jardine, Knight. 
 
 Mr Walker Drummond of Hawthornden. 
 
 Mr Skene of Rubislaw. 
 
 Mr Gibson Craig of Riccarton. 
 
 Mr Bonar of Kimmerghame. 
 
 Mr Tytler of Woodhouselee. 
 
 Major Dundas of Carronhall. 
 
 Mr George Forbes. 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel James Lindsay, M. P. 
 
 Mr Borthwick, Jun. of Crookston. 
 
 Mr Trotter of Bush. 
 
 Captain Trotter, R. N. 
 
 Mr Archibald Elliot, Architect. 
 
 Mr Robert Hatton, Clerk to the Meeting. 
 
 After 
 
2 
 
 After a full explanation of the subject in all its different bearings, and an exposition of 
 the Plans projected, the Meeting have much pleasure in expressing their opinion, that Mr 
 Trotter’s scheme goes far to obviate many of the difficulties in which this subject is 
 involved, and particularly with reference to the approach by Bank Street. The Meeting 
 would be sorry to consider this important matter as already foreclosed, from the circum¬ 
 stance of the Bank Street Line being the only one specified in the late Act, as the state of 
 public opinion connected with it, never has been such as to preclude a very general desire 
 that something more satisfactory might come to be suggested. They are therefore dispos¬ 
 ed to consider the Public as much beholden to Mr Trotter, for the anxious and persevering 
 exertions with which he has laboured to solve that difficult problem. 
 
 It would be superfluous here to attempt any explanation of the means by which he 
 proposes to accomplish this object, which are fully detailed in a Memoir prepared for that 
 purpose, especially as a careful examination of the accompanying Plans, with reference to— 
 the public accommodation,—the embellishment of the City,—the private property affected,— 
 and the probable expense in comparison with other Plans, becomes indispensable to a due 
 understanding of its merits. 
 
 This Meeting, therefore, beg respectfully to recommend Mr Trotter’s Proposal to the 
 consideration of the Right Honourable the Lord Provost and Magistrates, of the Parlia¬ 
 mentary Commissioners for the Improvements of the City, and of the Directors of the 
 Bank of Scotland, as containing suggestions well deserving of their attention ; and, with a 
 view to obtain that favour, they request Mr Trotter to transmit his Plans and Memoir for 
 the inspection of the above Authorities. 
 
 (Signed) 
 
 ROB. LISTON. 
 
TiLiATE JWO, 
 
 AIGt<SA2>U& 
 

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LEVELS 
 
 Referred to in the Ground Plan of Mr Trotter's proposed 
 Communication, by the Earthen Mound, between the New 
 and the Old Town of Edinburgh. 
 
 A 
 
 B 
 
 c 
 
 D 
 
 E 
 
 F 
 
 G 
 
 H 
 
 I 
 
 J 
 
 K 
 
 L 
 
 M 
 
 o N } 
 
 p 
 
 Q 
 
 R 
 
 S 
 
 T 
 
 U 
 
 w 
 
 X 
 
 Y 
 
 Z 
 
 SITUATION. 
 
 Prince’s Street at Hanover Street,. 
 
 South End of Mound,. 
 
 Behind the Bank of Scotland,. 
 
 The junction of the two new Roads, vide Ground Plan, 
 Writers’ Court above the Royal Exchange, . . . 
 
 Bank Street front of Bank of Scotland,. 
 
 At the head of Bank Street at the High Street, . . 
 
 Lawnmarket at the West Bow,. 
 
 Prince’s Street at St David Street,. 
 
 Do. do. St Andrew’s Street, ..... 
 
 Do. do. Register Office, . 
 
 North Bridge Street at Old Post Office, .... 
 
 At the foot of Mary King’s Close, behind the Exchange, 
 
 Courts of Law and Libraries,.. 
 
 County Buildings, . 
 
 Police-Office,. 
 
 Ramsay Garden,. 
 
 Tron Church,.. 
 
 Royal Exchange, ............ 
 
 Reservoir on Castle-hill, 122 feet above Prince’s Street, 
 
 Steps for Foot Passengers, . .. 
 
 Additions now in progress, ........ 
 
 Sir William Forbes k Co.’s New Bank in progress, . 
 
 A Fountain, .. 
 
 Present site of the late Mr Tod’s House, .... 
 
 LEVELS. 
 
 Above 
 
 Below 
 
 Prince’s St. 
 
 Reservoir, 
 
 at Hanover St. 
 
 Castlehill. 
 
 
 122 
 
 3 
 
 119 
 
 40 
 
 82 
 
 63 
 
 59 
 
 75 
 
 47 
 
 74 
 
 48 
 
 83 
 
 39 
 
 98 
 
 24 
 
 6 
 
 116 
 
 13 
 
 109 
 
 10 
 
 112 
 
 19 
 
 103 
 
 Below 11 
 
 133 
 
 A B C D E.“=Mr Trotter’s proposed line of communication between the New and 
 the Old Town, leading by the Mound from Hanover Street to the High Church. 
 
 The approach from the South End of the Mound at B, to the High Street at E, a rise 
 of 1 in 18. 
 
 The roads proposed by this Plan are marked by double lines. 
 
 A MODEL of the Grounds, together with an Elevation of the Arcade, may be seen 
 at Mr Hatton’s Shop, Prince’s Street, No 98. 
 
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