Telegrams –

Inspection Edinburgh

[address indecipherable]

18 Sept 99

My Dear Lady Victoria,

I have today got the Tiree papers about the proposed pier. The history is as follows. In 1888 the agitation was commenced by D. MacDonald, Mr. He was informed that by statute the locality had to contribute ¼ to the cost. In 1889 a second memorial was signed by the fishermen pleading their inability to contribute this fourth part and dwelling on the urgency of the case. Then the Highlands & Islands Commission was appointed and their attention was called to the want of a pier. Col. Malcolm reported that a pier at Gott Bay would be of great service to the agricultural, fishing & general trade of the island. Estimated cost £11,500. In 91 the Treasury in consequence of the recommendation of the Commission were prepared to grant £8,000 if some local authority would raise the balance of £11,500 and guarantee maintenance. Intimation of this grant was made to the Duke as owner of the Island. On 30 Nov 91, the Duke wrote to his tenants saying he had long wished for a pier and had incurred much expense in surveys but there were three conditions indisputable.

1. Sufficient stability

2. Reasonable cost

3. Dues that would pay expense of erection & maintenance.

The first estimate by Mr Strain, CE was £7,000. Next Messrs Stevenson put it at £11,500 and afterwards increased it to £13,600. The Duke pointed out the very exposed situation of the best site Gott Bay but assured them of his wish to have the pier built if it could be done safely and reasonably.

In 92 another petition was received from the people and referred by Lord Lothian to the Duke. He said his further correspondence only resulted in increased estimates and that he thought Govt might now direct a report to be prepared by an engineer of standing. Lord Lothian obtained Treasury consent to employ an engineer paying ½ cost of engineer’s expenses & ²/₃ cost of pier, the balance being defrayed by the Duke, and Mr Moore was employed. In Nov 92 the Duke wrote that Mr Moore’s report was so unfavourable that he must now give up the scheme. Looking at the fact that 3 different engineers have reported differently on this work, all of competent qualification, and that each of them has differed from the conclusions of his predecessor, I cannot but feel that the enterprise is beset by unusual difficulties and must encounter unusual risks involving a large expenditure of capital that may all be lost. Looking to all the sources of uncertainty which can hardly be fully estimated at present, I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that I cannot proceed with the enterprise at all events during this year.

In Feb 92 the inhabitants called on their County Council to take up the pier question and they asked Secretary for Scotland to fund Col. Hill’s report. S for S, Sir G. Trevelyan, replied that it had already been reported on and he saw no object in funding Col. Hill.

From that time till now Mr Samuel Cowan & others have repeatedly urged on this the Sec. for Scotland’s office the necessity of making a pier. They have been informed that there were no funds available. The last application was from Lord Archibald Campbell 30 Sept 97 who received the same reply. This is a précis of the memo on the subject sent by the Sec. for Scotland to the Congested Districts Board. A deputation to the Duke took place in Dec 1898 who informed it that he would take time to consider the whole position.

The whole question having been handed over by the Sec. for Scotland to the Congested Districts Board was considered carefully by their Works Committee who I regret to say came to the conclusion that the question could not be reopened again.

It never was referred to him. It was examined into as you know by Col. Malcolm who reported favourably on the Gott Bay site. I feel very strongly the need of a pier there but of course I also see that the cost will be great and the risk as regards upkeep will be excessive. But still with a large and prosperous island I do not see why these should not be met. I cannot take any initiative in moving about it but I should be very glad to help it on in any way I could.

I have often deplored the state you must have often been in with the mail boat passing your door & not able to communicate.

But I fear with the view taken by the Works Committee of the Congested District Board there is not much prospect of getting a grant from them except by very strong pressure from which of course I am precluded from joining in.

Believe me

Yours sincerely,

[signature indecipherable]