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Scotland (Northern division of Mull)
the northern division of Mull of Galloway, is 287 miles. The S. W., between Dunnet Head and the The greatest length, from N. N. E. to S. ed by the sea. Area, 29,797 square miles. way, Cheviots, and Tweed, the border isthmus being abo the irregular boundary line measures fully 100 miles. On all other sides it is bounded by the sea. Area, 29,797 square miles. about 60 miles across; but The greatest length, from N. N. E. to S.
S. W., between Dunnet Head and the Mull of Galloway, is 287 miles. The breadth varies from 140 miles to less than 26, the latter in the N., between Dornoch Firth and Loch Broom. Few points in the mainland are more than 40 miles from the sea, the country being so much penemany of the names of which are still merly divided into a number of districts, many of the names of which are still familiar, such as Lothian, Tweeddale, Galloway, Breadalbane, etc., but for political purposes it is now divided into 33 shires or counties. nearly 800, On the E. coast they are few lation in 1919 was 4,894,100. counties.
The population in estimated population in 1918, are: Glas- The most important gow, 1,111,428; Edinburgh, 333,883; Dundee, 181,777; and Aberdeen, 166,564. the estimated popuint cities, with their Islands and Coasts. - The islands of Scotland are said to number aber altogether nearly 800. On the E. coast they are few and small; but on the N. E. are the two large groups of the Orkneys and Shetlands, the former numbering 90 islands, 28 permanently inhabited; the latter 100 islands, 29 inhabited; while on the W. coast the islands are large and numerous.
Here the Hebrides extend for 200 miles from N. to S., and are divided into the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the former lying close to the W. coast of the mainland and stretching from Skye to Islay; the latter parted from the Inner Hebrides by the straits of the Minch and the Little Minch, comprise the long chain of islands from Lewis to Benbecula. Inclosed in the Firth of Clvde are the islands of Ar- SCOTLAND indented mountain wall, pre the mainland is generally a wild, deeply county by ther Arctic regions in summer. An American SCOTIA, the Latin name of Scotland, of a dark brown hue. It occurs in the orange color. The females are colored ries of inlets or sea lochs, while toward the middle the coast is cleft by two great inlets with openings to the S. W., the Firth of Lorn and its continuation Loch Linnhe, and the Firth of Clyde ramifications running far inland. The E. siderable elevation, the chief inlets being themselves. The W. coast of ray Firth, Cromarty Firth, etc. presenting a secoast is sometimes low and sandy, but is often formed of steep the Firths of Forth and Tay, and the Molyde and its teep Linnhe, and the Firth of Clyde and its of the surface and the geological strucdivisions lies N. of a line stretching in a and Southern Uplands. The first of these S. W. direction from the coast of Kincardineshire to the Firth of Clyde; the from Dunbar S. W. to Girvan; the country between these lines forms the Central Surface. Both from the configuration Lowlands. The Highland division is rethird is the country S. of a line drawnmarkable for the number and elevation ture the country divides into three diviof its mountain masses, many of the sions, the Highlands, Central Lowlands, summits being over 4,000 feet high. The mountains best known by name are the ries of masses covering a large area, and Grampians, which form a system or se- mountains best known by name are the summits being over 4,000 feet high. The of its mountain masses, many of the markable for the number and elevation Lowlands. The Highland division is reries of masses covering a large area, and culminating on the W. coast in Ben Nevis, 4,406 feet high; while 55 miles to the N. E. rises a remarkable cluster of summits reaching in Ben Macdhui the height of 4,296 feet. The Grampians and their connections are separated from the mountains farther to the N. by Glenmore or the Great Glen of Scotland, a remarkable depression stretching quite across the terway from the W. coast to the E. The Southern Uplands are also essentially country from sea to sea, and forming, by 2,000 feet being frequent, though none Caledonian canal connecting them, tral region, though much less elevated than the other two divisions, has none of the monotony usual in flat countries.
Though occupying not more than a sixth the series of lakes occupying it of the whole surfac soil and its mineral treasures make this exceed 3,000 feet above the sea. The cenpart by far the wealthiest and most populous. The present form of the land sura mountainous region, summits faces of Scotland is the effect of erosion. pying it and the or denudation. The country was at one time an elevated table-land, the upper surface of which is indicated by the sumn, a wamits of the mountain masses, but has been deeply trenched and furrowed in all its of over directions by the erosive action of water, ice, and frost. The slope of the ancient plateau may be determined by the direcsurface , the fertility of the SCOTLAND tion of the principal rivers; in the N. part it is chiefly toward the E., in the S. more equally E. and W.
Rivers and Lakes. The chief rivers flow (roughly speaking) to the E., and enter the German ocean, the largest being the Tweed, Forth, Tay, South Esk, North Esk, Dee, Don, Deveron, Spey, and Findhorn; those entering the sea on the W. are the Clyde, Ayr, Doon, Dee, Nith, Annan, and Esk. The Tay carries to the sea a larger quantity of water than any river in in Great Britain, but neither it nor most of the others, except when they form estuaries, are of much use for navigation. The Clyde, however, in its lower course carries a vast traffic, this being rendered possible chiefly by dredging.
Many of the rivers are valuable from the numbers of salmon they produce. A striking feature of the country is the great multitude of lakes, varying in size from Loch Lomond (28 square miles) to the pool-like mountain tarns. In the Northern Highlands almost every glen has its lake and every mountain hollow is filled by a stream or spring. Among the more noted are Lochs Lomond, Katrine, Tay, Earn, Rannoch, Awe, Shiel, Laggan, Lochy, Ness, Maree, Shin, in the Western and Northern Highlands; and St. Mary's Loch, Lochs Ken, Dee, and Doon in the Southern Uplands.
Geology. As regards geology the older or palæozoic rocks predominate almost everywhere in Scotland. The Highlands are composed almost entirely of crystalline schists, gneiss, and quartzites; the Central Lowlands of odd red standstone, carboniferous, and Permian strata; the Southern Uplands mostly of rocks of Silurian age. In certain localities remains of secondary formations are represented over small spaces, while volcanic rocks cover considerable areas. Granite exists in great masses in many localities, and in some parts is extensively quarried.
The most valuable mineral region is the Central Lowlands, where coal and iron exist in such quantity as to make this one of the most important mineral fields of Great Britain.
For agriculture, manufactures and commerce, see GREAT BRITAIN.
Political Constitution. - The Parliament of Scotland anciently comprised all who held any portion of land, however small, from the crown by tenure of military service, till the reign of James VI., when the small barons or freeholders were excused from attendance in person, "two or more wise men" being deputed from each county in proportion to its size. Its powers were nominally extensive, but the supreme power was virtually in the king, who by his influence often entirely controlled its proceedings. The Parliament SCOTLAND in the whole consisted of three estatesthe nobility, the dignified clergy (consisting of bishops, abbots, and priors), and the lesser barons, or representatives of shires and burgs. When PRESBYTERIAN- ISM (q. v.) was formally ratified by law after the revolution of 1688, the ecclesiastical estate ceased to have a place in Parliament. Every measure brought before Parliament was previously prepared by a committee, styled the lords of the articles, chosen from each of the three orders, but in effect little better than royal nominees. Before the Union there were four great officers of state-the lord highchancellor, the high high-treasurer, r, the lord privy-seal, and the secretary; and there were also four lesser officers-the lord clerk-register, the lord-advocate, the treasurer-depute, and the justice clerk.
Previously to the era of the Revolution the privy council of Scotland assumed inquisitorial powers, and even torture was administered under the sanction of its authority; but it is now entirely merged in the privy council of Great Britain. The number of peers in the Scotch Parliament was formerly 160, and of commons 155, and all sat in one house and voted promiscuously. y. At the union of the kingdoms the political system of Scotland was almost entirely incorporated with that of England. (See GREAT BRITAIN, Government.) The Court of Sessions is the supreme civil court of Scotland. The Court of Justiciary, or criminal court, composed only of judges of the Court of Session, is supreme in the highest sense, since its decisions in criminal cases are not subject to any review. The principal subordinate judicatories are sheriff courts, established in each county or stewartry.
Sheriff-substitutes, or judges ordinary, one or more holding separate courts in different districts, decide in the first instance, subject to the review of the principal sheriff or sheriff depute, whose decisions, though final within the limits of his jurisdiction, are reviewable by the Court of Session, with the exception of classes of cases provided for by special statutes. Besides the sheriff court, each county or district of a county has its justice of peace courts, in which judges, not stipendiary, decide on principles of equity in minor crimes; and in every town of any importance are bailie, dean of guild, and police courts, with limited jurisdictions.
Education.- Scotland has had the advantage of a national system of elementary education for over two centuries, a school having been established in every parish by a law of 1697, according to a system proposed by John Knox long before. This scheme did effective service SCOTLAND for the education of the people, till the great increase of population, especially in towns, rendered it unequal to the task laid on it, and this notwithstanding the erection of many schools by various religious denominations. By the passing of the Education Act of 1872 board schools have superseded the old parish schools, there being also numerous grammar or high schools and academies in every town of any size, though no systraining schools and colleges of the dif- Other institutions are the normal or training schools and colleges of the different religious bodies, and the four universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberversity was that of St. Andrews, dating versity was that of St. Andrews, dating from 1451; next came that of Glasgow (1450), then King's College and University Aberdeen (1494), then Edinburgh lege and University Aberdeen (1593).
The two Aberdeen universities were united in 1860.
History. Scotland was first visited by the Roman troops under Agricola, who mountains. It was afterward exposed Danes, with whom many bloody battles were fought. Various contests were also maintained with the Kings of England.
Robert Bruce, however, secured the independence of the country and his title to the throne by the decisive battle of Bannockburn in 1314. He was succeeded by his nephew, Robert Stewart, and he by his eldest son, Robert. He being a weak prince, the reins of government were seized by the Duke of Albany, who stoned to death the eldest son of the king.
James, his second son, to escape a similar fate, fled to France; in the year 1424 he returned to Scotland, and having excited the jealousy sy of the nobility, he was assassinated in a monastery near Perth.
James II., his son, an infant prince, succeeded him in 1437. He was killed by the bursting of a cannon at the siege of the castle of Roxburgh. James III. ascended the throne at the age of seven years. His reign was weak and inglorious, and he was murdered in the house of a miller, whither he had fled for protection. James IV., a generous and brave prince, began his reign in 1488. He was an infant of less than two years of age, succeeded to the crown. He died in 1542, and was succeeded by his daughter, the celebrated Queen Mary, whose history was succeeded by her son James, who, in 1603, ascended the throne of England, when the two kingdoms were united into SCOTLAND one great monarchy which was legislatively united in 1707. In 1715 and 1745, unsuccessful attempts were made for the restoration of the exiled Stuarts. nal Scotch Church seems to have been