DAVID-ST, a village and sea-port, in the parish of
Dalgety, district of Dunfermline, county of Fife,
1 mile (E. N. E.) from North Queensferry; containing 15.5
inhabitants. This little sea-port, which is situated on
the Firth of Forth, owes its origin to the Fordel collieries,
in the parish, belonging to Admiral Sir P. H. Durham,
G.C.B., by whom great improvements were made in it,
for the more expeditious and convenient shipping of the
coal so largely obtained. The harbour, which, from
what remains of the original works, seems to have been
badly constructed, was improved by the proprietor at
an expense of £2000, and now affords safe anchorage to
ships of 500 tons' burthen, which may load and deliver
their cargoes on the beach. There are extensive saltworks:
the salt water, at flood-tides, is forced by a steamengine
into a capacious reservoir, whence, after depositing
its residuum of sand, it is conveyed in a purified state
into large pans, producing annually about 30,000 bushels
of salt. The Fordel collieries are now closed.