The turbulence of the clans was at once diminished when they were disarmed and the way was thus paved for peaceful compromise. The ways of peace became more attractive to both kerns and chiefs after roads had been made in the mountainous region. Then the economic situation steadily improved and industry was associated with allurements nearly equal to those of war. One of the first things to be done, to command success in this new venture in statecraft, was to make a clever adaptation of the Highland dress, which should take away all idea of conquest or servitude, but rather suggest ancestral freedom. In this, the success was instant and marked. Attracted also by the high pay, the hardy men of the glens enlisted by thousands in the British army. It was the wise and far-seeing statesman Pitt, who, acting upon the suggestion of Forbes of Culloden, saw that all that the unemployed Highlanders needed were new outlets to their energies. For over two-centuries the United Kingdom had no more loyal soldiers than the Scots, whose valor in every land has been tried and on a hundred fields of glory proved. The prohibitory acts, already a dead letter, were, in 1782, formally repealed. Since that time the tartan plaids have come into fashion on an international scale. These are no longer thought of as a thing purely Scottish, yet the credit of such a notable contribution to the taste, the fashion, and the joy of the whole world belongs to Scotland. It is one of the many gifts which this land and people have made to the race at large. In the Empire’s struggle for life in 1914–16, among the first, most valorous, most numerous, and most efficient, were the Scots. Even for a “service” uniform, the modified Highland dress holds handsomely its own. CHAPTER XVIII THE NORTHEAST COAST--ABERDEEN AND ELGIN The northeast coast of Scotland is pacific in climate, as compared with the Atlantic storminess that rules the sea-girt land on the west. Montrose, which has twenty places in America named after it, lying at the mouth of the river South Esk, is attractive because of its splendid golf and cricket grounds. It is historically interesting, on account of the checkered fortunes of its dukes and earls. On its face we discern a Netherlands influence, for the old architecture reminds us of Dutch towns. Indeed, this may be said of many east coast places, though in Holland the architecture is all brick. In Scotland it is almost wholly stone. So much land at Montrose is left bare at low tide that it seems a waste to have it lie unused by any living thing but gulls and fishes. Once, expert dyke-makers were brought from Holland to embank and enclose the area thus left dry at ebb tide; but when nearly completed their work was destroyed in a few hours by a terrible storm setting in from the east.