FORT GEORGE, a military station of Inverness-shire, Scotland. It lies 12
m. N.E. of Inverness, and is the terminus of the small branch line
connecting with the Highland railway at Gollanfield junction. It
occupies a sandy promontory forming the extreme end of the southern
shore of Inner Moray Firth (also called the Firth of Inverness), which
is here only 1 m. wide. There is communication by ferry with Fortrose on
the opposite coast of the Black Isle. The fort was begun in 1748, partly
after the plan of one of Vauban's works, and named in honour of George
II. Wolfe, who saw it in course of erection in 1751, was much impressed
with it and thought it would, when finished, be "the most considerable
fortress and best situated in Great Britain." It covers 16 acres and
contains accommodation for nearly 2200 men. It is the depot of the
Seaforth Highlanders, and a military training-ground of some size and
importance because the surrounding country gives ample facilities for
exercise and manoeuvres. General Wade's road is maintained in good
order. Fort George, it is said, had almost been chosen as the place of
detention for Napoleon when the claims of St Helena were put forward.
About 2 m. S.E. is the fishing village of Campbelltown, in growing
repute as a seaside resort. Midway between the fort and Inverness stands
Castle Stuart, a shooting-box of the earl of Moray.
FORTH, a river and firth of the east of Scotland. The river is formed by
two head streams, Duchray Water (12 m.) and Avondhu (10 m.), or Laggan
as it is called after it leaves Loch Ard, both rising in the north-east
of Ben Lomond in Stirlingshire, and uniting 1 m. west of Aberfoyle. From
this point till it receives the Kelty, the Forth continues to be a
Perthshire stream, but afterwards it becomes the dividing line between
the counties of Perth and Stirling as far as the confluence of the
Allan. Thence it belongs to Stirlingshire to a point 1-1/2 m. due west of
Cambus, whence it serves as the boundary between the shires of Stirling
and Clackmannan. Owing to the extremely tortuous character of its course
between Gartmore and Alloa--the famous "links of the Forth,"--the actual
length of the river is 66 m., or nearly double the distance in a direct
line (30 m.) between the source of the Duchray and Kincardine, where the
firth begins. The river drains an area of 645 sq. m. Its general
direction is mainly easterly with a gentle trend towards the south, and
the principal tributaries on the left are the Goodie, Teith, Allan and
Devon, and on the right, the Kelty, Boquhan and Bannock. The alluvial
plain extending from Gartmore to the county town is called the Carse of
Stirling. The places of interest on the banks are Aberfoyle, Kippen,
Stirling, Cambuskenneth, Alloa and Kincardine, but after it crosses the
Highland line the Forth does not present many passages of remarkable
beauty. There are bridges at Aberfoyle, Gartmore, Frew, Drip and
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