Cassell's Old and new Edinburgh: its history, its people, and its places . Watt was theactive promoter. Their first attempt was to suborn the HopetounFencibles, then at Dalkeith, and under orders for ] WATT AND DOWN IE. 237 England, but they failed to excite mutiny; yet aplan was formed by which it was expected that theCastle and city would both fall into the hands ofthe Friends of the People, who were secretly design was this :— A fire was to be raised near the excise office,which would require the attendance of the soldiers,?who were to be met on their way by a body o
Cassell's Old and new Edinburgh: its history, its people, and its places . Watt was theactive promoter. Their first attempt was to suborn the HopetounFencibles, then at Dalkeith, and under orders for ] WATT AND DOWN IE. 237 England, but they failed to excite mutiny; yet aplan was formed by which it was expected that theCastle and city would both fall into the hands ofthe Friends of the People, who were secretly design was this :— A fire was to be raised near the excise office,which would require the attendance of the soldiers,?who were to be met on their way by a body of theFriends of the People, another party of whom were committee of Sense and Money was formed toprocure them. Two smiths, named Robert Orrockand William Brown, who had enrolled, receivedorders to make 4,000 pikes, some of which wereactually completed, delivered to Watt, and paidfor by Downie in his capacity as treasurer. Meanwhile the trials of Skirving, Margaret, andGerald, liad taken place, for complicity to a certainextent in the same movements ; but it was not. Tilt, will IE HART INN, GRASSMAKKET. to issue from the West Bow, confine the soldiersbetv-feen two forces, and cut off all retreat. TheCastle was next to be attempted, the judges andmagistrates were to be seized, and all the publicbanks to be secured. A proclamation was thento be issued, ordering all farmers to bring in theirgrain to the market as usual, and enjoining allcountry gentlemen unfriendly to the cause to keepwithin their houses, or three miles of them, underjienalty of death. Then an address was to be sentto his Majesty, commanding him to put an end tothe war, to change his ministers, or take the conse-(jiiences! events were to take place inDublin and London on the same night. Before this startling scheme could he effected,•arms of all descriptions were necessary, and a third until about the i5tli of May, 1794, that Watt andDownie were apprehended. On that day it chancedtliat two sheriff offi
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