"SCOTTS" -NOT SCOTCH.
-rxr .EDITOR or rrir SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Popular and .traditional expressions lasted as long .amongst sailors as in any other class—perhaps longer. Down to a time well within the second half of, the last -century the seamen of the Royal Navy and of the Merchant' Service, when they woke of a man as a " Scott " or " Soottie,". •never meant that he was a Scotchman. Their invariable term for- a Scotch- -man was " Sandy." " Mac " was not used till much later, and came from shore-going people. When sailors spoke .of a man as a " Scott " they always meant that he came from the North of-England, from some part of the country South of the Tweed. Such -a man was occasionally, but more rarely,. spoken of as "Geordie." The " Scotts " manned mesh of the collier .brigs which came in great numbers from the Tyne ports to the River Thames. It was a remarkable sight to see them in large groups beating up or down the river on .a " weather tide" against a heat! wind. The men were easily recognizable at sight. They were, short in stature and thick-set in figure. They had black hair and rather dark complexions. They-were unlike the true Scotch' in every outward appearance.—I am,
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