| Activity | John Clerk of Eldin (1728-1812), son of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik Bt (1684-1755), was engaged as an Edinburgh merchant until c1773, when he purchased Eldin, in the parish of Lasswade (Midlothian). He had business interests in collieries which led to an interest in geology, and he often accompanied the geologist Dr James Hutton (1726-1797) on his surveys. He was the author of an important essay on naval tactics, concerning manoeuvres to break the enemy’s line, which brought considerable debate then and later. |