Chapter IV: Part 4

Weymouth and Melcombe-Regis lie on opposite sides of the same river, the latter on the east, and the former on the west. They are connected by a bridge, the central part of which can be swung open, to allow of the passing and repassing of ships. The name of Weymouth is generally given to the united towns, which are both in the county of Dorset, and about 130 miles to the south-westward of London.

Weymouth derives its name from the Wey, or Way, a small river which there discharges itself into the sea. It is a place of great antiquity; it is mentioned in a charter granted by Ethelred, about the year 880, giving certain lands there to his faithful minister, Altsere. In the Domesday Survey there are no less than eight places in the county with the name of _Wai_ or _Waia_; that, however, which is described as having twelve _salterns_, or salt ponds, was undoubtedly the Weymouth of the present time. In the reign of Edward II. Weymouth returned two members to Parliament; and in 1347, probably in conjunction with Melcombe, it supplied 15 ships and 263 mariners to the grand fleet of Edward III.

Melcombe owes its adjunct, "Regis"--King's--to its having been a part of the demesne lands of the crown in the time of Edward I. It is not mentioned in the Domesday survey; but it appears to have been summoned to return two members to Parliament several years earlier than Weymouth, though the latter, in all charters, has precedence as the more ancient town. The inhabitants of the two places had frequent quarrels respecting their rights to the harbour and the profits thence accruing; and, in consequence of those dissensions, the towns were deprived of the privileges of a staple port by Henry VI. In the thirteenth year of the reign of Elizabeth the two towns were united into one borough, having their privileges in common, and jointly returning four members to Parliament. By the Reform Bill the number of members returned by the united towns has been limited to two.

The following is Leland's account of the two places at the time of his visiting them, in the reign of Henry VIII.: "Ther is a townlet on the hither side of the haven of Waymouth caullid Milton or Melcombe], beyng privilegid and having a mair. This town, as it is evidently seene, hathe beene far bigger then it is now. The cause of this is layid on to the Frenchmen, that in tymes of war rasid this towne for lak of defence. For so many houses as be yn the town, they be welle and strongly buildid of stone. There is a chapelle of ease in Milton. The paroch church is a mile of: a manifest token that Milton is no very old town ... Milton standith as a peninsula, by reason of the water of the haven that a little above the toun, spreedith abrode and makith a bay, and by the bay of the mayne sea that gulfith it in on the other side. The tounlet of Waymouth lyith strait agaynst Milton on the other side of the haven, and at this place the water of the haven is but of a small brede; and the _trajectus_ is by a bote and a rope bent over the haven, so that in the fery bote they use no oars. Waymouth hath certein liberties and privileges, but ther is no mair yn it. Ther is a key and warf for shippes."[4]

In the same manner as at many other towns on the southern coast, the trade of Weymouth appears to have declined considerably from the time that the English ceased to have any possessions in France; and the comparatively small depth of water in the harbour has tended to prevent the increase of its shipping in modern times. The harbour at Weymouth is what is called a tide-harbour. The channel is about fourteen feet deep at high water; and at the quays on each side the ships lie aground at low water. The large lake at the westward of Melcombe-Regis receives at spring tides a vast body of water, which, on its return scours the harbour and prevents the accumulation of sand. The number of ships belonging to the port of Weymouth is about eighty-five, the aggregate tonnage of which is 7175 tons.

The increase of Weymouth within the last forty or fifty years is chiefly owing to the number of persons who take up a temporary residence there to enjoy the benefit of sea-bathing, for which the excellent beach affords the greatest convenience. It is said that the place first began to obtain celebrity on this account about 1763, in consequence of Ralph Allen, Esq., of Prior Park, near Bath, having derived great benefit while residing there, and recommending it to his friends. Weymouth was visited, in 1789, by George III., who resided there for about ten weeks, and was so much pleased with the place that in several succeeding years it was honoured with a royal visit.

[4] Leland's Itinerary, vol. iii., p. 79. Edition 1769.

_THE PRISON OF KING CHARLES I._]

HURST CASTLE

"Here Walter Scott has woo'd the Northern muse;
Here he with me has joyed to walk or cruise;
Hence have we ranged by Celtic camps and barrows,
Or climb'd the expectant bank, to thread the Narrows
Of HURST, bound westward to the gloomy bower
Where CHARLES was prisoned in yon island-tower."

W. STEWART ROSE.

Among the numerous objects which confer particular interest and beauty on the neighbourhood of Lymington, the most prominent is Hurst Castle, of which a striking view is presented in the annexed Engraving. It was erected by Henry the Eighth, as a fortress for the protection of this part of the Channel from piratical inroads and hostile aggression, and to give his "loving subjects" a strong and lasting pledge of his "paternal solicitude" for their welfare. It is situated near the extremity of a remarkable, natural causeway, or point of land, which runs boldly into the sea to a distance of nearly two miles, and exhibits these massive battlements to great advantage. Its works of defence consist of a circular tower, strengthened by semicircular bastions; and when armed and garrisoned in a manner becoming the important trust confided to it, must have presented a very formidable appearance.

Lymington, to whose neighbourhood this formidable stronghold serves as an attractive feature, is now well known and much frequented as a delightful watering-place. It stands about a mile from the narrow channel which separates the main land from the Isle of Wight. Owing to the daily increasing facilities of communication, the picturesque scenery of the New Forest, the various objects of interest and notoriety with which the vicinity abounds, and the delightful prospects which may be enjoyed from the windows of the apartments as well as from the adjoining walks, Lymington is well deserving of the commendation which it has uniformly received from all strangers.[5]

Among the many tempting rides and walks which are open to the public, and present a continual variety of sea and inland views, the most interesting are those to Mudiford, Milford, Boldre, Beaulieu, and High Cliff. On the latter the late Earl of Bute erected a magnificent edifice, in consequence of an early and strong partiality to the spot; for here, he observed, he had always slept soundly, when he could find that luxury nowhere else. The view from this point is one of the finest in the kingdom. The house, though much reduced in size, and modernized by the present owner, has rather gained than lost by the change; while the salubrious quality of the air has certainly not deteriorated. Boldre contains much picturesque scenery, which will be still more highly appreciated when the stranger is informed that in the vicarage of this parish, and amidst the scenes which daily met his eye, the late Rev. and pious William Gilpin composed his popular work on Forest Scenery.[6] Beaulieu is interesting as having been the seat of a rich abbey, founded in 1204; the refectory of which has been long used as a parish church.[7] Mudiford possesses a fine level sandy beach, of wide extent, admirably adapted for sea-bathing, and commanding a variety of scenes and objects of great beauty. It was a favourite with George the Third and Queen Charlotte, when at Weymouth, who honoured Mr. Rose with a visit at his picturesque cottage on the beach.

[5] The cliffs which extend towards Hurst Castle abound in marine fossils, shells, and petrifactions, from which many excellent collections have been made.

[6] _Remarks on Forest Scenery and other Woodland Views, illustrated by the Scenery of New Forest, 1791._ The _Picturesque Tours_, by the same author, display a deep and correct feeling of the beauties of nature. At his death, in 1804, he appropriated a collection of his Sketches to the endowment of a school at Boldre.

[7] The pulpit belonging to this ancient refectory is the most perfect and elegant relic of its kind in England.

_HAMPSHIRE._]

COWES.

East and West Cowes, in the Isle of Wight, lie on opposite sides, and near the mouth of the river Medina, which rises on the southern side of the island, and after passing Newport, discharges itself into the strait--usually called the Solent Sea--that separates the Isle of Wight from the main land. The view of the harbour in the engraving is taken from West Cowes.

In the reign of Henry VIII., two castles were built at the mouth of the river Medina to defend the passage to Newport. The old castle at West Cowes is still standing, but that of East Cowes has long been demolished. The castellated building seen in the engraving is a gentleman's seat, and is of modern erection, combining the interior comforts of modern civilization with the exterior grandeur of a baronial residence of the middle ages; but whether such a combination is lawful, admits of a doubt. Beheld from the sea, with its towers and battlements rising above the luxuriant plantations around it, has a fine and imposing effect. The grounds are extensive and well designed, possessing at once the scenery of a park and the cultivated beauty of a pleasure-ground.

Cowes harbour is spacious and commodious; and the roads off the mouth of the river, which afford excellent anchorage, used frequently to be crowded, in time of war, with merchant-vessels waiting for convoy; and the towns derived great advantage from supplying ships, while thus detained, with provisions and small stores. The loss of a great part of this trade, on the termination of the war, has perhaps been more than compensated by Cowes having become the rendezvous of the Royal Yacht Squadron, which was first established under the name of the Yacht Club, in 1815. The number of vessels belonging to the squadron is about a hundred, and their aggregate tonnage is nearly 9,000 tons. The members have a club-house at Cowes; and at the annual regatta, which generally takes place about the last week in August, there are usually upwards of two hundred vessels assembled in the roads, to witness the sailing for the different prizes.

The town of West Cowes is situated on the declivity, and at the base of a hill, on the summit of which stands the church. The streets are mostly narrow, and irregularly built; but recently the town and its vicinity have been much improved by the erection of several large houses and beautiful villas. There is a regular communication between Cowes and Southampton, by steam-boats, which, in summer, leave each place twice a day. East Cowes is a much smaller place than West Cowes; but, like the latter, it has been greatly enlarged within the last twenty years.

In the vicinity of East Cowes is situated Osborne House, the marine residence of her Majesty and the royal family, for whose accommodation great additions and improvements have been made to the house and grounds, and what was formerly the seat of a private gentleman, has now been rendered a palace worthy of the royalty of England. The brief limits to which our notices are confined preclude us from entering upon a description of an edifice to which we could do but very imperfect justice, and which, after all, must derive its chief interest from the illustrious family who occupy its walls, and avail themselves of its peculiarly advantageous situation as the starting point for those marine excursions in which the Queen and her Consort so frequently indulge. The presence of royalty in its neighbourhood has rendered Cowes one of the most fashionable, as nature had previously made it one of the most beautiful, of the watering places on our southern coast, while the facilities afforded by the competing lines of the London and South Western, and London and South Coast Railways, render it at all times easy of access from the metropolis.

_HANTS._]

SOUTHAMPTON.

The town of Southampton is situated in the county of the same name, or, as it is more frequently called, Hampshire. It is built on a point of land at the confluence of the river Itchin with the estuary called the Anton, but which is more generally known as Southampton Water. The origin of the name of the town--which has unquestionably given its name to the county--does not appear to have been satisfactorily ascertained; some writers supposing it to be composed of the Saxon words, _ham_ and _tun_ or _ton_--which are nearly synonymous, and each equivalent to the modern English town--with the prefix _South_ to distinguish it more emphatically from Northampton. Others, however, consider that the name has been derived from the river Anton, on the banks of which the town is situated. "The town of _An_dover," says Sir Henry Englefield, "the village of Abbot's-_An_, the farm of North_anton_, and the hamlet of South_anton_, both near Overton, and not far from the eastern source of the river _Anton_ or rather _Ant_, are abundant proofs of the probability of this etymology."

Southampton, as a chartered borough, may rank with the oldest in the kingdom. Madox, in his _Firma Burgi_, says that Henry II. "confirmed to his men, or burgesses of Southampton, their guild, and their liberties and customs by sea and land; he having regard to the great charges which the inhabitants thereof have been at in defending the sea-coasts." From a grant by the same king to the priory of St. Dionysius, it appears that there were then four churches in Southampton. While the English were in possession of Guienne, the merchants of Southampton carried on a considerable trade with Bayonne, Bordeaux, and other towns in the south of France.

In 1338 the town was assaulted and burnt by a party of French or Genoese; and in the next year an act was passed for its better fortification. Whatever injury the town might have sustained from the attack of the French or Genoese, it would seem that its trade as a port was not diminished by it; for, nine years afterwards, Southampton supplied twenty-one ships and four hundred and seventy-six mariners to the great fleet of Edward III. In consequence of another attack by the French, in the reign of Richard II., the fortifications were further strengthened. In 1415 the army of Henry V., destined for the invasion of France, assembled at Southampton, where, previous to their embarkation, the Earl of Cambridge, Lord Scrope, and Sir Thomas Grey, were executed for high treason. The result of this memorable expedition was the victory of Agincourt. While the English continued to hold possession of part of France, the trade of Southampton appears to have been very flourishing, and the port was one of the principal in the south of England for the import of wine. Camden, writing about 1586, describes it as a town famous for the number and neatness of its buildings, the wealth of its inhabitants, and the resort of merchants; "but now," adds Camden's translator, writing about a hundred years afterwards, "it is not in the same flourishing condition as formerly it was; for having lost a great part of its trade, it has lost most of its inhabitants too; and the great houses of merchants are now dropping to the ground, and only show its ancient magnificence."[8]

For the last fifty years the trade of Southampton, as a port, has been gradually reviving; and at present there is no port in the south of England in a more flourishing condition. The arrival and departure of the numerous large steamers belonging to the Oriental and Peninsular and the West India Mail Packet Companies, give it an air of activity and importance very different from the character given of it in the preceding paragraph. The splendid docks, and the facilities afforded by the railway, have induced the government of the day to select it as an eligible point for the embarkation of a large portion of the emigrants sent out with free or assisted passages to the Australian colonies.

[8] Camden's _Britannia_, translated by Bishop Gibson, vol. i., p. 213.

SOUTHAMPTON.

THE WALLS.

"Of yore, SOUTHAMPTON, by thy briny flood,
Girt with his courtly train, great Canute stood;
And, turning from the disobedient wave,
A check severe to servile flattery gave."

The accompanying View shows a portion of those ancient fortifications within which the town of Southampton was originally enclosed. The walls are in many places quite demolished; but in others they still present a venerable, though dilapidated appearance, with the remains of several towers at regular intervals, after the manner of fortified cities. The circuit of the walls is computed at nearly two miles. With regard to the precise date at which the walls were erected, there is no certain record. The north, east, and south walls bear every mark of uniform regularity in their structure: the gates of the town are apparently of the same date with the walls, and much resemble each other in the massy, flat form of their pointed arches, which rise at an angle from their piers, being struck from centres below the level of their spring--a mode of construction chiefly used in the reign of Edward the First. Yet the remains of semicircular towers, still visible on the Bargate, and which flanked its round arch, very much resembling the towers on the north and east walls, lead us to suspect that the wall, on the land side at least, is of higher antiquity than the time of the Edwards, and that the present gates were built later than the wall. The very singular position of the Water-gate, which retires thirty feet behind the eastern part of the south wall, and the awkward position of the South-gate, at the very angle of the wall, seem to indicate that these gates were not parts of the original design. From the south-west angle of the wall, quite to the Bridle-gate, which was close to the vallum of the Castle, the whole wall is a mass of irregular and almost inexplicable construction. It is conjectured that the side of the town, protected as it was by the Castle, and covered by the sea, was not at all, or but very slightly fortified, until the fatal experience of the sack of the town by the French proved that some further defence was necessary. The line of the town wall, south of the West-gate, is irregular in its construction; and the wall between the West and Bridle-gates bears evident marks of having been built in the most hasty manner, and with the greatest economy of materials. This wall, in its present form, Sir Henry Englefield supposes to have been built about the period when, according to the old historians, Richard the Second fortified the town, and built, or probably repaired and strengthened, the Castle, for it had evidently been built several centuries before his reign.

At the accession of Henry the Eighth, the port of Southampton was much frequented by foreign merchant vessels, particularly those of Venice, which traded largely in wool and tin. But the exportation of wool being prohibited by the legislature, the Levant merchants gradually resorted to other ports, and, now deserted by her commercial friends, Southampton found her resources greatly impoverished. About the commencement of the last century, however, the tide flowed once more in her favour, and, continuing to increase, has at length placed her in a position of unprecedented prosperity. But to this happy result the erecting of new docks, an improved harbour, and, above all, communication with London by railway, have mainly contributed. The terminus to the latter, begun and completed in 1839, is a very pleasing piece of Italian composition, with a projecting rusticated arcade of five arches below, and the same number of pedimental windows to the upper floor. The facade, nearly seventy feet in length, is considerably extended in its lower part by screen-walls, which take a sweep from the building.

The principal trade of Southampton is with Portugal and the Baltic, and with the islands of Guernsey and Jersey. Hemp, iron, and tallow are imported from Russia; tar and pitch from Sweden; and from Portugal, wine and fruit.

The environs of Southampton are particularly interesting and agreeable--enlivened with elegant seats, romantic ruins, picturesque villages, and much beautiful scenery, which never fail to attract a great confluence of visitors during the fine season. Among these Netley Abbey is the grand attraction. The town itself is rich in vestiges of antiquity; and, in its modern character, presents all the _agremens_ to be met with in our most fashionable watering-places.

PORTSMOUTH.

ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOUR.

In the front of this view, and towards the right, a man-of-war cutter is seen running out of the harbour; and, from her heel to leeward, and the agitated state of the water, we may perceive that it is blowing a stiff breeze. Vessels of her class are chiefly employed in the coast-guard service and as admirals' tenders, or as packets on short voyages, or in communicating between one naval depot and another. In the distance, to leeward of her, the Dock-yard semaphore is perceived; and more to the right, but nearer to the eye of the spectator, is seen the Round Tower; from which, in former times, an immense chain used to extend to the Block-house at Gosport, on the opposite side of the channel, for the purpose of protecting the entrance to the harbour, in the event of its being assailed by the ships of an enemy. Towards the centre of the engraving a broad-side view is presented of the Port-Admiral's flag-ship, a first-rate, which, from the flags at her mast-head, appears to be making a signal; ahead of her, in the distance, the hulls are perceived of two ships of war, laid up in ordinary; and further to the left is seen part of the Block-house Fort, at Gosport, with a beacon, to direct vessels in making the harbour.

Portsmouth harbour is one of the most secure and commodious in the kingdom; and from the depth of water, both within it and at its mouth, ships of the line can enter or depart at all times of the tide. From the narrowness of its entrance,--which, between the old Round Tower at Portsmouth and the Block-house Fort at Gosport, is not wider than the Thames at London-bridge,--it is protected from the swell of the sea; while it is sheltered from the violence of winds blowing off the land, by the range of hills to the northward. Immediately above its entrance the harbour begins to expand, and about a mile and a half above the old Round Tower it is nearly two miles in breadth. It then branches off into three principal creeks, or _leats_, as they are frequently called; one of which runs up to Fareham, another to Porchester Castle, and the third to Portsbridge. In these creeks most of the men-of-war in ordinary are moored. As those ships, when laid up, are each covered over with a large wooden roof, to protect them from the effects of the weather, they appear, when seen from Portsdown Hill, which commands an excellent view of the harbour, not so much like floating castles as like immense floating barns--ample garners, which would contain more corn than the swords and cutlasses of their former gallant crews, beat into reaping-hooks, will ever cut down!

At Portsmouth the tide flows about seven hours and ebbs about five; and the velocity with which the ebb tide runs out effectually scours the channel at the mouth of the harbour, and prevents the accumulation of sand. It is high water in the harbour at half-past 11 o'clock at the full and change of the moon; and the rise of spring tides is about eighteen feet, and of neaps about twelve. In the months of March and April the specific gravity of the water in Portsmouth harbour becomes so much increased, that ships lying there are observed to float about two inches lighter than at other times of the year. The latitude of the Observatory in the Dock-yard is 50 deg. 48' 3" north; longitude 1 deg. 5' 59" west.

Though Portsmouth does not appear to have been a place of much consideration as a naval station previous to the reign of Henry VIII., who may be regarded as the first English King that established a permanent royal navy, it was yet undoubtedly a town of some consequence long before that time. In 1194, Richard I. granted a charter to the inhabitants, wherein, after declaring that he retains the town of "Portsmue" in his own hands, he establishes an annual fair to be held therein for fifteen days, to which all persons of England, Normandy, Poictou, Wales, Scotland, and all others, either foreigners or his own people, might freely resort, and enjoy the same privileges as at the fairs of Winchester, Hoiland, or elsewhere in his dominions. The burgesses of "Portsmue," as the place was then called, were also allowed to have a weekly market, with the same privileges and immunities as those of Winchester and Oxford; with freedom from all tolls of portage, passage, and stallage, and exemption from suit and service at hundred and county courts.[9] This charter was confirmed in 1201 by King John, and in 1230 by Henry II.; and in 1256 the latter monarch granted another charter, establishing a guild of merchants at Portsmouth. The privileges of the burgesses were at several different times confirmed by succeeding kings; and, in 1627, Charles I. granted them a charter, whereby a mayor and twelve aldermen were appointed for the civil government of the town. This charter, which was renewed by Charles II., has since been modified by the Municipal Reform Bill of 1835, which directs that the borough shall be divided into six wards, which shall elect a town council of forty-two members. In 1298 the borough was summoned to send two members to Parliament, a privilege which it continues to enjoy.

[9] Anderson's History of Commerce, vol. i., p. 180., edit. 1787.

PORTSMOUTH.

RIGGING-HULK, WITH A NEW FRIGATE ALONGSIDE.

In this engraving we have a view of a new frigate, with only her lower masts in, lying alongside of the _Topaze_ rigging-hulk. The latter vessel--which now presents so clumsy an appearance, from her bows and sides being sheathed with a stout doubling of timber, and from a wooden house being built over her stem--was formerly a French frigate, and, when she first came into our possession, she was much admired by nautical men for the beauty of her build. Further in the distance, to the right, is seen a first-rate lying off the Dockyard Quay, partly rigged; and, beyond her, are perceived the immense wooden roofs which cover the building-slips. The line of building to the right is the rigging-house, and the tower erected above it is the Dockyard Semaphore. On the extreme right, towards the front, is seen the forepart of a mooring-lighter, with one of the numerous spar-booms lying afloat near the Common Hard. The original picture was exhibited in the Gallery of the British Institution, where it excited general admiration.

The great naval depot at Portsmouth is partially described in connection with other engravings in this work, and we have therefore thought it might be interesting to occupy our present space with some details respecting the peculiar mode in which one very important portion of the rigging is manufactured in this yard, and which forms a principal object of curiosity to all persons visiting it. We allude to the machinery for manufacturing blocks, invented by Mr. Brunel, the celebrated engineer.

After the wood--generally elm--for the shell of the block is cut into proper sizes by circular-saws, its complete formation, including the pin and the sheave, is effected by means of several different machines, all contrived with the greatest mechanical skill, and put in motion by a steam-engine. The first process is that of the boring-machine, which, by means of a centre-bit, pierces a hole to receive the pin, and at the same time, according as the block is intended to be single or double, forms one or two similar holes, at right angles to the former, to receive the first stroke of the chisel which cuts out the space for the sheave. By the second, called the mortising-machine, this space is cut out by a chisel acting vertically, and making about a hundred and twenty strokes a minute, and under which the block is caused to move gradually, so that at each stroke a thin piece of the wood is cut away. After this the block is taken to a circular-saw, which cuts off the corners, and reduces it to the form of an octagon. The shaping-machine, to which it is next taken, consists of two equal and parallel wheels moving on the same axis, to which one of them is permanently fixed, while the other is moveable in the line of the axis, so that, by sliding it nearer to the former, or more apart, as may be required, the shells of blocks of all sizes may be fixed between their two parallel rims. Ten shells of the same size being firmly fixed at regular intervals between those rims, the wheels are put into motion with extreme velocity, and the shells are rounded by striking against a cutting instrument, which at the same time moves in such a manner as to give to each block its proper shape and curvature. When one half of the side has thus been finished, the motion of the wheels is reversed, and the other half finished in the same manner. When one side has been rounded, the shells are reversed, and the other side completed as above. The last process which the shell undergoes consists in scooping out the groove for the strap, or "strop," as the rope is called, which goes round the block. The shell is now completed, and the visitor is next shown the different processes in forming the sheave and the pin.

The sheaves are generally made of lignum-vitae; and the first operation is performed by a circular-saw, which cuts the wood into pieces of a proper thickness. By a second machine the holes for the pins are bored, and they are formed into perfect circles by means of a crown-saw. The third, called the coaking-machine, is an admirable specimen of mechanical ingenuity. By its operation, a small cutter drills out round the pin-hole--to a certain depth from the flat surface of the sheave--three semicircular grooves, for the reception of the metal coak, or bush, which sustains the friction of the pin. So truly are those grooves formed, that the slight tap of a hammer is sufficient to fix the coak in its place. The fourth operation consists in casting the coaks. By a fifth, after being fitted in the grooves, holes are drilled in the coaks, for the reception of the pins which fasten them to the sheaves; and by a sixth the pins are rivetted. By the seventh operation, the central hole in the coak for the pin, on which the sheave turns, is drilled out. By the eighth, the groove for the rope is turned round the circumference of the sheave, and its sides polished. In the ninth, the iron pins, on which the sheaves revolve, are cast, turned, and polished; and on their being inserted, the block is complete and ready for use.

PORTSMOUTH.

VIEW FROM THE SALUTING PLATFORM.

The correctness of this view will be immediately recognised by every person in the least acquainted with Portsmouth. The platform, from which it is taken, forms the grand promenade of the inhabitants, and is usually the first place visited by strangers, on account of the prospect which is thence obtained. Immediately in front of the engraving is seen the northern extremity of the platform, on which are two soldiers, who seem indulging themselves with a leisurely inhalation of the fresh breeze from the water, after having liberally expended a portion of their own breath in sounding their bugles at parade. Beyond the platform, the most conspicuous object is the Government Semaphore, with three flags displayed as a signal; and to the left, the landing-place called the King's Stairs. Beyond the old round tower is seen the flag-ship of the Port Admiral; and, between her and the gun-brig which is running in, a distant view is obtained of the Town Hall of Gosport.

Portsmouth, one of our greatest naval depots, is situated near the south-western extremity of the island of Portsea, in the county of Hampshire, and is about seventy miles S.S.W. of London. Adjoining to it, on the northward, is the town of Portsea; and to the south-east, without the walls, lies the suburb of Southsea. The three places may be considered as forming one large town, under the general name of Portsmouth, the aggregate population of which is about 50,000. The population of Gosport, which lies to the westward of Portsmouth, on the opposite side of the harbour, is, with that of the adjacent hamlet of Stoke, about 12,000. The docks and naval storehouses are within the precinct of Portsea; the hospital and the victualling establishment are at Gosport; and the offices of the Port Admiral and the residence of the Lieutenant-Governor are at Portsmouth, within the lines of which are also the barracks for the accommodation of the garrison. Portsmouth is strongly fortified by a circuit of bastions and a moat, which enclose the town on the landside, and which are connected with a similar line, extending in a semi-circular form round the landside of Portsea. In the event of a siege, it would require 14,000 men to form an efficient garrison for the united towns. The situation of Portsmouth is low and marshy; and the peculiar smell which arises from the mud at low water, and from the moat, may be perceived at the distance of two or three miles, in approaching the town from the northward.

The principal church at Portsmouth stands in St. Thomas'-street, and nearly in the centre of the town. It is dedicated to St. Thomas a Becket, and was erected between 1210 and 1220, by Peter de Rupibus, Bishop of Winchester. The transept and the chancel are the only parts which remain of the original structure, the nave and side-aisles having been rebuilt in 1692. At the same time the old tower, which formerly stood above the intersection of the transepts and the nave, was taken down, and the present one erected at the western entrance. It is surmounted with a cupola, and its height is about 120 feet.

With the exception of the older parts of St. Thomas' Church, which afford one or two good specimens of the Gothic style, Portsmouth contains but little in the shape of architectural antiquities that is likely to attract the notice of the stranger. The building, above which the Semaphore is erected, near the northern extremity of the saluting platform, was, in former times, the residence of the governor of the town. Previous to the suppression of the monasteries and religious houses, it belonged to a Domus Dei, or hospital, which was founded in 1238. A part of the church of this hospital is yet standing at a short distance to the south-east of the Semaphore, and near to the grand parade. It is now the garrison chapel; and against its walls are placed numerous monuments erected to the memory of officers, both naval and military, who have died in the service of their country.

"A tomb is theirs on every page,
An epitaph on every tongue;
The present hour, the future age,
For them bewail, to them belong.

For them the voice of festal mirth
Grows hushed,--their name the only sound;
While deep remembrance pours to worth
The goblet's tributary round.

A theme to crowds who knew them not,
Lamented by admiring foes;
Who would not share their glorious lot!
Who would not die the death they chose!"[10]

[10] Lines by Lord Byron "On the Death of Sir Peter Parker."

GOSPORT.

Gosport, of which our engraving represents a view, is a small, but important town, adjoining Portsmouth, from which it is separated by a wide channel, forming part of the extensive basin known as Portsmouth Harbour, and containing a large number of our "wooden walls;" some in a condition ready to put to sea at a few hours' notice, others lying in ordinary, as it is termed, that is, without rigging, sails, or other fittings requisite to render them complete and efficient for service, but which are speedily provided when required. Portsmouth, Gosport, and the neighbouring towns--including Portsea and Landport--form one extensive fortified position, protected at every point from the attacks of an enemy; they are enclosed by broad earthworks, along the extent of which are mounted heavy guns, commanding the various drawbridges which cross the moat surrounding the works. At a short distance from the town is a large range of barracks for the marines, capable of accommodating upwards of a thousand men--a portion of the building, including the house of the commandant, has but recently been completed. Near this is a new prison, devoted entirely to military occupation; it is a substantial building of red brick, and well adapted for the accommodation of its inmates consistent with its character as a penal establishment.

Close to the harbour, and within the fortifications, is an immense pile of imposing appearance, called the Clarence Victualling-yard; the most interesting feature of which is, the admirable but simple steam-machinery employed in making biscuits for the navy. In the precincts of this immense depository are also included a cooperage, brewhouse, and slaughterhouse, which supply the navy with the stores requisite for their various destinations, including wines and spirits, of which a large stock is constantly kept here. The quay at which her Majesty embarks for her private residence, Osborne House, in the Isle of Wight, is situated in this yard, which is connected with the main line of the South-Western Railway, by a small branch running from the terminus, devoted solely to the use of her Majesty and the Lords of the Admiralty. There are two churches in the town, St. Mathew's, near the entrance to the Clarence-yard, and Trinity; the former consists entirely of free sittings, the latter is a chapel of ease to the parish church, situated at Alverstoke, a small village, at a distance of little more than a mile from the town. There are also a Catholic chapel, two Wesleyan chapels, and two Congregational chapels in the town.

Of late years the neighbourhood of Gosport has much improved; many handsome and commodious villas, and other residences, having been erected at various times. Anglesea, which adjoins Alverstoke, is quite a new neighbourhood, and has but recently come into existence, consisting principally of residences for the gentry during the summer months. The town of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight, is situated opposite to this spot, and between them lies the Solent, which at times is enlivened by the appearance of some ships of war lying at anchor, and frequently of large fleets of merchant ships detained here from stress of weather, or waiting a favourable wind to convey them to their respective destinations. At the mouth of the harbour, on the Gosport side, is situated Blockhouse Fort, opposite to a similar one on the Portsmouth side, embrasured with heavy guns for protecting the entrance to the harbour, which is approached only by a circuitous channel, commanded on the one side by the guns of Southsea Castle, and on the other by those of Fort Monckton, at a short distance from which has recently been erected another fort, to protect the entrance to the Southampton Water. Adjoining Blockhouse Fort are barracks for the Royal Artillery, and at Fort Monckton, barracks for infantry. Near the latter is Haslar Hospital, devoted to the reception of sick members of the navy and marines; it is a handsome quadrangular building of red brick, and affords accommodation for a large number of patients; within its walls are included a church, and a Museum of Natural History, which is well supplied with specimens, and to which additions are being continually made by the officers and gentlemen connected with the service. At the foot of the High-street, Gosport, is the landing-place for passengers by the steam ferry, or floating bridge, as it is called, which plies between Gosport and Portsmouth every half-hour, and forms the only means of communication for carriages and vehicles of all kinds. In addition to the steam ferry is a staff of watermen, busily plying their calling during the absence of the bridge, and securing the stray passengers that may prefer their mode of transport, or have arrived too late for the other conveyance. During certain states of the weather, the danger and difficulty of managing their boats entitle the watermen to increased fares, which are indicated by certain coloured flags hoisted conspicuously over the town hall, near the beach, and regulated by a person appointed by the licensing magistrates. The climate of this part is healthy, and well adapted for persons with weak lungs, or affections to which a cold, keen, air would be unfavourable.

MEN-OF-WAR AT SPITHEAD.

In this Engraving (a vignette) is presented a stern-view of a seventy-four, with her guess-warp booms[11] out, moored at Spithead. To the right is a victualling hoy, dropping alongside of the seventy-four; and in the distance is seen a first-rate. The time is evening, which invests the whole scene with its calm. We may conclude that the day has been fine, as both ships seem to have availed themselves of the opportunity thus afforded of "drying hammocks;" they are seen suspended from their yards and between their masts.

The roadstead of Spithead, which is sufficiently large to afford convenient anchorage for nearly all the ships of the British navy, lies between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight; and the usual place in which ships of war ride is about three miles distant from Portsmouth harbour. It derives its name from the _Spit_, or end of a sand bank, extending from the western shore of the estuary towards Southsea Castle, about a mile below Portsmouth. The channel for the harbour, from Spithead, is comparatively narrow, and is commanded by the batteries at Southsea Castle. To the westward of Spithead is the sand called the Motherbank, on the edge of which merchantmen generally anchor; and to the north-eastward are St. Helen's roads, a frequent rendezvous as well for ships of war as for vessels in the merchant service. All these roadsteads are protected from southerly winds by the high land of the Isle of Wight.

Within the last few years considerable interest has been excited by the attempts which have been made to raise the guns, and various other articles, belonging to the Royal George, which sank at Spithead on 29th August, 1782. This ship carried 108 guns, and was considered one of the finest in the navy, had just returned from sea, and, as she had made more water than usual for some time before, it was at first intended that she should go into dock. The surveying officers, however, having discovered that the leak was not very far below the water-line, it was resolved to repair the defect, with a view to saving time, by giving the ship a heel as she lay at her moorings at Spithead. On subsequent examination, it was found that a pipe which supplied the water for washing the decks required to be replaced, and, as it lay considerably below the water-line, it became necessary to give her a greater heel than had been at first contemplated. For the purpose of effecting this, some of her guns and part of her ballast were removed to the opposite side. As the ship lay thus considerably inclined on her side, she, from some cause that has not been clearly ascertained, gave an additional heel, and the water rushing in through her lower-deck ports, which had been carelessly left open, she almost instantly filled and sank, carrying down with her a victualling hoy that was lying alongside. At the time of the accident there were nearly twelve hundred persons on board, of which number about nine hundred, including two hundred and fifty women, were drowned. Among the sufferers were Admiral Kempenfelt and several of the officers. About three hundred persons, chiefly belonging to the ship's crew, were saved. Admiral Sir P. Durham, at that time one of the lieutenants of the Royal George, was on board when the accident happened, and saved himself by swimming to the shore.

Mr. Kingstone, of the Portsmouth dockyard, who went down to the wreck in a diving-bell in 1817, gives the following account of its appearance at that time:--"The quarter-deck, forecastle, and roundhead, with the larboard topside as low down as the range of the upper deck, are entirely gone. The oak-strakes and midships of the flat of the upper deck are much decayed by worms in several places so as to show the beams and framing beneath. The whole of the fir appears as sound as when first laid. The deck is much twisted, from the ship's falling so much fore and aft. The wreck has a beautiful appearance when viewed about a fathom above the deck, being covered with small weeds, interspersed with shells, star-fish, and a species of polypus, lying on a thin, greasy, grey sediment. All below the deck is a perfect solid of fine black mud; and, when suspended over the larboard side, she appears a rude mass of timber lying in all directions."

During the summer of 1853, Spithead was the scene of a grand marine review and sham fight. Her Majesty and Prince Albert were present, with a numerous suite of naval officers. The nautical skill displayed on the occasion received the highest encomiums from those best qualified to judge of its value; and the merit of the screw propeller, as attached to vessels of war, was strikingly manifested.

[11] The guess-warp booms are the spars suspended at right angles from a ship's side, to which the boats are made fast when she is moored.

_SUSSEX._]

BRIGHTON.

Brighton is in the county of Sussex, and lies about fifty-two miles south of London. The old name of the town was Brighthelmstone, which some antiquaries suppose to have been derived from Brighthelm, a Saxon bishop; while others suppose that it may be derived from the Saxon _beorht_, _briht_, _berht_, and _byrt_, signifying _bright_; _heal_, a light-house or watch-tower, a corner or point of a wedge, a hall; and the word _tun_, or _ton_, signifying a town.

The name, spelled Bristelmstune, occurs in Doomsday-book. Three manors are described under this name, and they all appear to have been formerly in the possession of Earl Godwin, the father of King Harold. Brighton, or Brighthelmstone, until it began to be frequented as a watering-place, about the middle of the last century, is seldom noticed by historians; and until that period it never appears to have risen above the condition of a small fishing town. In 1313, John de Warren, then lord of the manor, obtained a charter to have a market at Brighthelmstone every Thursday; and in 1513 the place was pillaged by the French. In the reign of Henry VIII. a block-house was erected at Brighton; and this defence appears to have been either rebuilt or further strengthened in 1558.

About 1750, Brighton, which was then recovering from the depressed state in which it had been for upwards of a century, began to be visited during the summer as a bathing-place. In 1782, the Duke of Cumberland, brother to George III., when residing at Brighton, received a visit from the Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV., and his royal highness was so much pleased with the place, that he determined to build for himself a marine residence there. The Pavilion was accordingly commenced in 1784; but from the alterations and additions which the royal owner was almost constantly making, it would be difficult to say when it was finished. On the decease of George IV., the Pavilion became the property of his successor, William IV., from whom it has descended to her present Majesty, who, disapproving of it as a marine residence, it was allowed to fall into decay, and was ultimately purchased from the crown by the corporation for upwards of L50,000. It is now open to the public for a small fee, and the larger rooms are occasionally used for balls, concerts, and public meetings. The grounds are at all times available as promenades; and, whatever the architect may say of its merits, there can be no doubt that the edifice adds one to the many attractions of Brighton, and forms a favourite lounge for the visitors in weather which will not permit of recreation in the open air.

The Chain Pier is within a few minutes' walk of the Pavilion: it is constructed upon the suspension principle; the chains are supported by four pairs of towers, placed at a distance of nearly two hundred feet apart. It terminates in a circular platform furnished with an awning and seats, for the convenience of those who are desirous of inhaling the invigorating breeze from so advantageous a position; commanding, as it does, not only a prospect of the entire bay, but also an excellent view of the town. The expense of its erection was about L30,000; but it has, on several occasions, suffered from tempests, to which its great length and exposed position render it at all times peculiarly liable, yet the public spirit and liberality of the inhabitants have on each occasion speedily repaired the damage.

There is, perhaps, not another watering-place in the kingdom which can exhibit so imposing a front to the ocean. For an extent of nearly three miles Brighton displays a continuous line of handsome buildings, interspersed with squares, crescents, and terraces--all commanding views of the sea. The district of Kemp Town, at the eastern extremity of this line, deserves especial notice. Many of its mansions comprise all the luxuries and conveniences of the metropolis, with the sanitary advantages of marine villas; leaving nothing to be desired by the most fastidious taste, and affording accommodation for large establishments conducted upon a scale befitting the highest ranks of our aristocracy.

The proximity of Brighton to London, the short time in which the transit between the towns is accomplished--less than two hours, and the numerous trains which run during the day, give it at all times a decided advantage over other sea-bathing towns on the south coast, and make a popular excursion for those whom business or taste confines to the capital, and who cannot enjoy a lengthened stay at the coast.

The high grounds on the land side of Brighton afford unusual facilities for horse and carriage drives, and thus agreeably diversify the amusements of the day--an opportunity of which the inhabitants and visitors freely avail themselves. Of the bathing accommodations we have left ourselves no room to speak; but we may say they are of the highest character, replete with every convenience, and on a scale becoming a town of sixty thousand permanent residents.

HASTINGS.

The town of Hastings is situated on the coast of Sussex, about sixty-four miles S.S.E. of London. It has been supposed that the place was so called from Hastings, a Danish pirate, "who, where he landed for booty, built sometimes little fortresses; as we read, in Asserius Menevensis, of Beamflote Castle built by him in Essex, and of others at Appledore and Middleton in Kent"[12]. This conjecture, however, does not appear to be well founded; for there can be little doubt of the place having been called Hastings about the year 780, in the reign of King Offa, whereas Hastings, the pirate, did not invade England till about 880, in the reign of Alfred the Great. "Some there are," says Camden, "who ridiculously derive the name from the English word _haste_; because, as Matthew Paris writes, 'apud Hastings ligneum _agiliter_ castrum statuit Gulielmus Conquestor'--at Hastings William the Conqueror _hastily_ set up a fortress of timber." Truly, as old Fuller might have said, there has been more _haste_ than speed in the endeavour to provide this place with a godfather.

It is said that the old Saxon town of Hastings stood considerably to the southward of the present one, and that it was destroyed by the incursions of the sea previous to the Conquest. The town, however, would appear to have been in a short time rebuilt; for William the Conqueror, soon after landing at Pevensey, marched to Hastings, from whence he advanced about eight miles into the country, where he encountered the English army under Harold, at the place since called Battle, in commemoration of the event.