PORTSMOUTH. 



119 



other buildings. The dock-yard is entered by a lofty 

 ^.iu-\v.i\. Tin- Hoyal Naval Academy consists of a 

 J centre and two wings ; in one of which is a fine in. 

 of the Victory 'f HO guns which was lost ill 1779. 

 There i-; an excellent observatory in the aeadrniy. The 

 commissioner's house is a spacious building, consisting 

 of a centre and two wings, with an elegant portico. 

 The next buildings are a range of store-houses, a neat 

 modern chapel, in the cupola of which is hung the bell 

 of the Koyal George, and the new guard-house, with a 

 handsome portico. At the anchor wharf, an extensive 

 range of anchors, of all dimensions, are kept, some of 

 which weigh from forty to ninety tons each. The 

 rope-house is a spacious building of great length, and 

 three stories high. It is 1091 feet long, and .5* broad. 

 The cables are twisted in the lower storey by the aid of 

 machinery, and the other processes are carried on in the 

 upper ones. Another object of great interest is the 

 great smithy, where the spectator is stunned by the 

 noise and clanking of hammers. The range of store- 

 houses on the north-east is about 6'00 feet long, and 

 the sail loft, and rigging-house are also huge buildings, 

 both 400 feet long. A length of 800 feet is occupied 

 by the two hemp-houses and the two sea-storehouses, 

 and the tarring-houses, and other appendages of the 

 rope-houses are on a similar scale. Near the smithy 

 is an iron-mill, a copper-mill, and a refinery of copper, 

 where all the old copper of ships' bottoms are again 

 melted and rolled. At the head of the north dock 

 stands the wood-mill, where the celebrated block ma- 

 chinery is placed, and where every article of turnery, 

 rabitting, &c. is made. Seasoning sheds, saw-pits, 

 timber births, and the washing-house, coal-house, and 

 boat-storehouse, occupy the western extremity of the 

 yard. The jetty heads, the docks, and the rigging- 

 houses, are all objects of great interest. During peace, 

 about 2000 men are commonly employed in this dock, 

 and in war sometimes 5000 have been employed. 



The gun wharf embraces several ranges of buildings 

 for holding naval and military artillery, &c. On the 

 wharf is the grand depot for guns, carronades, and 

 mortars, with shot and shells of all sizes, ranged in im- 

 mense pyramidal piles. The small armoury is a recent 

 building, capable of holding arms for 25,000 men. The 

 victualling office consists of several extensive ranges 

 of buildings, including an excellent house for the agent, 

 victualler, and a storehouse, extending the whole length 

 of St. Thomas Street, and containing the spirits and 

 liquors for the supply of the navy. The beef and pork 

 are prepared and salted, and the biscuits baked in the 

 other buildings. The wheat for the biscuit is ground 

 at the King's Mill, on the Portsea side, which was 

 built on piles, and cost L.7000. It is driven by a 

 stream of salt water, admitted from the harbour through 

 a large sluice, which is closed at high water. On the 

 ebbing of the tide the stream returns to the harbour 

 after performing its work in the mill. 



Portsmouth harbour surpasses every other in the 

 United Kingdom by its depth, its capaciousness, and 

 its security. The largest first rates may ride here at 

 the lowest ebbs without touching the ground ; and it 

 has been considered as capable of receiving the whole 

 British navy. When ships are driven from their an- 

 chors atSpithead, they find perfect shelter within Ports- 

 mouth harbour. This harbour is very narrow at its 

 entrance, which does not exceed the breadth of the 

 Thames at Westminster, but it rapidly expand-!, and 

 throws out several branches to Fareham, Porchester, 

 and Portbridge. The bottom every where affords good 



anchorage, and it is so completely free of bant and iro- Port*- 

 pediments, that a first rate can set tail at any time of "" 

 the tide, and quit the harbour in e - "~" " v " 



neath South Sea Castle. Portsmouth harbour in like* 

 wise secure from any attack by sea, by means of the 

 various forts and batteries which defend the approach, 

 and are nearly level with the water's edge. 



The fortifications of the town were commenced by 

 Kdward IV.; and since that time they have been 

 greatly increased, and are now deemed impregna!* 

 Charles II. improved and enlarged them by a kind of 

 star-fort round South Sea Castle ; but as this was partly 

 blown up by accident in 1759, L.6QS7 was granted by 

 the parliament for improving the works. William III. 

 also made additions to the defence of the town, and 

 since 1770 many others have been completed at a vast 

 expence. The newest fortifications are those on tin 

 Portsea side, and the works which are faced with stone, 

 are so elevated as to command the surrounding country. 

 The ditches are wide and deep ; and strong and capa- 

 cious outworks strengthen the whole line. An exten- 

 sive ravelin at the head of the creek between Portsea 

 and Portsmouth, connects these works with those of 

 the latter town, the communication between the town- 

 being preserved by a long bridge, which leads to St. 

 Thomas's gate. The fortifications on the Portsmouth 

 side, which extend from the town to South Sea Castle, 

 form a noble semi-circular terrace, above a mile in 

 length, which is planted with elms, and forms a favour- 

 ite promenade. From the Platform, which is the prin- 

 cipal resort of company, there is a fine sea view of un- 

 rivalled beauty. 



Among the charitable establishments of this town, is 

 a free grammar school, founded by Dr. Smith, who 

 gave the patronage of it to the dean and chapter of 

 Christ's Church. There are several other schools here, 

 particularly one under the patronage of a Friendly So- 

 ciety, kept in the Society Hall. There is also here an 

 alms-house for eight poor widows. The poor are here 

 employed chiefly in picking oakum. The poors-houe 

 of Portsmouth is an old building, in a confined and 

 dissolute part of the town. That of Portsea occupies 

 a more open spot, about a mile distant, and has within 

 its walls a garden and a large area. 



The custom-house is situated in Broad Street, which 

 forms part of the western suburb. It is a large and 

 commodious building, with an extensive establishment. 

 The merchant ships lie in a large bay, between the 

 gun wharf and the Point, having the advantage of an 

 excellent quay, with all its appendages. This commu- 

 nicates with Portsmouth by a large gate, cilled the 

 quay-gate. At the point, and close to the mouth of the 

 harbour, is a bathing- house, which is both spacious 

 and commodious. Several extensive breweries have 

 been established at Portsmouth, and a bank has been 

 erected on the Parade. There is a theatre in the town, 

 which is well attended. Two newspapers are regularly 

 published in the town. A new prison ha been recent- 

 ly built in Penryn Street at an expence of L.20,000. 



The towns of Portsmouth and Portsea are governed 

 by a mayor, a recorder, twelve aldermen, an unlimited 

 number of burgesses, and some inferior officers. 



Portsmouth sends two members to parliament ; the 

 right of election being vested in the mayor, aldermen, 

 and burgesses, who now amount to 110. 



In the neck of Spithead, at the distance of about a 

 mile from the entrance of Portsmouth harbour, is a 

 buoy, which marks the spot where the Royal George, 

 of 100 guns, was sunk by accident in 1782. When 



