LIVERPOOL. 



with a lanthorn, ball, and crofs. The interior is fupported 

 by eight Ionic pillars. The altar is plain and neat. The 

 church dedicated to St. Ann, on the road to Everton, is a 

 neat building of brick and ilone. It was ere^ed at the 

 joint expence of two private gentlemen. It has a tower de- 

 corated with pinnacL's. St. John's church is a new building 

 of ilone, with a tower. 6t Mary's and the other churches 

 hive nothing connected with their ftruAures or appearances 

 doferving of particular notice ; rfiough all of them are en- 

 titled to be called neat. Bciides the places of worfhip be- 

 longing to the eft ablilhment, there are a great number of 

 diflenting meeting houfes, or chapels, for various defcriptions 

 of religionifts. 



The public edifices conneSed with the trade and com- 

 merce of the town are, the exchange buildings, town-hall 

 and manfion houle, cullo.ii-houfe, corn exchange, tobacco 

 vi'arehoufe, and other warehoufes. Qf thefe the Liverpool 

 exchange is the moll fpacious in plan, and ornamental 

 in its ex-prior anhitefture. It has been erected by a fub- 

 fcription of 80,000/ raifed by 803 transferable (hares. The 

 buildmgs occupy three fides of a quadrangle, having the 

 town-hall on the fouth fide. The whole furrounds an area 

 of 194 feet by 180. It has been built by John Forfter, 

 efq. (architect, engineer, and dock mafter.to the corpo- 

 ration) from defigns by James Wyatt, efq. architect ; 

 and is appropriated to a public exchange rooms, coffee 

 rooms, and various offices. The town-hall, formerly called 

 the exchange, is a large infulated pile of buildin,r, the 

 greater part of which was erected in 1750, from the de- 

 ligns of Wood of Bath. The whole of its interior was burnt 

 in 1 79 J- It was foon repaired, and appropriated to the ufe 

 of the mayor, for offices belonging to the corporation, 

 feflions rooms, &c. 



The infirmary is another excellent building of brick orna- 

 mented with ftone. This ellabliihment not only extends to 

 all proper objects within Liverpool, but to every perfon 

 whom Ucknefs or bodily misfortune may lead to apply, pro- 

 vided they are recommended by.a fubfcriber. The feamen's 

 hofpital forms a portion of the buildings of this infirmary, 

 being attached to it by a handfome colonnade. The blue- 

 coa; hofpital is placed in an airy fituation adjoining to St. 

 Peter's church-yard. It is a large handfome building of 

 brick ornamented with ftone. The number of perfons who 

 annually receive the benefits of th^ charity are about 280. 

 The expence of this mftitution is defrayed chiefly by Lene- 

 fedtions. 



The poor-houfe is a handfome edifice, 90 feet long and 

 24 broad, built in a plain ftyle, and in a manner very fuitable 

 t to its ufe. On the eall fide of this ftrudture is a handfome 

 fto.ne bLiitding, called the " recovery ward,'' where perfons 

 infetted with fevers, and coming under the cognizance of 

 phyficians and fargeons of the difpenfary, are received. A 

 variety of alms-houfes range out on both fides of the poor- 

 fcoufe. In Church-ftreet is the difpenfary, which is a very 

 good brick building, with a large circular portico, and 

 having in front a imall bas-relief of the good Samaritan. 

 This inftitution is conducted by a prefident, two auditors, 

 feven phyficians, three furgeons, and one apothecary, who 

 officiates as fecretary. Two phyficians and a furgeon at- 

 tend every day at certain hours. About 10,000 perfons are 

 faid to receive medicine and advice here annually. The 

 Luiiatic-afylum is contiguous to the infirmary, but, like 

 moft other inftitutions of the kind, cannot be called a com- 

 plete charity, as patients are not admitted free of expence. 

 At the entrance into the town, on the road leading from 

 Prefect, ftands the fchool of indullry for the indigent blind. 

 The original projeAor was Mr. John Chriftie, who was him- 



felf unfortunately deprived of his fight at the age of if. 

 In this fchool pupils are taught various trad- :, which enable 

 many of them to make a comfortable pro.vifion for hfe. 

 Befides thefe charitable inftitutions there are a number of 

 others, under different names, intended for the relief of dif- 

 ferent defcriptions of perfons, wiiich the limits of an article 

 like this will not permit us to mention particularly. 



Liverpool abounds, as may be fuppofed from its great 

 tr^de, with rooms appropriated for pubhc correfpondence, 

 and the tranfatting of bufinefs. The Atheneum, which 

 comprifes a news-room, a hbrary, &c. is fituated on the 

 fouth fide of Church-ftreet, and is a handfome building of 

 ftone. The fubfcribers to this inftitution, about 450 in 

 number, are fupplied with the London and provincial newf- 

 papers, the fhipping and trade lifts, and various periodical 

 publications. Every fubfcriber is allowed the privilege of 

 introducing his friend, provided he be a non-refident of the 

 town. There alfo feveral more inftitutions of a fimilar kind 

 in different parts of the town. Of thefe, the Lyceum is 

 the firft and moil worthy of attention. It is fituated at the 

 bottom of Bold-llreet, and is another remarkable inftance of 

 the munificence and public fpirit cf Liverpool. An acade- 

 my, for the encouragement of the fine arts, has reccnlly 

 been eftabliftied in this town. The places of public amufe- 

 ment are now httle inferior to thofe in the metrepolis. The 

 theatre is a fpacious and commodious building, and but Uttle 

 inferior to that of Covent-garden in the extent of its ftage. 

 It generally opens at the time the London houfes fhut, 

 when many of the firft performers refort to it. In Bold- 

 ftreet ftands the Mufic-hall, which was opened in 1785. It 

 is a large building, hnifhed with great elegance. The new 

 prifon, according to the Howardian plan for folitary con- 

 finement, is on a very estenfive fcale, and has every poffible 

 convenience. 



Liverpool abounds in docks lor the fafety and repair cf 

 its numerous fhipping. The firft dock was conllrudled here 

 in 1 7 10. Its fcitp was the pool, from which the town de- 

 rived the latter portion of its name. This bafon of water 

 is called the old dock, and is principally the receptacle of 

 Weft India and African ftiips, being contiguous to the ware- 

 houfes of the merchants engaged in thofe branches of com- 

 merce. The King's dock is 290 yards in length, and 9a 

 wide. On the caft fide of this dock ftands the tobacco 

 warehoufe, where that article is lodged by the cuftom-houfe 

 officers till the duties are paid. It was erected by the cor- 

 poration, and is rented by government at 5C0/. fa- anr.um. 

 St. George's dock was the third made in Liverpool. It is 

 about 2)0 yards long, and 100 broad; and is tfteemed 

 commodious. The largeft, laft conftrutted, and beft finillied 

 however of the Liverpool docks, is the Queen's dock, 

 which is fituated at the bottom of Parliamcnt-ftreet. Salt- 

 houfe dock, which is the fecond oldeft of the whole, com- 

 prifes an area of 21,928 fquare yards; and has a length of 

 quay of 640 yards. Befides thefe there are five graving 

 docks, and three dry docks, independent of a imall one, 

 which belongs to the earl of Bridgewater, for the ufe of the 

 canal flats. Some of thefe docks communicate, fo that (hips 

 can pafs from one to the other, and into the graving docks, 

 without being obhged to go into the river. All the wet 

 docks are likewife connected by large tunnels, for the pur- 

 pofe of one dock cleanfing or walhing another. WT.en 

 large fhips loaded arrive at neap tides they are compelled 

 to remain in the river till the flow of the fpring tides, as the 

 dock gates have not depth of water fufficient to admit them- 

 This circumftance is certainly a great inconvenience, but it 

 is amply compenfated by the capacioufnefs and excellent 

 arrangement of the docks themfelves. 



The 



