7 
18or.} 
fund of topographical information, I am 
induced to attempt a Defcription of Portf- 
mouth; and if it fhould be worthy a place 
in your Magazine, you will be pleafed to 
introduce it. J 
Ina general fenfe, Portfmouth includes 
not only the ancient town, but alfo Port- 
fea, which, though lefs than a century in 
date, is by far the largeft and moft popn- 
lous town. When firft I came to refide in 
the neighbourhood, and for feveral years 
afterwards, this modern ‘town retained its 
original name of Port/mouth Common, or 
the Common; which it obtained from the 
{cite whereon it was built being chiefly a 
common field ; but, when a fecond aét of 
parliament came to be pafled, in 1792, for 
paving and otherwife improving the place, 
it was named, from the ifland and parith 
wherein it is fituated, ** the Town of 
Portfea.”. It is now fortified as well as 
Portfmouth, and within its walls are the 
dock-yard and gun-wharf. The increafe 
of buildings and population in and about 
Portfea has been fo very rapid as to’ be 
perhaps almoft without a parallel. The 
houles that have been erected immediateiy 
beyond its fortifications within the lait 
-thirty years form a confiderable fuburb ; 
but thjy has yet 4 very irregular appear- 
ance, and none of its ftreets are paved. 
The matter is fo little underftood in ge- 
neral, and fo much miftated in every Ga- 
zettzer and Account I have met with, that 
it may not be fuperfiuous to point out the 
manner in which the towns of Portfmouth 
and Portfea are connected, and wherein 
they are diftinét. They adjoin each other 
at the fouth-weft part of the ifland -of 
Portfea, the whole circuit of which is 
about fifteen or fixteen miles; and they 
are both within the limits of the Boreugh 
of Porifmouth, wherein alfo is. the greater 
part of the neighbourhood, a further por- 
tion of the ifland, and Portfmouth Har- 
bour. Being within this chartered jurif- 
digtion, they participate in the like immu- 
nities, are governed by-the fame magif- 
trates, and are under the: fame police. 
They are further connected frem forming, 
with the reft of the ifland, buf one garri-. 
fon. ‘The diflingticn between Portfmouth 
and Portlea is, however, perfeét in feveral 
ref{pects. They are pavéd by virtue of 
feparate aéts of parliament, whtich defihe 
their refpe€tive bounds 5; and for the pur- 
pofes of thefe atts are under two fets of 
commiffioners ; and the’ towns are fituated 
in different parifhes. Portfmouth parif 
fies chiefly within the old fortifications, 
and nearly the whole is occupied by build- 
ings. Portfea is inclofd by new fortifi- 
State of Society at Portjmouth, 
40% 
cations, and, with the bulk of the out= 
ouildings, is in the parifh of the fame 
name, common alfo to the ifland, a confi- 
derable part of which, in arable and paf- 
ture land, is likewife therein. 
The ancient town is the feat of civil as 
well as.of military government, and the 
refidence of the Port-admiral, for whom 
and the Deputy-governor commodious 
houfes have been recently purchafed and 
fitted up at the public expence. From 
thefe, and feveral other circumftances, it 
pofiefles more importance than Portfea, and 
fome peculiar advantages. It appears 
more opulent, its houfes and buildings are 
generally larger, and the ftreets more fpa- 
cious*, and it is wholly lighted. The in- 
habitants who make any figure, moftly 
refide in Portfmouth, and it is the place of 
general.refort, and where the bultle of buy, 
imets, out of the dock, in war time, is per- 
haps the greateft, The principal inns are 
in Portfmouth, and alfo our theatre and 
-affembly-rooms, with the regular market, 
cuftom-houfe, victualling-office, general- 
_ poft-office, banking-houfes, and principal 
barracks—and the chief quay is likewife 
attached to it. 
Portfea and its vicinity are. inhabited 
chiefly by the artificers and labourers be- 
Jonginig to the deck-yard, and by fhop- 
keepers 5 and the dock-yard is the princi- 
pal fupport of its trade. That of Portf- 
mouth depends chiefly on the fhipning and | 
the army ; and, from its peculiar fituation 
and other circumftances, is fomewhat dif- 
tinct from the trade of Portfea. The ° 
houfes of Portfea are, in fize, at a medium 
between thofe of Portfmouth, and the ge- 
nerality of the tenements ereéted in the vi- 
cinity. Its ftreets are moftly narrow, and 
a few only are lighted; but the town has 
been confiderably improved within thefe 
few years, and it has lately acquired, to 
the great advantage of both towns, a fur- 
ther fhare in themagiftracy of the borough.’ 
In Portfea and the environs property is’ 
perhaps as generally diffufed as in any 
place; but the town is .withotit’ thofe 
traits of affluence which give a diftin& ca 
to Portfmouth ; ftill, even here, opulence’ 
is not very conipicuous. Few equipages: 
of any note are to be obferved; and the 
only regular amufements or entertainments 
indulgedin, are thofe of the theatre; which’ 
is Ofen but:for a few more nights than are 
allowed by law, and affemblies twice g 
**Mr. Houfman’s Sketch of Portfmouths 
contained in your Number for September, 
1798, is inaccurate on this point, as it is alfo 
in feveral other particulare.- } 
month 
