318 Account of the profent State and Society of Gofport. 
pofe there are many in the town; but the 
moft ufual places of refidence of officers 
of this defcription on the Gofport fide, are 
at the diftance of a mile or two from the 
place, in the villages of Hardway and 
Elion, which are higher up the harbour, 
and, when the fhips are laid up in ordina- 
ry, convenient fituations for communica- 
tion with them. 
The proportion of males to females at 
Gofport is about 10 to 14. In the pa- 
rith of Portfmouth it is fomewhat greater 
on the fide of the females, being as 10 to 
15, which is a larger proportion of the 
fatter than there appears to be in any other 
place where the population is coniiderable, 
except Sunderland, Bath, and Whitehaven, 
at which laft town the proportion of the 
males to the females is as 10 to 16, and 
at Bath it-is nearly the fame. Barring the 
places I have mentioned, and Shields and 
Scarborough, there are none where the 
proportion of females fo -far exceeds the 
males as at Gofport, though at Plymouth 
the cafe is nearly the fame.* No doubt, 
this furplus arifes from the circum- 
ftance of women being the wives of failors 
and foidiers ; and it is equally certain, 
that at Gofport the Nymphs of the Sea, 
the Oceanides and Nereides of South-ftreet 
and Rimes’s-alley, form no inconfiderable 
portion of the number. 
Though the inhabitants compofing the 
upper orders are as varioufly circumftanced 
as may be imagined to be the cafe from the 
affluent down to the needy, the difference 
is not always very perceptible. From the 
higheft to the loweft—from the mere gen- 
tleman intitle, with only poverty for his 
patrimony, the officer’s widow, with 
f{earcely more than perfonal charms for her 
dowry, or the lieutenant on his half- pay, 
with a wife and a numerous troop of fons 
and daughters to be provided for and por- 
tioned off out of four or five fnillings a- 
day, and a little prize-money, perhaps in 
* At feveral. places where the population 
Is confiderably below 5o00c, there are more 
females in proportion to'the:males than at 
Gofport. At Cardigan, the latter are to the 
former as 10 to 144, at Launcefton; as ro 
to 15345, at Haverford Weft, as to to 162, 
which is a greater proportion of females 
thun there appears fo be at any of the piaces 
mentioned in the Tables in the Monthly Ma- 
gazine. Gofport happens to be omitted in 
them. At Briftol the proportion is 19 males 
to about 13 of the other fex. At Oxford as 
To to a2, and at Greenwidh as 10 to about 
9% ;, at which two places the excefs of males 
is not extraordinary. The largeft proportion 
of males appears to be at Hertford, 
[Nov. 1, 
the 3 per Cents, up to the firft-rate tradefs 
man, the merchant, the contractor, the 
prize-broker, or the envied poffeffor of a 
fortune of ten or twenty thoufand pounds; 
from one extreme to the other, through all 
the intermediate degrees of rank and con- 
dition ;—in point of appearance and man- 
ners, bating a few circuraltances, they 
are nearly the fame. Some two or three 
only are noticeable for fuch confpicuous 
appendages of wealth as chariots and li- 
veries.. And while at church and at meet- 
ings differences are only marked by the 
relative value of pews; at the theatre and 
in the ball-room diftinétions almof ceafe. 
The flations and profeffions of many re- 
quire them to fupport the rank and cha- 
racter they hold even with means generally 
found inadequate to the purpofe ; fo that 
it is rather matter of furprize by what 
houfeheld economy, by what arts or’ pri- 
vations, perions of this defcription with 
large families keep up the ftyle of lite they 
appear to do. In fome inftances, however, 
I underfiand, the books of the tradefmen 
fully explain the myftery. However this 
may be, the conduct of many in the fitua- 
tion I have alluded to is certainly very 
different, and, when free from the fuper- 
fiuous pride and ridiculous affectation too 
often difplayed in fuch circumftances, is 
deferving much praife ; and, at the fame | 
time that it enables them to maintaina 
mode of Jife agreeable to their rank, en- 
titles chem to the refpeét that ought to ac- 
company it. Hy tae 
Of the publicamufements of the place, 
its aflemblies, concerts, and theatre, its 
religion, politics, &c. an account of which 
now would extend my communication to 
too great alength, I fhall {peak heteafter. 
In the mean time I remain 
Yours, &c. W.N. 
Porifmouth, 9th Sept. 1802. | 
a 
To the Editor of the Monthly. Magazine. 
S Mr. Greathead has not deigned to 
notice the communications of your 
correfpondents, who have called in quef- 
tion his claim to the invention of the life- 
boat, and as I am one of thofe who hold 
that opinion, I fhall, with your permif- 
fion, endeavour to furnifh the public with 
fome farther information on the fubje@.— 
Should Mr.Greathead feel himfelf ageriev- 
ed by any thing I hhall here advance, I 
make no doubt but your Magazine is open 
to receive his reply. My being a fhip- 
wright, and having followed that buiinefs 
for feveral years on the {pot where the life- 
~ boats 
