Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 19.djvu/247

Rh P L Y M U T 237 nected with it the whole British navy might find a safe anchorage. The western harbour, known as the Hamoaze, at the mouth of the river Tamar, is devoted almost exclu sively to the requirements of the royal navy, as along its banks are the dockyard, the Keyham factory, the arsenal, and other Government establishments (See DEVONPORT, vol. vii., 138; and DOCKYARDS, vol. vii., 315). The eastern harbour, Cattewater with Button Pool, now pro tected by a new breakwater at Mount Batten, is the anchorage ground for merchant shipping. Commodious dock accommodation is provided at the Great Western Docks, Millbay, between Plymouth and Stonehouse, opened in 1857, and comprehending a floating basin over 13 acres in extent with a depth of 22 feet at spring tides, a tidal harbour of 35 acres, and a graving dock. The port has an extensive trade with America, the West Indies, Mauritius, Africa, and the Baltic ports, as well as an extensive coast ing trade. It is the starting point for many of the emigrant ships for Australia, New Zealand, and British America. The chief exports are minerals, including copper, lead, tin, granite, and marble. There is also some trade in pilchards and other fish. The imports are chiefly agricultural produce and timber. The total number of vessels that entered the port in cargo and in ballast in 1883 was 3852, of 843,227 tons, the number that cleared 3443, of 754,318 tons. Plymouth has few manufactures, the principal being biscuits, black-lead, candles, manures, soap, starch, sugar, lead, and the celebrated Plymouth gin. The principal industries are connected with shipbuilding and the fisheries. According to the Act of 1835, the borough is divided into six wards, and is governed by a mayor, twelve aldermen, and thirty-six councillors. The Plan of Plymouth. water-works are under the control of the corporation, but the gas works are in the hands of a company. The popula tion of the municipal borough (area 1468 acres) in 1871 was 68,758, and in 1881 it was 73,794. The population of the parliamentary borough (area 2061 acres) in the same years was 70,091 and 76,080. It returns two members to parliament. The Hoe at Plymouth is claimed to be the high rock from which, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Corinosus the Trojan hurled the giant Goemagot into the sea, and at an early period there was cut out in the ground at the Hoe the likeness of two figures with clubs in their hands, which for many years was renewed by the corporation, and was in existence till the erection of the citadel about 1671. Both British and Roman remains have been found in the neighbour hood, the most important being those of a Romano-British cemetery discovered in 1864 during the construction of Fort Stamford. In Domesday it occurs as Sutone, and afterwards it was divided into the town of Sutton Prior, the hamlet of Sutton Yalletort, and the tithing of Sutton Ralph, a part of it having been granted to the Norman family of Yalletort, while the greater part belonged to the priory of Plympton. About 1253 a market was established, and in 1292 &quot;the town first returned members to parliament. In the 14th century it was frequently the port of embarkation and of disem barkation in connexion with expeditions to France. It suffered considerably at the hands of the French in 1338, 1350, 1377, 1400, and 1402, the Bretons on the last occasion destroying six hundred houses. In 1412 the inhabitants petitioned for a charter, but for a long time their application was opposed by the prior and convent of Plympton. In 1439 a charter was, however, at last granted by Henry VI., defining the limits of the town, permitting the erection of walls and defences, allowing the levying of dues on shipping for the purpose of such buildings and their maintenance, and directing the institution of a corporate body under the title of the &quot; mayor and commonalty of the borough of Plymouth.&quot; Leland speaks (1540-47) of Plymouth harbour as being chained across in times of necessity, and &quot;of an old castel quadrate between the town and the sea.&quot; A small fragment of one of the outer works of this castle still stands at the foot of Lambhay Street. During the rebellion of 1548-49 the town suffered severely at the hands of the insurgents, and according to Westcote the &quot;evidences&quot; of the borough were burnt. Under Elizabeth it rose to be the foremost port of England, and Camdejj, who visited the town about 1588,