Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/390

Rh lilMSTOL. 380 I.KISTOL. important part of the coast brisk business in dono with South Wales, North Somerset, and Devonshire. Among the chief articles of import aro sugar, rum, wine, brandy, coffee, tobacco, timber, tar, hoinp, palm-oil, hides, tallow, Irish linens, and -ions, &o. ; and among the principal exports are iron, tin, and the various products of the local factories and works. The harbour was greatly im- proved between 1803 and 1809, by cutting a new channel for the Avon, converting the old one into a great floating dock, nearly 3 miles long, forming several graving docks, and enlarging the quay, which lias now a length of 2,000 yards, extending along the banks of tho Avon and the i'romo. The works also included the construction of two capacious basins, the Cumberland and the liatlmrst, for the accommodation of vessels. The floating dock coven a space of 82 acres, and the en- tire works cost above 600,000. After a gradual decline in the tiade of tho port for some years, in conse<i of the high rate of tho port dues in comparison with those of London, Liverpool, and other places, an Act of Parliament was procured in 1848 for transferring the management of the docks from the company to the cor- poration. A large reduction was then made in the port charges, better arrangements were made for tho accom- modation of the vessels resorting to the harbour, and a considerable increase of trade has naturally followed, by which the amount of tho customs has risen from 30 to 40 per cent. ; and tho tonnage receipts in 18C1 in- creased by 12 per cent In 1861, the aggregate tonnago entering tho Bristol Docks was foreign, 260,861 tons: coastwise, 529,102 tons. The number of vessels entered inwards from foreign parts with cargoes, was British, 43, of 9,970 tons ; foreign, 27, of 9,599 tons. Vessels cleared outwards with cargoes British, 16, of 3,067 tons; foreign, 6, of 2,733 tons. These returns exhibit a most flourishing state of affairs, and indicate tho con- tinued progress of Bristol since the triumph of tho free port movement Ship-building is carried on to a con- siderable extent, employing about 400 ship carpenters ; and in its ship-yards were cradled the " Great Western" and " Great Britain " steamships, at costs respectively of 60,000 and 120,000. The manufactures of Bristol are numerous. Connected with the shipping trade are those of rope-walks, anchors, chain-cables, sails, blocks, &c. Of the general manufactures tho most important are those of glass, iron, brass, engines and machinery, leather, floorcloth, and stoneware. There aro largo sugar-refineries, tanneries, breweries, malt-houses, che- mical works, saw-mills, alum and Epsom salt works, distilleries, one large chocolate and cocoa manufac- tory, copper and zinc works, and manufactories of shot, pins, tobacco-pipes, soap, brushes, &c. A largo number of hands are employed in the Great Western Cotton Works, established about 1840, and in the manu- factures of woollen, worsted, paper, silk, flax, linen, &c. Coal is abundant in tho neighbourhood, and a large supply is obtained from the Parkficld colliery, and also from Coal-pit Heath, in Gloucestershire. Bristol was first incorporated by a charter of Henry III, which was confirmed and extended by several succeeding m..n- archs, and under which tho government was vested in a mayor, high steward, recorder, 12 aldermen, 28 coun- cillors, besides subordinate officers. Under tho Act passed in 1835, tho borough is divided into 10 wards, and is governed by a mayor, 16 aldermen, and 48 coun- cillors, assisted by 24 magistrates, a sheriff, and sn; tendent of police. The style of the corporation is " tin- mayor, burgesses, and commonalty of the city of Bristol," ana its revenue is about 48,600. Tho elective franchise was first conferred on tho town by Edward I., since whose reign it has rcirularly returned two members to pnrlia- lie returning officer. Tho limits ,.f the pai.'i i.orough were extended under the ! are '..- 'ili those of the inunieijial bc.rint.-h : comprising, besides the IS city parishes (which never an area of 1,840 act' -I. James, St. I'aul/SS. 1'hilip and Jacob . besides Bcdminstcr (a small part
 * d), and part of Wcstbury. This distrie t, which

extends over 4,674 acres, comprises, according to the census of 1861, 23,678 houses, inhabited by a populut ; 154,093, against 137,328 in 1851, showing an increase of no less than 17,765 in the decennial period. Bristol it the seat of a Poor-law 1'niuii, i e.-e-.xtensive with the city, but not including tho whole borough ; part of the latter being within the !'' 'tiini.<ei I'niun. It is also thu head of Excise and County Court districts, and the seat uf a Bankruptcy Court, the jurisdiction of which extends over the English counties of Gloucester and Monnumth, with ports of Wilts and Somersetshire, and tin Welsh counties of Brecon, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Glamorgan, Pembroke, and Radnor. Quarter and l-tty HC Wons an held, and a Court of Requests sits weekly. A board of health is entrusted with the sanitary regulation (if the I city.' Bristol is, jointly with Gloucester, the head of a I dioc., the sees having been united in 1836 by A Parliament, at tho recommendation of tl. Commissioners. The! of the dioc. of Br as constituted by lli-iiry VI11., ex tended over the i a great part of Dorsetshire, and a few pars, in Gli torshire ; that of the united dioc. extends besides the whole of Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire I Somersetshire. By an Order of Council, made Oct., 1836, the co. and archdeac. of Dorset were tn ferrod from the dioc. of Bristol to that of Saliaba Tho cathedral church of Bristol is situated at (.oil green. It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and originally the church of tho abbey of St. Augustine. It is a venerable cruciform structure, chiefly in the early English style, with a lofty central embattled towM Thn nave was destroyed during the Civil Var. The length of the remaining portion of the building is netjfl 200 feet, and its breadth through the transepts 128 I Tho interior has been recently restored, and tl and fittings entirely renovated ; in order to permit ^ great oriel window to be seen to better advantage/* was found requisite to remove the screen ; < improvement has also been. II. , i, .1 by lowering the platform on which the communion tab; .^t and substituting chairs for the antique benches. The communion table is of oak and walnut, inlaid withclxmy. The bishop's throne has also be .. and now coven the spot where Bishop I'.u iried; this necessitated the removal of his monument. Imt the in-fll scription written by the poet Southoy, has been trans- 1 fcrrcd to a brass adjoining the throne There orel some fine stained windows, and a great numb< TC.I' hi^Uy interesting monuments. Among the n one to Hubert Fit/hardinge, first lord of lie rk founder of the abbey ; and several to abbots, bi shops, (I crusaders. Among those of modern date are one BacontoMrs. Draper, tho "Eliza" celebr.tt, ,1 by Sterne; one to Lady Hesketh, the friend of Cowper ment to Southey by Baily; and a fine figin by Chantrey. At tho western end of the a rich Gothic gateway, considered one of in England, bearing this inscription: " K'e lie dug, et Dominus Robert us filius I la? I>:ici;e. hiijiis MemastiTii primi i'un.i Ot." Tile chapter-house, tile I .a. 1 -ch.-l | .e ], parts of the cloist<-is ore in good pie the bishop's palace was burnt by tl. The- city '"inprises 18 parishes, with parts of S4i^H others, the livings being all in the dioc. of Gloucester and Bristol. Many of the churches are ancient, and some of them highly interesting examples of church architecture. The number of churches and chapelt belonging to the Church is about forty-tv numl s twenty-seven. Theli. ., val. 100, in the patron, of the dean ai Tho church i, in the' early Knglish a modern tower and Me eple. St. Augustine's is ;, worth 210, in the patron, of the clean and chajiK r. " chnrcb, originally eive-ted by the. al.l .n>l ("hni, h is a r, it.. -:. Ewtn'f united to it, of ;i!HI, in tl. tho Rev. James Robertson, incuml