POLITICAL STATE

OF THE

BRITISH EMPIRE.

IT Tis intended in this work to exhibit a general view of all thofe fubjects which are connected with, or which contribute to the grandeur of the British crown, or the interest and happiness of the people. In this research will be included, fo far as the information and industry of the author enable him, the most important, political, focial, moral, and commercial inftitutions, the establishments, and poffeffions, which most influence the welfare of the nation, whether the property of the public, or of individuals, or chartered bodies, whether derived from nature, or acquired by art or ingenuity, whether the produce of the country, or gained in other lands by discovery, acceffion, or conqueft.

In order to methodize this work, it has been thought proper to adopt fome general divifions, with fuch fubdivifions as will bring under the confideration of the reader, the chief topics of intereft in the proposed detail.

The general divifions are thefe:-1ft, England and Wales; 2d, Scotland; 3d, Ireland; and 4th, The Colonies, Iflands, or detached poffeffions of Great Britain, in all parts of the world.

FIRST GENERAL DIVISION.

ENGLAND AND WALES.

THAT divifion of the island of Great Britain containing England and Wales, which united, have formed the patrimony of its monarchs from the time that her history began to affume a refpectable figure among the annals of nations, is fituated VOL. I.

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between

between 50 and 56 degrees north latitude, and between 2 degrees eaft, and 6 degrees 20 minutes weft longitude.

Its fhape is triangular; the longeft fide from Berwick north, to the Land's End fouth-weft, is 386 miles; from Berwick to Sandwich, S. S. E. about 280 miles; from Sandwich eaft, to the Lands End weft by fouth, 279 miles; and the perpendicular from Berwick to Portfmouth, north and fouth, 320 miles. It is bounded on the east by the German Ocean; on the fouth by the English Channel; on the weft by St. George's Channel; on the north by the Cheviot Hills, by the river Tweed, and an ideal line, falling fouth-weft down to the Firth of Solway.

The extent of England and Wales in fquare ftatute miles, is computed at 58,335, or 37,334,400 acres. The population, according to the returns made in pursuance of an act of Parliament paffed in the year 1801, was, in England, 8,606,400 perfons; in Wales, 559,000; total, 9,165,400. This population, divided into equal portions, will afford a general average of 157 perfons to each fquare mile; but in the fubfequent enumeration of counties, the feparate population of each will be noticed, together with that of certain large manufacturing or trading cities and towns. The houfes in England and Wales are 1,687,355.

The climate of England is healthy, though uncertain; frequent changes happen in the weather, and thofe fudden and unexpected, which render the harvefts, efpecially in the northern counties, precarious; yet it rarely happens, but with care and attention, the induftrious hufbandman will be rewarded by a profitable crop. The foil of England is various; wheat, barley, oats, rye, French wheat, beans and peas, are the principal productions. Many counties produce apples and pears, from which cyder and perry are made; other fruits have been introduced, plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, figs, grapes; and others are, by care and fkill, raised in plenty and variety. The oak and beech are natives of England; the elm, moft probably, is an exotic; but most of the plants in the known world are introduced either into the plantation, the nursery, or the green-houfe. Among the wild animals formerly, were wolves, bears, foxes, deer, and badgers. The first two have been totally destroyed, the others remain. Among the domeftic animals are black cattle, horfes, fheep and hogs. In the different parts of the kingdom are mines of copper, iron, lead, tin, and coals; with quarries of marbie, free-ftone, limeflone, and flate. The manufactures are various and extensive including every article made of wool, cotton, flax, filk and leather; and of iron, fteel, and other metals. Of thefe notice will be taken in defcribing the various counties.

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The ancient geographical divifions of England varied according to the genius, knowledge, or inclinations of its poffeffors.

The Romans, finding the country divided into a number of fmall ftates, formed it into large provinces; viz.

1. Britannia prima, which contained the fouthern parts of England as far as the Severn and the Thames.

2. Britannia fecunda, containing the western parts, and comprehending modern Wales.

3. Flavia Cæfarienfis, a noble province, which received its denomination from the imperial house of Vefpafian, and extended from the Thames to the Humber; and

4. Maxima Cafarienfis, which reached from the Humber to the Tyne, and from the Merfey to the Solway.

When the power and protection of the Romans were withdrawn from England, the Saxons, first invited as allies, became the oppreffors and conquerors of the natives, and dividing the realm into feven governments, established the authority of as many kings, whofe domination did not however extend to Wales, but was compofed of the following parts, each including the portion of territory affigned to it. This ftate was called the Heptarchy, and it is to be obferved that the defcription of the poffeffions of each king is given in the names which the Counties afterwards received.

1. KENT, comprehending Kent.

2. SUSSEX, or SOUTH SAXONS, comprehending Suffex and Surrey.

3. EAST ANGLES, comprehending Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgefhire, with the Ifle of Ely.

4. WESSEX, or the WEST SAXONS, comprehending Cornwall, Devonshire, Dorfet, Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, and Berkshire.

5. NORTHUMBERLAND, comprehending Lancashire, Yorkfhire, Durham, Cumberland, Weftmorland, Northumberland, and the parts of Scotland to the Frith of Edinburgh.

6. ESSEX, or the EAST SAXONS, comprehending Effex, Middlesex, and Hertfordshire in part.

7. MERCIA, comprehending Gloucefter, Hereford, Warwick, Worcester, Leicester, Rutland, Northampton, Lincoln, Huntingdon, Bedford, Buckingham, Oxford, Stafford, Derby, Salop, Nottingham, and the rest of Hertford.

This ill contrived government being diffolved by the union of the whole kingdom under one fovereign, the powerful genius of ALFRED pointed out the neceffity, and conceived the means, of forming a better and more regular divifion, without which, thofe wife and benevolent inftitutions which he had

prepared for the welfare of his people, muft have failed. It was he, according to the best authorities, who firit portioned out the land into fhires or counties; the first name being derived from a Saxon word, which fignifies a feparation, or part cut off; the latter from the dignity of the officer, an earl (comes) who in times prior to thofe of Alfred, prefided over feparate diftricts, under the kings of the Heptarchy. The number of fhires first established by this great monarch, amounted to no more than 32,-Durham, Lancashire, Cornwall, Rutlandshire, Monmouthfhire, Northumberland, Westmorland and Cumberland, were fubfequently added, making the number 40, and when the principality of Wales was annexed to the realm, and divided into 12 counties, the prefent number 52 was completed *.

Befide this great divifion, the fagacious and patriotic Alfred, further fubdivided the realm into trythings, (now corruptly called Ridings, and retained only in Yorkhire,) rapes, lathes, wapentakes, and hundreds, which laft were again divided into tythings. By thefe means, and the judicious establishment of courts, and appointment of officers, together with a general system of mutual refponfibility, and an exact circumfpection, life and property were rendered fecure, without the impofition of any restraint on liberty.

As the effect and operation of this admirable fyftem will be more fully developed in the enfuing pages, it will in this place. be proper to enumerate the feveral counties of England and Wales, with the peculiar characteristic features of each. They are fubjoined in alphabetical order, as affording the most eafy means of general reference.

ANGLESEA

Is a county of Wales, and returns two members to Parliament, one for the fhire, and one for the town of Beaumarais.

Its modern name is derived from two old English words, Engles Ea, Ggnifying the English ifland, an appellation which it received on being reduced under fubmiffion in the reign of Edward I. It was known to the Romans by the title of Mona,

*It is unneceffary to enumerate among the counties, the peculiar local jurifdictions, as the Cinque-ports, or the cities and towns which by fpecial grace and favour of kings, are governed by fheriffs and magiftrates of their own, and privileged against thofe of the county. Thefe cities and towns are feventeen, viz. London, Chester, Bristol, Coventry, Canterbury, Exeter, Gloucefter, Litchfield, Lincoln, Norwich, Worceller, York, Kington-upon-Hull, Nottingham, Newcastle upon Tyne, Pool, and Southampton.

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and to the Saxons by that of Monez, both derived from the British Mon, but why they fo diftinguifhed it, cannot be afcertained; they also called it Inys Dewylb, or the fhady island, for the fame reafon that the Romans alfo applied to it the appellation of Infula Opaca, the great quantity of wood and forest with which it was covered. This circumftance perhaps rendered Anglefea the favourite abode of the Druids, in whofe form of worship, woods were effential; but in thefe days, the northern and western parts are extremely naked of timber-like trees, nor does any ftream of note take its rife within the district.

This island is furrounded by the Irish Sea on all fides except the S. E., where it is feparated from the main land of North Wales by the river Menai. Its length is estimated at 24 miles, its breath 14, and its circumference 60; its contents are 402 fquare miles, or 257,280 acres. It is divided into fix hundreds, namely, Llyfon, Malbraeth, Menai, Talybolion and Fyndaethwy; which contain 72 parishes and three towns, that of Beaumarais, already mentioned, Newburg, and Holyhead; the houses are 6806, the inhabitants 33,806.

The air of Anglesea is reckoned healthy, and the foil is remarkably fertile in corn, cattle, and fowl, while the water affords abundance of fifh. Difperfed about the island are fome monuments and remains of the Druids and the Romans, moitly fuppofed to be fepulchral or commemorative of the vain ftruggles of the free though rude natives, against the invading Romans. Recent induftry has added to the wealth of Anglefea, by the difcovery and working of the almost inexhauftible copper mines in the Paris Mountain near Amlwch.

BEDFORDSHIRE

DERIVES its name from its principal town, which town, as well as the county, returns two members to Parliament.

Bedfordshire forms an irregular oval. The greateit length is 35 miles, and the greatest breadth 22; its circumference is 73 miles, and its area contains 430 miles, or 275,200 acres. It is divided into nine hundreds, called Barford, Bigglefwade, Clifton, Flitt, Manfhead, Redborne Stoke, Stodden, Hilley, and Abixam bree; and thefe into 124 parithes, 10 townships, 3 hamlets, and one extra-parochial jurifdiction. The number of dwellinghoufes is 12,073, and of people 63,398. The chief towns are Bedford, which has 800 houfes, and 3948 inhabitants, Ampthill, Biggleswade, Dunstable, Potton, Luton, Leighton-Buzzard, Shefford, Wooburn, and Taddington. The principal rivers are the Qufe and the Ivel.

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