is carried on also with the United States, the West India Islands, Brazil, and ether parts of South America and the East Indies. Its intercourse with Ireland is about equal in amount with that kept up with every port in Great Britain. The inland trade of Liverpool is much assisted by means of canals and railways, and it has benefited more than any port in the kingdom, (London alone excepted,) from the application of steam power to navigation. The docks are constructed on a most stupendous scale. They consist of wet, dry, and graving docks, and are connected with wide and commodious quays, and immense warehouses. The wet docks occupy a water superficies of 90 acres, 3384 yards, and the quays measure seven miles 156 yards in length.

Until about fifty years ago, the streets of Liverpool were narrow and inconvenient, and the buildings devoid of architectural beauty, but successive improvements have given to the town an elegance not to be met with in any other commercial port in the kingdom. The most important public buildings are, the town-hall, the exchange buildings, and the custom-house. The town-hall is a handsome Palladian building, surmounted by a dome, which is crowned by a statue of Britannia. It contains a number of portraits and a statue of Roscoe by Chantrey, and on the landing of the staircase there is a statue of Canning by the same artist. The interior of the town-hall, besides the rooms on the basement story, contains a saloon, two drawing-rooms, two ball-rooms, a banquetingroom, and a refectory, the whole elegantly fitted up. The exchange buildings form three sides of a square, in the centre of which is a group of statuary, in memory of Nelson, executed by Westmacott in 1813. The new custom-house, by far the finest building in Liverpool, both in magnitude and architectural execution, contains also the post-office, the excise-office, the stamp-office, the dock treasurer's and secretary's offices, the board-room, and offices of the dock committee. At the junction of the London road and Pembroke Place, there is an equestrian statue of George III. by Westmacott. St James's cemetery was once a quarry of red stone, and consists principally of catacombs. On the summit of the rock near the entrance is a beautiful chapel, containing some good sculpture. Here the late Mr Huskisson was interred, and a monument to his memory has been placed over the spot, with a statue of fine white marble, habited in a toga. Liverpool contains thirty-two places of worship connected with the Establishment, and fifty-nine belonging to Dissenters of various denominations. There are in Liverpool 75 Sunday schools, with 16,000 scholars; 43 evening schools, with 548 scholars; 648 day schools with 28,916 scholars. There are 13 medical charities, 12 provident, and 23 religious. There are 15 literary institutions, 12 places of public amusement, and 10 prisons. Among the literary institutions may be mentioned the Royal Institution, formed in 1814, by Mr Roscoe-the Literary, Scientific, and Commercial Institution set on foot in 1835-the Mechanics' Institution, opened in 1837,-the Liverpool Institution of the Fine Arts -the Atheneum,-the Lyceu », &c.

The markets of Liverpool are very remarkable structures; that of St John

occupies nearly two acres of ground, the whole under one roof, supported by 116 pillars.

The zoological gardens comprise ten acres of ground, and are laid out with a good deal of taste.

The manufactures of Liverpool are not important. There are several sugar refineries, some small founderies, a good deal of ship-building in wood and iron, a manufactory of steam-engines for vessels, and manufactories of anchors, chain cables, and similar articles naturally in demand in a large port.

The value of the corporation estates is estimated at three millions of money, and the annual income derived from rents and dock dues has increased to upwards of L.320,000. A great proportion of this income has been devoted to the improvement of the town, including the building of churches and other public edifices. The sum expended in these objects and in widening the streets, between 1786 and 1838, amounts to L.1,668,300.

The site of Liverpool is low and unhealthy. According to the Registrar-General's return of births and deaths, the deaths and marriages are double, while the births are little more than half, the number of the average of all England. In 1700, the population of Liverpool was only 4240; in 1841, it amounted to 223,003. It returns two members to Parliament.

The country around Liverpool abounds in every direction with fine residences. Of these, the most important are, Knowsley Hall (Earl of Derby); Croxteth Park (Earl of Sefton); Ince Blundell, the seat of the Blundell family; Childwall Abbey (Marquis of Salisbury); Speke Hall (Mr Watt); Hale Hall (Mr Blackburne); Woolton Hall, &c.

At Everton is the cottage where Prince Rupert established his head quarters when he besieged the town in 1644.

LXVIII. LONDON TO MANCHESTER THROUGH ST ALBANS, NORTHAMPTON, LEICESTER, DERBY, MACCLESFIELD, AND STOCKPORT, 186 Miles.

To Buxton, 11 miles; to 183 MACCLESFIELD, p. 199 167 To Knutsford, 11 miles.

NORTHAMPTON is situated on the north bank of the Nen. It is a place of considerable antiquity. During the wars of the Roses, a great battle was fought near the town (July 10th 1460,) in which the Lancastrians were defeated by the Earl of Warwick, and Henry VI. taken prisoner. In the civil wars of Charles I., Northampton was taken by Lord Brooke, and fortified for the Parliament. The principal objects deserving of notice are, All-Saints Church; St Peter's, a remarkably fine and curious specimen of enriched Norman architecture; St Sepulchre's, supposed to have been erected by the Knights-Templars about the beginning of the twelfth century; St Giles', adorned with several curious monuments; the Castle Hill meeting-house, which contains a tablet to the memory of Dr Doddridge, who exercised his ministry, and conducted an academy for the education of ministers, in this town for more than twenty years; the Baptist meeting-house, in which is a monument to John Ryland; the town-hall; the county-gaol; the county-hall; sessions-house, &c. Of the several religious houses which existed before the Reformation, the Hospitals of St Thomas and St John yet remain. Of the castle, which was near the west bridge, there are only the earth works, and of the town walls there are no traces. The principal brauch of trade carried on in Northampton is boot and shoe-making. Considerable business is done in currying leather, and some stockings and lace are made. It has also three iron founderies; and its horse-fairs are much frequented. Fletcher the dramatist was a native of Northampton. It returns two members to Parliament. Population, 21,242. Six miles distant is Althorpe, the seat of Earl Spencer, containing numerous fine pictures, and an extensive library of curious and scarce books.