f an enemy--but that is a
language our modern engineers now laugh at.

The town stands above this, upon the same rock, and lies sloping on the
side of it, towards the east--the inlet of the sea which is called
Catwater, and which is a harbour capable of receiving any number of ships
and of any size, washing the eastern shore of the town, where they have a
kind of natural mole or haven, with a quay and all other conveniences for
bringing in vessels for loading and unloading; nor is the trade carried
on here inconsiderable in itself, or the number of merchants small.

The other inlet of the sea, as I term it, is on the other side of the
town, and is called Hamoaze, being the mouth of the River Tamar, a
considerable river which parts the two counties of Devon and Cornwall.
Here (the war with France making it necessary that the ships of war
should have a retreat nearer hand than at Portsmouth) the late King
William ordered a wet dock--with yards, dry docks, launches, and
conveniences of all kinds for building and repairing of ships--to be
built; and with these followed necessarily the building of store-houses
and warehouses for the rigging, sails, naval and military stores, &c., of
such ships as may be appointed to be laid up there, as now several are;
with very handsome houses for the commissioners, clerks, and officers of
all kinds usual in the king's yards, to dwell in. It is, in short, now
become as complete an arsenal or yard for building and fitting men-of-war
as any the Government are masters of, and perhaps much more convenient
than some of them, though not so large.

The building of these things, with the addition of rope-walks and mast-
yards, &c., as it brought abundance of trades-people and workmen to the
place, so they began by little and little to build houses on the lands
adjacent, till at length there appeared a very handsome street, spacious
and large, and as well inhabited; and so many houses are since added that
it is become a considerable town, and must of consequence in time draw
abundance of people from Plymouth itself.

However, the town of Plymouth is, and will always be, a very considerable
town, while that excellent harbour makes it such a general port for the
receiving all the fleets of merchants' ships from the southward (as from
Spain, Italy, the West Indies, &c.), who generally make it the first port
to put in at for refreshment, or safety from either weather or enemies.

The town is popul