Hull

Hull, or Kingston-upon-Hull, one of the chief ports of England, is a municipal and parliamentary borough (3 single-member divisions), in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and on the north shore of the Humber estuary, at the point where the river Hull falls into the estuary, 20 miles from the mouth of the Humber, and 34 miles S.E. of York. The town stands on low ground protected from the river by embankments, and is built mostly of brick. Among- the principal public buildings are the olrl cruciform parish church of the Holy Trinity, with many other churches and places of worship, the town-hall, the exchange, corn-exchange, Trinity house, dock offices, grammar school, free library, Hull and East Riding College, etc. Hull is served by five railway companies, and has a good railway station. There eire three public parks, and 40 acres of botanic gardens, and among the objects of adornment are a Doric column in memory of Wilberforce, and statues of the Queen and Prince Consort. The great industry of Hull is connected with shipping, and the dock accommodation makes it the third port in the kingdom. There is a large coasting trade, and a brisk foreign trade with the Baltic, America, the Mediterranean and other places. The docks belonging to the Hull Dock Company comprise 140 acres, and there are also 40 acres of other docks, and graving-docks as well. The chief industries beyond those relating immediately to the docks are ship-building, iron-foundries, machine-shops, seed-crushing, cotton and flax mills, canvas, rope, and cable-making, and the manufacture of tobacco. Edward I. granted a charter to the town, and in 1359 it furnished 16 ships and 470 sailors. Both in the Civil War and in the Revolution Hull decided against the king, and the day of William III.'s proclamation at Hull is kept as a holiday. Among illustrious natives of the town was Andrew Marvell.