Humber

Humber, The, a river estuary on the east of England, between the counties of York on the north and Lincoln on the south. It is about 35 miles long, and has an average breadth of 2 to 3 miles, opening out at the eastern end to 6 miles, and drains a basin of nearly 10,000 miles, such being the extent of land drained by the Ouse, with its tributaries Aire and Derwent, the Don, the Trent, and lastly the Hull. Frond the entrance of the Ouse the direction taken by the estuary is W. by N., and from that point to Spurn Head, S.S.E. The chief ports are Hull, Goole, and Great Grimsby, and navigation is easy for large vessels as far upwards as Hull, and small vessels can ascend to Goole, 20 miles farther inland, while Great Grimsby is almost on the open sea opposite to Spurn Head. Many towns have been in the course of time swept away by encroachments of the sea, and are now represented by sands.