Southampton

Southampton, a municipal and parliamentary borough and seaport in Hampshire, situated on the Test. at the head of Southampton Water. It forms a county in itself. The trading importance of the place dates from the Conquest, but has suffered sharp vicissitudes, though the natural harbour is almost unrivalled and possesses a double tide. It was for many years the starting-point of the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamers for the East, and still retains the business of the Royal Mail and Union Lines, as well as of the London and South-Western Company's traffic with the Channel Islands and France. It is also a port of call for the vessels of the North German Lloyd and other foreign lines. The great tidal dock opened in 1842 and two other large docks have an area of 50 acres, and quite recently have been acquired by the railway company, and made the headquarters of the American line plying to New York. The modern town and suburbs are handsome and commodious, but preserve many traces of antiquity, suchsuch as parts of the walls and four gates dating fromfrom Richard II., remains of the castle occupying thethe site of a Saxon fort, the Norman churches of StSt. Michael and Holyrood, the FTench chapel of StSt. Julien, and a grammar school founded by Edward VI. but rebuilt in 1875. There are good public institutions and a pleasant park. It returns two members to Parliament.