The river Ribble is said to be the largest river in the north of England, and takes its rise above Settle, in Yorkshire, and enters the county by Clitheroe ; in its way from Colne, Burnley, &c. it receives the Calder, before it reaches Ribchester, from whence it flows through Ribblesdale, westward, and a little on the east and south of Preston, till it falls into the estuary of the Irish sea, by Nese Point. That part of Ribblesdale where it flows by the town of Preston is remarkably grand, and derives its name, as Ptolemy says, from the Phonecian words Belus and Sama, sigifying the Moon, and beautiful; thus it was named by the Aborigines of this vicinity when Preston was called Tibo Dunum. Upon one side stands the burgh of Preston, looking gay and beautiful on a spring morning, adding ornament and variety to the scene, and receiving innumerable advantages from the passing waves; the redundant waters of Bellisamia, with her rippling waves, suffused with a soft breeze, causes her liquid matter to whistle upon the wind, as she murmurs along the windings of the walk upon her banks, from Avenham to the ferry-boat at Penwortham.

Fishermen are employed to draw, with nets, every morning during the season. Salmon is plentiful; the river is noted for plaise, morts, sprods, smelts, eels, &c. The fish-stones are genenerally supplied well, with a variety of the finny tribe. Oysters, cockles, muscles, lobsters, shrimps, and other fish, with wild ducks, and other birds, are brought from Lytham, Blackpool, Meols, and Heysham, to this market, and sometimes from Carlisle and Ireland.

An act of parliament was procured for building a bridge, near the Fish-house, between the townships of Preston and Penwortham, granted June 24th, 1751. The bridge was completed in 1759. The commissioners for carrying this erection into execution were, Lord Strange, Sir H. Hoghton, Sir R. Assheton, Thos. Hesketh, Esq., R. Hesketh, Esq., Edmund Hornby, Rigby Molyneux, Jno. Winckley, Charles Stanley, Francis Charteris, Esq., Sir Roger Bradshaigh, Rev. Jno. Stanley, clerk, Wm. Shaw, N. Wall, Mat thew Ryley, mayor of Preston, Jno. Langton, Rich. Shepherd, Thos. Whitehead, Jno. Bradkirk, N. Winckley, Jos. Myers, Thos. Grimshawe, Geo. Rishton, Edw. Rishton, Edw. Pedder, Jno. Bolton, John Nock, Allan Pincock, N. Walmsley, Thos. Clayton. Thos. Woodcock, Townley Rigby, Thos. Cooper, James Fenton, and many others.

The Custom-house, for taking an account of all imports and and exports of the port of Preston, is held in Fox-street, under the following officers :-Collector, R. Pilkingtone, Esq.; Comptrollor, R. Foster; Surveyor, J. Forshaw.

An act was passed for improving the navigation of the river Ribble, in the county palatine of Lancaster, 46th Geo. 3rd, 1806. Commissioners are empowered for the purpose therein named. This act states, that the port of the town of Preston is of great antiquity, and merchants and other persons engaged and employed in commercial business and concerns, have, time out of mind, used vessels, British and Foreign, of various descriptious and burthens, to carry their goods, wares, and merchandize to and from the said port, in and upon the river Ribble, within the port aforesaid, with advantages to themselves and the public, and the increase of the public revenue.

Lytham, Freckleton, Hesketh, and Poulton, are within the port of Preston, (although the port of Poulton is situate upon the river Wyre.)

Preston is supplied with coals from the Douglas canal navigation, which joins the river Ribble a few miles below the town; and from Johnson's Hillock, Addlington, Blackrod, and by the canal railroad, which crosses the wooden bridge at Avenham, erected in 1802, and is 139 yards long, by 4 yards wide, with a descent from the Engine-house of 70 yards, for the waggons, and joins the navigation from the canal basin, in Fishergate, from whence, by Spittals-moss, to Salwick, Garstang, Lancaster, and thence to Kendal. Packets arrive from Lancaster with passengers from all parts of the north, at 8 in the evening, and proceed every morning at 6 o'clock.

Fly boats and coal barges are continually moving every day to and from the north of England. Communications are formed from here with the rivers Mersey, Dee, Ouse, Trent, Derwent, Severn, Humber, Thames, and Avon. The Ribble is navigable for vessels that coast it, with goods from Liverpool, Kirkudbright, Dublin, Drogheda, and other parts; as well for coal flats, and other small craft. Boats go every day during the bathing season to Lytham.

Walking towards the estuary of the river, which empties itself into the Irish sea, many well-built villas are built upon the summit

of Ashton-upon-Ribble, which overlook the river below, and form a pleasing and salubrious prospect even to what is called the chain.

Two bridges stand at each end of the town, called Walton and Penwortham bridges, the one giving entrance from the London road, the other from Liverpool, built in 1759, with 5 arches. The bridge at Walton was deemed unsafe, in the year 1778, and was taken down after the completion of the present structure, which was erected about 50 yards higher up the river than the former one, and finished the beginning of the year 1782. As a proof of the antiquity of Walton bridge, a forest once existed there, as described in an ancient boundary record of the 9th of Henry the 3rd.

The roads have been repaired and improved, by order of the Police Commissioners, which prove a valuable but expensive acquisition to the town. The Police bill was submitted to the inhabitants, for the purpose of being brought before parliament, on Monday, January 30th, 1815; Police Treasurer, Mr. Samuel Crane; Surveyor, Mr. Robt. Holmes; Assessors, Thos. Emmett and Wm. Miller.

The improvement at both entrances of the town is attended with benefit to the coaches, waggons, &c. The chasm in Fishergate is now entirely filled up, and the road raised as far as Penwortham bridge, and stone embankments formed to stop the incursions of the river. The road to Walton has been turned from its former position, the hollow entirely filled up, in a similar manner to the one in Fishergate, and a parapet formed for foot passengers, which makes it very agreeable for those resident in Walton-le-dale.

This act is for the purpose of paving, cleaning, watching, and lighting the streets; and for making any other improvements, in order to beautify the town. Certain powers are given to the acting commissioners, as may be seen on having recourse to the act itself. Messrs. Grimshaw and Palmer are clerks to the Police administration.

It has been in agitation, ever since 1817, for a new market-place to be erected behind the Gentlemen's Coffee-house, in Churchstreet; but a violent contest ensued between the proprietors of property in Church-street, and the tradespeople residing at the lower end of the Market-place and Friargate; in consequence of this, a petition was presented to the Earl of Derby, praying that a stop might be put to it, as it would prove prejudicial to the inte

rests of those landholders and shopkeepers resident in the Marketplace and Friargate.

Notice was given that a meeting had been held in the Town-hall, on Thursday, September 14th, 1820, for the purpose of making application to parliament to enlarge the markets, by erecting any new market-house or market-houses, place or places, shops, stalls, standings, or other accommodations, in any place or places within the borough ; and for the regulation of the rents, tolls, stallage, and dues belonging to the fairs and markets; signed by R. Palmer, Esq. town-clerk of the said borough of Preston, on behalf of the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses.

Preston is the seat of several law courts belonging to the county palatine of Lancaster. King Edward 3rd made this into a county palatine, in favour of his son John of Gaunt, A. D. 1370, and a palatinate in propriæ, in 1376; it has a court which sits in the Duchy Chamber at Westminster, for the revenues of the Duchy, and a Chancery Court at Preston. This county always gave the title of Duke to a branch of the Royal family, till the union of the two houses of York and Lancaster, distinguished by the red and white roses, in the marriage of Henry the 7th of the Lancaster line, with Elizabeth heiress of the house of York.

A branch of the Bible Society holds its annual meetings here, sometimes in the National school, but most generally in the Theatre, (the Town-hall not excepted for these cases.) The ladies have also a Bible Society here, with a secretary and treasurer; they raised in 1819 the sum of £138. 9s. 2d., and put into circulation 153 bibles and 105 testaments. There are Church, Baptist, and Independent Missionary Societies; a branch of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; Tract Societies, &c. all of which exist and seemingly augur to beneficial purposes.

The Coporate body consist of a mayor, recorder, eight aldermen, four under aldermen, seventeen common councilmen, a town clerk, two bailiffs, two sergeants, one mace bearer, one bellman, and a beadle. One bailiff is chosen by the mayor, hence the mayor's bailiff; the other by the inn burgesses, in the name of the town, hence the town's bailiff. The beadle is in the gift of Sir H. P. Hoghton, Bart. patron of the Parish church. It is a parliamentary borough, and sent two members to parliament as early as the 23rd of Edward 1st, but ceased to send from the first of Edward the

2nd till the time of Edward the 6th, when the neglceted right was resumed. The bailiffs, now called, were in the Roman time, pretors ; that such officers had existence may be seen from an ancient record belonging to the borough, which runs thus:-"Signis Burgensis voluerit fieri veniat incuria et Reddat Prefecto duodecim denarios et Capiat Burgagium suum de Pretoribus et postea famulo Pretoris unum denarium et ipse testificet eum Burgensem in curia firi. Burgensis not potest esse nisi habeat Burgagium duodecim pedum in fronte." That is, "If any person should wish to be made a burgess let him come into the court and pay twelve pence to the prefect, and take his burgage from the pretor's servant, and he shall bear witness that he was made a burgess in court.

No one

can be a burgess except he have a burgage twelve feet in front." Preston had a portgreve, who had the power of showynde, but now altered to "Magna curia leet," being the court of election for new magistrates for the burgh. They have jurisdiction within the town for granting licences to the innkeepers, at ten shillings and sixpence each, on the 15th day of September annually. There are 74 inns or public-houses in the town; each publican is obliged to produce bondsmen for any disorder which may happen within his house, under a certain forfeiture.

The inhabitants are, generally, industrious and active, but very proud and ostentatious; a regular distance is always kept alive between the various ranks of society; inferiority is often met, in the public walks, with repulsive countenance and half averted eyes; the petty assumptions of ignorance, dressed in the brief authority of office, shows itself occasionally; but, notwithstanding all this, very considerable remains of the frankness and warmth of the British character may be traced, felt, and seen; numbers now resident within the town are adorned with traits of benevolence and virtue, and whose example is highly instructive and beneficial. The different places of worship are well attended; the various public charities meet with spirited support, highly creditable to the character and feelings of the people. Literature is here cultivated; libraries and literary societies exist; also news-rooms, for the purpose of improvement in political knowledge. The town has invariably shown its loyalty on every occasion, and plumes itself upon an equality with any other in the kingdom. Volunteers were raised, under the superintendence of Lieutenant-Col.