SOUTH END.

THIS place has, within a few years, risen into notice, and from being, in a great measure, unknown, even by name to the inhabitants of the metropolis, has lately risen to a comparative consequence in that class of provincial towns or villages, whose situation allures the idle and the gay, the opulent and the unhealthy, to seek for variety, pleasure, or salt water, during the summer season.

It is situated in the parish of Prittlewell, on the north eastern extremity of the shore of the Thames in the county of Essex. It is opposite to the Isle of Grain, which forms the south eastern or Kentish shore, forming one side of the mouth of the Medway. The Isle of Sheppy forms the other, and with the fortress and naval scenery of Sheerness, presents itself to the view of South End, across the broad confluence of those rivers. At the end of what is called the Nore Land is a floating light, placed in a hulk, for the safety of the navigation: around it the guard-ships are stationary, while the scene is ever varying from the numerous vessels, which British commerce is unceasingly receiving into its bosom; or dismissing, laden with its treasures, to every part of the world.

South End may certainly boast a very delightful situation, from its being placed in the highly cultivated shore of the finest river in Europe, where it assumes a grandeur suited to the ocean which it approaches. But while it possesses what may be denominated a large extent of marine prospect, it is not without its portion of sylvan beauty. At the same time its contiguity to London is a favourable circumstance, as the distance is only forty miles, and the road which leads to the metropolis is through a very pleasing country: from this ready communication, either by land or by water, it has an advantage over every other place of summer amusement of the same description.

The improvements which have raised this place from a state of obscurity, have been on a most liberal scale, and such as its favourable situation appeared to demand. The lofty and finely wooded bank that rises from the old town, is crowned by a very handsome row of houses, called the Terrace, and which the engraving particularly represents. They are constructed after a very handsome and uniform design, and command the charming scene, which has been already, though imperfectly, described. One of the wings contains a commodious hotel and handsome assembly-room; and in its immediate vicinity are a circulating library and convenient theatre. The slope beneath the terrace is cloathed with foliage, and the wood is intersected by meandering walks, which lead to the edge of high-water mark.

The old town stretches along the lower part of the shore to the eastward, and has rapidly increased in its buildings and accommodations. It has two good inns, a public library, several convenient bathing machines, with hot and cold baths, into which the salt water flows; and every convenience for land and water excursions, particularly the latter, for which the place is so well adapted.

The adjacent parish church of Prittlewell, is an handsome structure, with a lofty conspicuous gothic tower, decorated with pinnacles.

Thus, while South End derives its chief beauty from the mighty river on whose shore it stands, it makes the return of a very pleasing object to the vessels that pass and repass before it.

SHEERNESS.

THIS place is situated on the extreme northern point of the Isle of Shepey. It is a maritime and market town of some consequence, and the principal one in the island. It is by nature a morass, and so it continued till the reign of Charles the Second, when it was found necessary to fortify it for the security of the Medway, the entrance of which it effectually commands. That river being the principal station of the royal fleet, Hasted states, that the King himself, having been made sensible of the importance of the spot, determined to erect a strong fort here, for which purpose he made two journies to the place in the beginning of the year 1667; and having attended to the commencement of the work, left it to be completed under the care of the engineer in chief, Sir Martin Beckman, and one of the commissioners of the ordnance. From some intervening obstructions, however, the new works were not in a sufficient state of resistance, when the Dutch fleet made its memorable attempt upon the shipping in the Medway, in the month of June following. No more than twelve guns were then mounted, which were soon silenced, and the works destroyed by the enemy's ships. A number of men were then landed, who took possession of the fort, and the hostile fleet proceeded up the river. The Dutch, after destroying the shipping as high up the Medway as Upnor Castle, abandoned the enterprize; and, re-embarking the troops which they had landed at Sheerness, proceeded along the coasts of Essex and Suffolk, which they continued for some time to fill with alarm.

This mischievous and mortifying event sufficiently proved the necessity of a very strong fortification on the spot. A regular fort was therefore immediately built, and mounted with a line of large and heavy cannon: several small forts were also erected on both sides of the Medway, for its com