WOW: WWII, a market-t. and parish of Kent, the seat of the chief government -arsenal of Great Britain, stands on the s. bank of the Thames, about nine m. e. of Lon don. It stretches along the bank of the river for two m., and reaches back from the river for half a mile, as far as the brow of the bill, where are the royal artillery barracks and hospital. 'The general appearance of the town has little to recommend it; but the southern suburbs are handsome and regular. There are numerous places of worship— Established, Roman Catholic, and dissenting, and there are numerous schools, a theater, etc. Its dock-yard, its government manufacturing establishments for the production of material of war of every description •except gunpowder), and the fact that it is a great depot for naval and military stores, and also the headquarters of the great corps of royal artillery, combine to render Woolwich a place of great importance. A royal dockyard existed here as early as 1515, and the Henrlie Grace de Dieu, which conveyed Henry VIII. to the field of the cloth of gold, is said to have been built here, though this statement has been disputed. The Royal George (q.v.) was built here in 1751. The
royal dock-yard and ship-building establishment was however, closed on Oct. 1, 1869. The y-ard comprised large dry-docks, and a basin 400 feet long by 300 feet wide, and was furnished in every respectwith the newest and most efficient apparatus. The royal arsenal, the largest in Britain, contains not only the largest stores of iJI kinds—shot, shells, cannon, etc.—which are required for our armies, navies, and forts, but it com• prises also establishments for manufacturing them, and for constructing gun-carriages, and preparins., ammunition for cannon and small-arms. These works are carried on in the three departments called respectively the gun factories, carriage department, and laboratory. On the common, south of the town, is the royal military academy, for the education of cadets destined for the artillery and engineers. See MILITARY AcabEarr,