PLYMOUTH, a seaport, municipal and parliamentary borough of England, in Devonshire, at the head of Plymouth Sound, between the estuaries of the Plym and Tamar. Taken in its largest sense, it comprehends what are called the "Three Towns," or Devonport on the W., Stonehouse in the center, and Plymouth proper on the E. The older parts of the town consist of narrow and irregular streets devoid of architectural beauty, but the newer parts and suburbs display an abundance of elegant buildings. The guild hall, a Gothic building, is the finest modern edifice (1870-1874), and has a s,ower nearly 200 feet high. The citadel, an obsolete fortification built by Charles IL, is another object of interest. Ply mouth is well defended both by land and sea, by a series of forts of exceptional strength provided with heavy ordnance. The manufactures are not very exten sive, and chiefly connected with ships' stores; but the fisheries are valuble, and Plymouth has a large export and coast ing trade. Its chief importance lies in its position as a naval station. Thanks
to extensive and sheltered harbors, Ply mouth rose from a mere fishing village to the rank of foremost port of England under Elizabeth, and is now as a naval port second only to Portsmouth, To secure safe anchorage in the sound a stupendous breakwater has been con structed at a cost of about $10,000,000. The Western Harbor, or the Hamoaze (mouth of the Tamar), is specially de voted to the royal navy, and here (in Devonport, which see) are the dock yard, and Keyham steam yard; the vic tualling yard, marine barracks, and naval hospital being in Stonehouse. The mercantile marine is accommodated in the Eastern Harbor, the Catwater (200 acres), or estuary of the Plym, and in Sutton Pool, and the Great Western Docks in Mill Bay. In the World War (1914-1918) Plymouth was a naval base for operations against the enemy, and port of entry for the Canadian and other expeditionary forces. Pop. (1917) 179,395.