ESSEX is a maritime county on the east coast of England. It is bounded on the cast by the German ocean ; on the west by the rivers Lea and Stort, with a part of Hertfordshire ; on the north by the river Stour and part of Cambridgeshire ; and on the south by the river Thames. It is divided from the county of Suffolk, on the north, principally by the Stour ; from, Middlesex, on the west, by the river Lea; and from Kent, on the south, by the Thames. Measured from east to west, its extent is nearly 60 miles; from north to south about 50. Its outline about 120 miles; its area, as ascertained from the map lately published by the Board of Ordnance, is about 942,720 acres. It was formerly supposed to contain upwards of one million of acres. Even on the lower and more accurate calcu lation, it reckons among the largest counties in Eng land. Its figure is irregularly quadrangular ; its ma ritime side, in particular, being indented and uneven. On the eastern coast of England there are three coun ties, which together form a tame continued tract of vast extent, undistinguished by any considerable emi nence orridge: Of these Essex is the most southern ; but though it is fiat, it is in general sufficiently eleva ted to be dry and arable. Towards the north-west the country rises; the most level tracts are those of the southern and eastern hundreds. It has been already mentioned, that its maritime side is indented and un even ; it is in fact broken into a series of islets and peninsulas, which are deeply cut in by the arms of the sea, and exhibit evident marks of the force of that ele ment. Along the coast, the greater part of which is protected by embankments, there are extensive and va luable salt marshes ; and that part of the county which lies along the banks of the Thames, is also, for the most part, low and marshy. The effects of the violence of the sea is no where more conspicuous than in that part of the coast of Essex called Walton Ness. This pro montory formerly extended much farther to the east than it does at present; the ruins of buildings having been discovered at a considerable distance, particular ly in a shoal called West Rocks, nearly five miles from the shore, which is left dry at the period of great ebbs. On these rocks, a town called Orwell, is traditionally reported to have stood ; and the spot where the ruins are found is still distinguished by the appellation of the town. On the coast of Dengey Hundred also,
which is now protected from the sea by embankments, that element, in time past, made great depredations. Off the coast there is a sand called Buxey Park, and old seamen still living have heard their grandfathers say, that, when they were boys, Buxey Park was covered with trees.
The divisions of this county are both natural and ar tificial. Its natural divisions are into continent and islands ; the latter are numerous, but not extensive, lying partly on the German Ocean, and partly on the river Thames. Mersey island, situated at the con fluence of the rivers Colne and Backwater, and sepa rated from the mainland by the small channel called the Pyeflcet, is about five miles from east to west, and about two from north to south. It possesses many na tural beauties, is well wooded, varied with hill and dale, containing excellent springs, and of a rich and fertile soil. Towards the south of the county are the islands of Rushley, Havengore, New England, Potten, Foulness, and Wallasea. These are contiguous to each other, and possess a rich soil. Canvey island is in the south-west of the county, situated nearly at the mouth of the Thames, and surrounded by the branches of that river.
The artificial divisions of the county, are hundreds, towns, parishes, and hamlets. There are fourteen hun dreds, and five smaller divisions, called half hundreds. viz. Becontrec, Chafford, Chelmsford, Clavcring, Den gey, Dunmow, Fresh well, Harlow, Havering-atte Bower, Ilinckford, Lexden, Ongar, Rochford, Ten dring, Thurstable, Attlesford, Waltham, Winst•ee, and Witham. There are three borough towns, Colchester, Harwich, and Mahlon, besides the town of Saffron Walden. It contains 404 entire parishes, and four parts of parishes. There are in it fourteen division, al meetings, or petty sessions ; and 140 acting coun ty magistrates. It returns eight members to par liament, viz. two for the county, and two for each of the borough towns. It is in the diocese of London, contains three archdeaconries, and fifteen deanries ; is in the home circuit, and pays twenty-four parts of the land-tax. Its quota to the regular militia is 960 men ; to the local militia, 6553.