GOSPORT, is a seaport town of England, in Hampshire, situated on the west side of Portsmouth Harbour. This town, which flourishes particularly in times of war, consists of a principal street, extending westward from the harbour to the fortification, with the obstruction only of the market house, and of other streets parallel to the principal one, and crossed by various streets of a smaller size. Differ ent ranges of buildings stretch also along the shore and near the fortification. Gosport is fortified on the land side by a line of bastions, counter-scarps, &c. which extend from Weovil to Alverstoke Lake. The king's brewery and cooperage, with store-houses fur wine, malt, and hops, are within the works on the Weevil side. The new barracks are also on the Weovil side. Gosport is a chapelry to the village of Alverstoke. The chapel stands to the south of the town, in a well-wooded cemetry. It is a large building, neatly fitted up. There is also here a Roman Catholic chapel, and a meeting-house for the Dissenters, who have an academy for the education of young clergymen, under the management of Dr Bogue. There arc at Gosport several charity-schools, an almshouse, and a large and airy workhouse for the poor. The principal manufactures
here are an iron foundery, and several breweries. A neat theatre has been erected at Gosport.
This town communicates with the sea by means of a large basin and canal, with extensive quays, where vessels of considerable size can take in their stores. Ferry-boats are constantly passing and repassing across the harbour be tween Gosport and Postsmouth.
Near Gosport is situated the royal hospital at Hasler, for the reception of sick and wounded seamen, which was erected between 1746 and 1762. It stands within 400 yards of the extremity of the point of land which lies to the west of the entrance to Portsmouth harbour. The front is about 567 feet long, and it has two wings, each of which is about 552 feet long. It can accommodate 2000 patients, and has an annual expenditure of 5000/. The following is an ab stract of the population of the town of Gosport for 1811. Inhabited houses 1439 Number of families 1614 Families employed in trade 385 Males 3483 Females 4305 Total population 7788 See Warner's Topographical Remarks relating to the South-western parts of Hampshire ; and the Beauties of _England and Wales, vol. vi. p. 310.