There is only one canal in the county, the military canal, which begins near Saudgate. It extends from this place, nearly in a straight direction, along the coast, till Hvthe, when it takes the course of the hills which skirt the marshes, and terminates at Cliffend in Sussex, a dis tance of about 23 miles. Its breadth is about 30 yards, its depth 6 yards. It has also a raised bank to protect the soldiers. As this canal was constructed entirely for mili tary purposes, the marten° towers may be mentioned in connection with it. These are built on the sea-beach, generally within half or three-fourths of a mile from one another. They extend from near East Wenbay to Dym church. The largest is at the latter place. There are two wells in Kent deserving notice, one at Sheerness, and the other at Queensborough. The first is of the astonish ing depth of 328 feet, 150 feet of clay, &c. and the re mainder chalk. The water is so abundant, that it has never been lowered more than 200 feet. Its quality is fine and soft, and its temperature rather above that obtained from most wells. It is computed that the bottom of this well is 200 feet below the deepest part of the adjacent sea. The bottom of the other well at Queensborough is said to be 166 feet below the bottom of the adjacent sea. The depth of this well is 281 feet, and the supply of water is nearly as great as that derived from the well at Sheerness.
The manufactures of Kent are few and unimportant. Silk, which was long manufactured at Canterbury, is now giving way to cotton. The first mill for making white roper, was erected near Dartford, but the most extensive paper mills are now at Maidstone and Dover. There are salt-works near Sandwich, and in the isle of Grain ; large copperas works at Whitstable and Deptford, and in that part of the Weald which borders on Sussex, there are fur naces for casting iron. The gunpowder mills at Deptford and Faversham carried on a very extensive business in time of war. At Craigford there arc large works for bleaching
and printing ; calicoes, sacking, and hop-bagging, are made in different parts of the county ; but the woollen manufac ture, which formerly raised to wealth and eminence many Kentish families, no longer exists in any extent or import ance. One of the largest flour mills in the kingdom is in Canterbury on the Stoure ; it is upon a most excellent con struction, and grinds and dresses 500 quarters of corn weekly.
The principal commerce of Kent consists in sending corn to London, by the Medway and Thames, in hoys, carrying from 300 to 500 quarters each. They return with grocery goods, &c.
The population in the year 1700, was 153,800; in the year 1750, 190,000 ; and, in 1801, 317,800. The returtis in 1811 were as follow: The history of this county is perhaps as interesting and important as that of any other county in England ; but our notice of it must he very short. The Cantii inhabited it at. the Roman conquest ; they are supposed to have been a colony. When Caesar invaded it, it was divided in to four principalities. It was included in Britannia Prima. The Romans appear to have paid particular attention to the defence of its s:icres ; and for that purpose they erected forts, • •iali were under the direction of a particular officer, called Count of the Saxon Shore. When the Anglo.Sax ons obtained possession of England, Kent formed one of their kingdoms, which was founded in the year 454, and ended in 823. The Sal kings of Kent discharged the • of C•c its of the Saxon Shore, in their regal capacity: and when England was formed into one kingdom, this post was revived in the Lc in Warden of the Cinque. ports. See .Mari•iall's Southern Counties ; Beauties of England and Wales, vol. vii. and viii.; Campbell's Survey of Great Bri tain. (w. s.)