The chief towns are Halifax, including the parish; population 92,850; Leeds, 83,796, Sheffield and parish, 52,105; Bradford and parish, 62,954; Hud dersfield and parish. 24.220; Almondbury, 23,979; Kirk-Heaton, 21.870; Birstall, 21,217; Dewesbury, 16,261; Calverley, 14,134; 13,695; Ripon, 13,096; Ecclesfield, 12,496. There are a great many other towns and villages, such as Don caster, Pontefract and Knarcshorough, but none of them contain so many as 10,000 inhabitants.
The East Riding next claims our attention. It is bounded on the east by the German Ocean; on the north and west by the rivers Hartford, Dement and the Ouse; and south by the Humber. This Riding, which comprehends six wapentakes, and is the smallest of the three divisions of which the county consists, is not marked by any very pe culiar features. The wolds, a range of chalky hills elevated above the level country about 600 feet, extends from north to south, nearly through the whole of the Riding. The wolds, till within forty years, remained nearly in a state of nature, being entirely uncultivated, hut since that time they have been enclosed and subdivided and sub jected to the action of the plough, and now produce excellent crops. The soil is commonly a light loam, with a mixture of chalk. On each side of the wolds extend flat, level, fertile tracts, with gentle undula tions, where agriculture has been carried to very considerable perfection. Marshes have been drain ed, and extensive formerly swarming with rabbits, have been converted to a more useful pur pose, being used either for grain or pasture. Agri. culture has gained no greater triumph in any dis trict in England than it has acquired in the quar ter under review, particularly in the successful cultivation of the wolds. Fifty years ago, agricul ture, which has recently been brought to such per fection, was in a very rude state, and barley and oats were the principal, if not the only, grain pro duced. Now not only the valleys, but the slopes of the hills are adorned with wheat; and wheat bread, and not oatmeal, constitutes the chief food of the people. What twenty years ago was a marshy waste, and could not be crossed with safety, has now the advantage of numerous excellent roads, is studded with elegant farm-houses, and produces the best crops. This division contains also some excellent pasture-grounds. The farms are generally large, each varying from £200 to £1200 per an num of rent. The climate includes every variety of weather; the east winds are cold and raw; the wolds average a very low temperature; the tract on the west of this range is the mildest.
The East Riding can boast of no mineral wealth; nor have manufactures been much cultivated; car pets, spinning of flax and cotton are almost the only articles connected with manufactures which has been attended to. This riding cannot boast of
much timber, and it has no coal; which latter ar title is got either from the mines in the West Riding cr from the county of Durham. The pro duce of agriculture and pasturage form the staple commodities of the people, which they export to a great extent; grain, potatoes, bacon, horses, black cattle, butter, wool, which last article is generally sold to cloth manufacturers in the West Riding. Ship-building, particularly at Hull, is a great source of employment. Hull, indeed, is the great entrepot of the trade and commerce, not only of this Riding and of all Yorkshire, but also to a great extent of the counties of Lancaster, Chester, Derby and Nottingham; in consequence of which that city has more than doubled its population (which is now 31,425) within the last forty years. The whale•fishery on the coast of Greenland has been long prosecuted by the inhabitants of Hull. The herring-fishery is also pursued by several of the coast towns of this Riding.
The chief towns and villages in this division are York, population 38,731; Hull, as just mentioned; Sulcoates, 10,449; Beverley, 7503; Howden, 4443. No other town or burgh contain more than 3000.
The North Riding falls last to be considered. It contains that portion of the county not included in the two divisions already described. It is divided into ten wapentakes. The physical appearance is considerably various: the land on the shore is lofty and precipitous, varying from 150 to 900 feet in height. In several parts of the district, there are considerable elevations, Rosebury-Topping, a mountain whose summit is 1480 feet above the level of the sea, being the highest. Moorlands abound much; but there are some very fertile and exten sive, of great beauty and fertility, which form a striking contrast with the elevated and compara tively barren ground with which they are bounded. There are extensive marshes, both on the banks of some of the rivers, particularly the De•went, and in the other districts. Some of them have recently been drained, and many are in the way of under going this amelioration; but still much on this head requires to be done. Mists and humidity, both on these swamps and on the high ground, pre vail more than in any of the other divisions of the county. In some of the valleys, the weather in summer is intensely sultry; while in winter, a cor responding degree of cold is felt; and snow abounds, particularly on the moorlands.