CHATHAM, England, now a parliamentary and municipal borough, naval arsenal and sea port, in County Kent, on the Medway, about 33 miles by rail from London, practically forming one town with Rochester. As a parliamentary borough it includes Gillingham and New Brompton, and returns one member. The great features of Chatham are the naval and military establishments here and in the vicinity. The dockyard was founded by Queen Elizabeth in 1588, and during this reign Upnor Castle, on the left bank of the Medway, was erected to pro tect the dock and shipping. Despite the fire from the castle, however, in 1667 Van Ghent, a vice-admiral of De Ruyter succeeded in breaking the chain stretched across the river, burned and sank several ships, and retired bear ing off the warship, the Royal Charles, as a prize. The former lines of fortifications have been replaced by modern forts. With its recent extensions the royal dockyard now extends for about three miles along the Medway, and is thoroughly equipped with building slips and floating docks, making it one of the most im portant naval bases in the kingdom. One huge
basin has a frontage of 6,000 feet with a width of 800 feet. Up to 8,000 workmen may be at one time employed in and around the dockyard. The military establishments include extensive infantry barracks, and barracks for the royal marines; the headquarters of the royal engi neers, arsenal and park of artillery, hospitals, etc. The old convict prison has been partly pulled down and replaced by naval barracks. The fortifications are intended as a defense for London, a protection against an invasion from the south coast. Chatham is one of the chief ship-building towns of England. Charles Dickens lived some time in Ordnance place, Chatham. The remains of a Roman cemetery have been discovered at Chatham. Pop. of municipal borough 42,250; of the parliamentary borough 92,686.