The Dockyard, one of the finest in the world, comprises an area of 71 acres. Within the yard are the basin, constructed in tho reign of William Ill., and the dock, sufficiently capacious for the reception of a 74-gun ship, as well as six building-slips, and three other docks, one of which, the new north dock, is 260 feet by 85 feet, and 27 feet 8 inches deep. The building-dips are roofed over with sheet-iron, copper, or :inc. A new and very extensive basin or dock has been for several years in progress of construction. In the anchor-smithery Nasmyth's steam-hammer is employed in the forging of anchors. The 'rigging house' is a handsome edifice 480 feet in length, and three stories high; it forma one side of a quadrangle, the whole of the buildings in which are entirely composed of stone and iron. The rope-houses are limestone buildings 1200 feet long, parallel to each other, and two stories high. Cables were formerly made here 100 fathome in length, and measuring in circumference 25 inches. In the dockyard is a large chain-cable storehouse; but the annual consumption of hemp for the manufacture of ropes, cordage, cable, &c., is still very considerable. The immense roofs over the docks, being on the span of an arch without a buttress, are remarkable specimens of architectural skill, the area of one of them amounting to 1 acre 39 poles and 200 feet. At Keyham Point the construction of a great dock for the repair and fitting of war-steamers was commenced in 1844. The designs, which were prepared by Mr. Barry, embrace an extent of quay or wharfage in the south basin amounting to 1570 feet, and in the north basin to 2240 feet The area included is 72 acres.
Devonport was enfranchised by the Reform Act in 1832, and since that period has returned two members to the Imperial Parliament The parliamentary borough includes, in addition to the town of Devon port, the whole of the parish of Stoke Damerel, and the township of Stonehouse. Petty sessions are held by the county magistrates weekly
in the town-hall, for the dispatch of business connected with the town and parish.
Statehouse, or Ease Statehouse, is situated between Plymouth and Devonport, and almost reaches both, in consequence of the erection of new houses in all the towns. In Storehouse are the Royal William Victuelling-yard, the Royal Naval Hospital, the Royal Military Hos pital, and the Marine barracks. The Royal William Victualling-yard is situated on Cremill Point, a rocky promontory connected with Stonehouse by a narrow isthmus. Over the entrance-gateway is a colossal statue of William IV. in Portland stone, upwards of 13 feet high. The interior of the victualling-yard consists of large quadrangu lar ranges of substantial buildings, separated by open courts, which have been hewn out of the solid rock. The area inclosed is about 15 acres, in part recovered from the sea by sea-walls and embankments, and the rest hewn from the solid rock. The machinery employed consists of a corn-mill (capable of grinding 1000 bushels of corn in ten hours), with 24 pairs of mill-stones, worked by two steam-engines ; a bakery, worked by machinery, with 12 ovens ; an oatmeal-mill ; and two wheat-drying mills. There are in Stonehouse three churches of the Establiahment; chapels for Independents, Baptista, and other Dissenters ; National and Infant schools; and 'school. for boys and girls in the Marine barracks.
Connected with the towns of Plymouth, Devonport, and Stonehouse are the towns of Stoke Demerol and Morica Town ; and several fin portent villages are In the neighbourhood. The land and river scenery Is exceedingly picturesque, and the sea-view is singularly interesting.