HULL, a sea-port town of the east riding of the county of York, 234 miles from London byway of York, and 170 by way of Lincoln, and crossing the Humber from Barton. It is situated on a river of the same name, whose waters are received at the town into the Humber. The old part of the town, with the exception of the fine market-place, is ill built, with narrow streets; but that portion near the docks consists of handsome and commodious houses and streets. It is admirably situated for trade, from being at the mouth of the great rivers Humber, Ouse, and Trent, whose tributary streams, and the various canals that branch from them, afford facilities for the conveyance of the productions of a large space of country to Hull, and for receiving from it the requisite articles of foreign growth. These advantages’ have been improved by the activity of the inhabitants, who have constructed docks and warehouses, which, for accessibility and security, are only inferior to those of London and Liverpool. The building and equipment of ships is an important branch of industry; and those built at Hull are considered as superior to those constructed at the more northern ports. As there is a vast trade with Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and Denmark, centring at Hull, the builders are enabled to procure timber, iron, flax, hemp, and other articles for ship-building, on the most favourable conditions. This is the port from which the greater number of ships are despatched to the whale fishery on the coasts of Greenland. The owners of ships in Hull do not confine themselves to the trade of their own port, but charter them to all parts of the world, by the merchants of London, Liverpool, and other mercantile places. A considerable direct trade is carried on with the West India islands, with South America, the United States, the Mediterranean, and the ports of Holland and Belgium. Though the ancient gates remain, there are no land fortifications; but on the sea side the approach to the town is defended by competent batteries. As Hull is situated in the fertile district of Holderness, it is well supplied with necessaries from that part, as well as from the Lincolnshire country, on the other side of the Humber. It is a county of itself, with its own courts, sheriffs, and assizes; and a branch of the Trinity House has the superintendence of the pilots and the lights.

It is governed by a mayor and aidermen, and returns two members to parliament, chosen by the resident freemen and householders, who amount to about 3800. The town was formerly subject to inundations; but, by appropriate embankments and drainage, that inconvenience is no longer felt. The population amounted in 1801 to 29,516, in 1811 to 26,792, in 1821 to 31,425, and in 1831 to 32,958. If to this be added the inhabitants of Drypool, Sutton, and Sul-coates, which form apart of the town, the whole population will be from 45,000 to 50,000.

The gradual increase of the foreign trade of Hull may be seen by the following account of the number of vessels which have entered from foreign parts in each year from 1820 to 1833 both inclusive.
[table]

The amount of duties paid at the custom-house is next in value after London, Liverpool, and Bristol. The sum collected in the year 1833 amounted to L.624,057. 7s. lid., from which was deducted, for drawbacks, bounties, and over-entry certificates, L.5292. 9s. 3d., and for the payment of salaries and incidents, L.24,470. 4s. 3d.; thus leaving a clear sum of L.594,294. 14s. 3d. remitted to London.

Another criterion of the proportional amount of trade is the amount of postage paid. By this Hull will appear to be the sixth town of England, and the tenth of the united kingdom. The sums collected at the towns at the post-office were,

1833. 1834.

London L.632,696 L.642,871

Dublin 80,611 69,096

Liverpool 70,011 74,080

Manchester 53,510 56,287

Edinburgh 42,759 41,864

Glasgow 36,053 36,481

Bristol 33,884 33,242

Birmingham 28,685 28,812

Leeds 20,316 21,331

Hull 14,607 14,853

Without more voluminous accounts than the nature of this work will admit, it is not easy to give a tolerable view of the articles imported at and exported from Hull; but an official account, in a condensed form, of the countries from which the vessels, arrived that had entered the port of Hull in the years 1830,1831, 1832, and 1833, will convey a tolerably accurate view of the nature of the whole trade.
[7:11:720]
[table]

Hull, in nautical language, is the main body of a ship, without either masts, yards, sails, or rigging. Thus, to strike a hull in a storm, is to take in her sails, and to lash the helm on the lee-side of the ship; and to hull, or lie a-hull, is said of a ship the sails of which are thus taken in, and helm lashed a-lee.