a town of Essex, in England, 72 miles from London. It is not large; but is well built, has a good maritime trade, is almost encompassed by the sea, and has strong works. It is walled in; and the streets are paved for the most part with clay, which tumbling down from the cliff, where is a petrifying water between the town and Beacon-Hill, soon grows as hard as stone; and the inhabitants boast the wall is as strong and the streets are as clean as those that are of real stone. The harbour or bay is very large, safe, and deep; and is commanded by a strong fort on the Suffolk side, though not in that county. Here is a dock belonging to the government, with all conveniences for building, cleaning, and refitting men of war. A little way from the town, on a high hill called Beacon hill, is a very fine light-house, which is seen at a great distance, and is very useful on this dangerous coast. At this place the packet boats which pass between England and Holland are stationed, and the town is much benefited by the passengers. The bay is so spacious, by the influx of the Stour from Manningtree, and the Orwell from Ipswich, and such use was made of it in the Dutch war, that 150 sail of men of war have been seen there at one time, with their tenders, besides 300 or 400 sail of colliers; for it is a perfect harbour to within two miles of Ipswich, and able to receive ships of 100 guns all the way. The inns here are very good; but the accommodations dear, by reason of the great concourse of passengers to and from Holland, which was the motive of fitting up sloops to go thither directly from the Thames, when the stage-coaches that used to ply two or three times a week between this place and London were laid down. This place was first made a free borough in the reign of Edward II. Its government was settled by charter of King James I. in a mayor, chosen yearly, November 30. out of eight aldermen, who with 24 capital burgesses, the electors, and the recorder, make the corporation. By this charter it had also a power to elect two burgesses to parliament, the grant of its Friday market, and its two fairs on May-day and October 18. which are each for three days. The town has also an admiralty jurisdiction within its liberties, &c. The inhabitants in 1811 amounted to 3732. Though the entrance into the sea here is between two and three miles wide at high-water, yet the channel where the ships must keep to come to the harbour, which is on the Suffolk side, is deep and narrow; so that all ships that come in or go out are commanded by the guns of Languard-Fort on that side. This town was formerly fortified on the land side, but in the reign of King Charles I. the fortifications were demolished. It has since been ordered to be refortified. The church here, ever since the Reformation, has been a chapel to the mother-church at Dover-Court. E. Long. 1. 7. N. Harwich Lat. 51. 56.