GREAT, a municipal and parliamentary borough and seaport-town of England, county of Lincoln, on the S. side of the estuary of the Humber, near its mouth, and 15 miles S.E. of Hull. In the reign of Edward III. it was a port of such importance as to furnish that monarch with 11 ships and 170 mariners for the siege of Calais; but the gradual blocking up of the harbour by the accumulation of mud and sand led to the decay of the port, until the construction of the new harbour in the beginning of the present century. This soon became inadequate for the increasing commerce; and, in 1846, a new harbour was commenced, and the foundation-stone was laid by Prince Albert 17th April 1849. The new works occupy a space of 135 acres, gained from the sea, and comprise a wet dock of upwards of 20 acres, with two entrance-locks, having in front a tidal basin of 13 acres. The latter is formed by two timber piers, which are together about 2000 feet in length, and is provided with landing-slips. The chambers of the two entrance-locks connecting the tidal basin and the dock are respectively 45 feet in width by 200 in length, and 70 in width by 300 in length. At the dock entrances the average depth of water is about 9 feet at ebb and 26 feet at high tides, the latter being the permanent depth in the dock itself. There are extensive warehouses and sheds for the storing of merchandise, and lines of railway extend along each side of the dock. The dock was opened on 23rd March 1852. The Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, and the East Lincolnshire lines of railway terminate here. The vessels registered as belonging to the port on 31st December 1853 were,—under 50 tons, 74 sailing-vessels, tonnage 2151, and 4 steamers, tonnage 71; above 50 tons, 14 sailing-vessels, tonnage 1251, and 2 steamers, tonnage 1030. The vessels that entered and cleared at the port during that year were,—Coasting trade, sailing-vessels, inwards 251, tonnage 17,143; outwards 176, tonnage 14,656; steamers, inwards 4, tonnage 1563; outwards 1, tonnage 346; Colonial and foreign trade,—sailing-vessels, inwards 420, tonnage 52,397; outwards 243, tonnage 51,639; steam-vessels, inwards 88, tonnage 33,760, outwards 95, tonnage 36,311. The amount of customs duty received at the port during 1852 was £29,101. The parish church of Grimsby is a large cruciform structure, with a tower and steeple rising from the centre. There are a free grammar and other schools, a mechanics' institute, &c. Grimsby is governed by a mayor, four aldermen, and twelve councillors, and returns one member to parliament. Pop. (1851) of parliamentary borough, 12,263; of municipal district, 8860.