LONDONDERRY.

The name "Derry" is derived from an old Celtic word, Dru or Drew, meaning "an oak." Down to the tenth century it was called Doire Calgaic, or Derry Calgach, "the oak of the warrior." It was next named Derry Columbe-Kille, in honour of St. Columbe, who erected, about the middle of the sixth century, an Abbey in Derry of the Order of St. Augustine. Up to the reign of Queen Elizabeth the history of Derry is almost exclusively ecclesiastical, the place being an important centre of religious activity from the earliest times. The hill upon which the city is built is 119 feet above the level of the River Foyle, and contains 199 acres, 3 roods, and 30 perches. The Parish of Templemore, in which Derry is situate, takes its name from the Temple More, or Great Church, erected in 1164, which was one of the most distinguished ecclesiastical structures built in Ireland previous to the Anglo-Norman settlement in the twelfth century. In 1600, Sir Henry Docwra, by Queen Elizabeth's order, arrived in Lough Foyle, with 4,000 foot and 200 horse, landed at Culmore, and took possession of Derry. A charter was presented to Sir Henry for incorporation of the city, which was not granted until the reign of James I. By this charter it was agreed between the Crown and citizens of London that Derry, with 4,000 acres, and the town of Coleraine, with 3,000 acres, as well as a district of 20,000 acres between the Foyle and the Bann, should be conveyed to the English Corporation, on whose part it was agreed to erect a large number of houses in Derry and Coleraine, to construct fortifications, provide a garrison for the fortress of Culmore, and advance £20,000 for the

undertaking.

The management was confided to the Irish Society, originally a Committee of the London Corporation, and the money raised by the London Companies. Londonderry and its Liberties, extending about three miles on the West side of the Foyle, from the centre of the city, belonged originally to County Donegal. The central square, called the Diamond, was once known as King William's Square. The Walls, which are about 1,708 yards in circumference, were pierced with four gates, viz., Bishop's Gate, New Gate (now Butcher's Gate), Ferry Gate, and Water Gate (now Shipquay Gate). Three others, Castle Gate, New Gate or Wapping Gate, and Magazine-street Gate were subsequently added. In 1789 Bishop Gate was rebuilt by the old Corporation, with concurrence of the Irish Society. It is in the form of a triumphal arch, erected to the memory of King William III. Shipquay Gate, Butcher's Gate, and Ferryquay Gate have also been rebuilt. Derry was held by the English and Scotch, in the King's name, against the rebels in 1641, and eight years afterwards for the Parliament by Sir Chas. Coote and General Monk, during which periods, as in 1688, it was a place of refuge for English and Scotch colonists. The Closing of the Gates by the Apprentice Boys, the valour of the garrison, their endurance of famine, raising the cry of "No SURRENDER," and final victory, have occupied the pen of several historians. Mitchelburne, one of the defenders of Derry, in his will, left £50 for providing a crimson flag, to be hoisted on the top of the Cathedral at each celebration. From the "Royal Bastion," in which Walker's Testimonial is erected, a red flag waved during the Siege, in defiance of the white flag adopted by James's army. The boom was placed across the river about a mile and-a-half below the city. There were originally twenty large cannon, with

many smaller ones, belonging to the city, the largest of which were presented by the London Companies, and the smaller ones are supposed to have been left by Sir Henry Docwra's garrison. The celebrated "Roaring Meg," still to be seen in the South West Bastion, was presented by the Company of Fishmongers.

Of late years the city has grown with satisfactory rapidity. The granting of perpetuity leases by the Hon. Irish Society gave a wonderful impetus to the building trade, and while new streets have been formed in many parts of the city, extensive business premises, on a scale hitherto unequalled in either size or architectural beauty, have sprung up in the principal thoroughfares, and others are being remodelled, enlarged or rebuilt. In 1890 a new City Hall was erected at Shipquay Place, at a cost of upwards of £16,000. A Roman Catholic Hall in Orchard Street has been completed, at a cost of upwards of £20,000. New Waterworks have been constructed at Creggan at a cost of £20,000, and also a scheme for providing a better supply at the Waterside, at a cost of £4,000 or £5,000. The city is now supplied with electric light, for which a loan of £17,860 was obtained from the Board of Works. A regular steamship service exists between Londonderry and Liverpool, Morecambe, Fleetwood and Glasgow. Steamers of the "Allan and State" Line, the "Anchor " Line, the "Dominion " Line, and the "Beaver" Line call regularly in the port.

The Great Northern Railway connects the city with Belfast and Dublin, and the Belfast and Northern Counties line runs to Belfast. The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway is a short line to Buncrana, a watering-place on the shores of the Swilly, with a junction to Letterkenny. Steamers ply between Fahan, Rathmullan, Portsalon and

Ramelton in connection with the Lough Swilly Line. At present steps are being taken to extend the Donegal Railway to Londonderry, the Buncrana Line to Cardonagh, and the Letterkenny Line to Gweedore.

A street Tramway, extending from Carlisle Bridge to the Lough Swilly Railway Station on Strand Road, has superseded the useful Omnibus service which hitherto existed under the management of Messrs. M'Learn & Co. Telephonic communication has been established in the city, with an extension to Strabane. The steam ferry service, connecting the city proper with the Waterside, has been considerably augmented by the addition of row-boats, which ply from various landing stages along the quay.

Though the manufacture of linen has long since ceased in the city, other departments of industry have sprung up, and rapidly extended. Grain mills, saw-mills, coach factories, distilleries, etc., have been extensively worked by enterprising local firms. Shirt manufacturing affords employment in the city and surrounding district to 20,000 persons, principally females, and a quarter of a million of money is annually paid in wages by the different firms.

The milling industry is largely carried on, a number of patent roller flour mills having been fitted up by local firms, at an aggregate cost of over £20,000. A Chamber of Commerce exists, and exercises an important influence on the trade of the port.

Shipbuilding, started some years ago under most favourable

auspices, was carried on with considerable energy at

Pennyburn by Mr. C. J. Bigger, but it met with a serious reverse in 1892, necessitating the closing of the yard. A new company was formed some time ago for the purpose of reviving the industry, but, for the present, the project has been abandoned.

The population of the Borough in 1841 was 14,087; in 1851, 19,888; in 1861, 20,875; in 1871, 25,242; and in 1881, 29,162; being an increase during the ten years of 3,920. In 1891 the population was 33,200, or an increase on 1881 of 4,038, or almost 140 per cent. The city

comprises an area of 2,164 acres within its municipal and parliamentary boundary, and 13,493 acres within the district constituting the barony.

The Municipal Government is vested in the Corporation. The Borough Magistrates have a separate jurisdiction from the County Justices of the Peace. The Assizes for the County are held in the City. The County Court Judge and Recorder of the City holds Quarter Sessions for the County and city respectively. The Mayor and Borough Magistrates hold a Court daily, and the City Petty Sessions are held on Monday and Thursday in each week. The Mayor holds a Court of Conscience every Friday. Petty Sessions for the rural district of Londonderry, presided over by County Justices, are held in the Court House, Bishop Street, on the second Wednesday in every month. Until 1896 Derry Corporation consisted of six Aldermen and eighteen Councillors, elected from the East, North and South Wards, into which the City was divided. In the Parliamentary session of 1896 the Corporation obtained an Act reducing the Municipal Franchise to the parliamentary level, and enlarging the Corporation to forty-two Aldermen and Six Councillors for each of five Wards, named respectively the East, North, South, West and Waterside Wards.

Fairs are held on the first Wednesday in each Month, the 17th June, 4th September, and 17th October. Markets are held every week-day for butchers' meat, fish, pork, vegetables, eggs, poultry, fruit, butter, meal and potatoes.