384 RAMSEY-

1803, the Pandaram requested his lordship’s protec-tion for their deity.

Panban, the capital of the island, is distant aboutnine miles from the great temple, the road fromwhich has been paved the whole way by the contri-butions of the pious; and nearly every 100 yardsis a choultry, with its attendant Brahmins. Thestrait here is about a mile wide, but not passable,except for very small vessels. The bed is rocky,and the entrance from the north only 100 feet wide,between two rocks ; and as another directly faces it,and the current is extremely rapid, much caution isrequired to pass in safety. In the year 1310 theMahommedans, under Mallek Naib, invaded the Car-natic, and pushed their depredations as far as this place,where they erected a mosque.

Ramsey. A market-town in the county of Hunting-don. In the monastic ages, Ramsey became a placeof considerable importance, from the rich Benedictineabbey that was founded here by the “ renowned” dukeAilwin, through the persuasions of the “ pious ”Oswald, bishop of Worcester ; and the town itselfhad its origin, and grew into splendour under thatestablishment. The name is abbreviated from Ram’sEye, or the Ram’s Island, an appellation given to atract of land, where, according to a traditionary tale,related by the Ramsey historian, a solitary ram,“ armed by Nature’s cunning, with twisted and crookedhorns,” took up his abode, and left his lasting nameto the island.

After the dissolution of the abbey the town fell todecay, and lost its market, which has however sincebeen restored, and it has partially recovered itself.The principal edifice is the church, a large and ele-gant building. The remains of a ruined gateway isalmost the only portion of its once magnificent abbeynow standing. It is in a fine but florid style of archi-tecture, with a statue of its founder, the incription onwhose tomb is considered one of the oldest specimensof English sculpture now extant. The town ofRamsey had, by the last parliamentary returns, apopulation of3000 persons, and the annual value of thereal property, as assessed in 1815, amounts to 17,181/.This town is sixty-nine miles N. of London, andeleven N.N.E. of the city of Huntingdon.

Ramsgate. A sea-port town in the county ofKent, which has long been celebrated for its excellentartificial harbour, and also as a fashionable resort forsea-bathing. Ramsgate, like Margate, was originallyonly an obscure fishing hamlet, and though an ancientmember of the port of Sandwich, is returned in themaritime survey, made in the eighth year of queenElizabeth, as containing but twenty-five inhabitedhouses. After the revolution of 1688, the extensionof the trade with Russia and the eastern countrieswas of considerable advantage to the town, as theinhabitants had engaged in it with much success, andthe general improvement of the town was soon appa-rent. The subsequent improvements of the pier andharbour have contributed in a considerable degree tothe modern consequence of the town. At least threecenturies back, a pier existed at Ramsgate, but itwas built of wood, and totally inadequate to afford ashelter to the numerous vessels, which in stormy wea-ther were driven upon this coast. At length, in1749, the importance of the object led to the erectionof a more extensive and substantial structure, and thepresent pier was begun, under the sanction of an actof parliament, by W. Ockenden, esq. and captain

RAMSGATE.

Brook. After considerable delays it was apparentlycompleted, in the most substantial and handsomemanner, inclosing an area of forty-six acres; bat itwas now discovered that, although the purpose ofobtaining a sheltered harbour was fully answered, diewant of a back-water allowed the accumulation ofsand to such a degree, as to threaten shortly to chokeit up, and renderly it utterly unserviceable.

Under these circumstances, Mr. Smeaton.the cele-brated architect of the Eddystone light-house, wasemployed, and after carefully surveying the harbourhe gave it as his opinion that an artificial back-water'by means of sluices, was the only remedy for theevil complained of; after several delays, his planswere adopted ; a cross wall was built, and to removethe inconvenient agitation of the waters occasionedby this erection, an advanced pier was carriedout, which had the desired effect, and the wholenow forms one of the finest structures of the kindin this country. The two piers extend about 800 feetinto the sea, and incline towards each other, so asto leave an entrance 240 feet wide, and inclose anarea of a circular form, in which as many as 300 shipshave at one time found shelter. Between 1792 and1802, several additional buildings were erected,among which were,—a new stone light-house, at thehead of the west pier ; a handsome house for themeetings of the trustees ; warehouses, &c.; and anobelisk has since been raised to commemorate thedeparture of his majesty George IV. from this placeon his visit to Hanover, in 1821.

. Ramsgate originally formed a part of the parish ofSt. Lawrence; however, the number of inhabitantshave so much increased, that it has been deemednecessary to constitute it a distinct parish, and toerect a new church, which is calculated to contain2000 persons, and is a very handsome gothic edifice,dedicated to St. George, with a beautiful squaretower, having an ornamented pinnacle at each comer,and surmounted by an octagonal lantern, also termi-nated by pinnacles. The independents, methodists,and baptists, have their respective places of worshiphere; and several charitable institutions have beenestablished.

The visiters of Ramsgate, if less numerous, areconsidered more select than those of Margate; theamusements and accommodations are at both placesvery similar. The royal Kent baths on the westcliff are built and finished in an elegant manner, andderive their title from the patronage of her royalhighness the duchess of Kent; a fine saloon isattached to them, and from the wihdows a charmingview of the sea and the French coast may be obtained.There are also other bathing establishments, andmany machines. The assembly rooms are near theharbour, well conducted, and numerously attended;and several excellent libraries and reading-roomsafford amusement and instruction to the visitants.

The principal promenade is the pier, which pre-sents a variety of most beautiful views. When theweather is clear, the whole of the Kentish coast fromMargate to Deal, with the opposite cliffs of Calais,and the blue expanse of waters, studded in everydirection with white sails, may be clearly seen.Several handsome rows of buildings have beenerected in different parts of the town, and the wholeis well paved and lighted. The inhabitants arechiefly engaged in boat-building and the repairing ofships, and a good deal of commercial business is