giving access to the quay sides for vessels of 3000
tons. The bed of the river was deepened to 27 ft. for 3 m. below the
town, and a new cut of 3 m. was made from the mouth into deep water. An
iron swing-bridge connects the dock with the Great Northern railway.
There is a repairing slipway accommodating vessels of 800 tons. Imports,
principally timber, grain, cotton and linseed, increased owing to these
improvements from L116,179 in 1881 to L816,698 in 1899; and exports
(coal, machinery and manufactured goods) from L83,000 in 1883 to
L261,873 in 1899. The deep-sea and coastal fisheries are important.
Engineering, oil-cake, tobacco, sail and rope works are the principal
industries in the town. Boston returns one member to parliament. The
parliamentary borough falls within the Holland or Spalding division of
the county. The municipal borough is under a mayor, 6 aldermen and 18
councillors. Area, 2727 acres.

Boston (Icanhoe, St Botolph or Botolph's Town) derives its name from
St Botolph, who in 654 founded a monastery here, which was destroyed
by the Danes, 870. Although not mentioned in Domesday, Boston was
probably granted as part of Skirbeck to Alan, earl of Brittany. The
excellent commercial position of the town at the mouth of the Witham
explains its speedy rise into importance. King John by charter of 1204
granted the bailiff of Boston sole jurisdiction in the town. By the
13th century it was a great commercial centre second only to London in
paying L780 for two years to the fifteenth levied in 1205, and Edward
III. made it a staple port for wool in 1369. The Hanseatic and Flemish
merchants largely increased its prosperity, but on the withdrawal of
the Hanseatic League about 1470 and the break-up of the gild system
Boston's prosperity began to wane, and for some centuries it remained
almost without trade. Nevertheless it was raised to the rank of a free
borough by Henry VIII.'s charter of 1546, confirmed by Edward VI. in
1547, by Mary in 1553, by Elizabeth (who granted a court of admiralty)
in 1558 and 1573, and by James I. in 1608. Boston sent members to the
great councils in 1337, 1352 and 1353; and from 1552 to 1885 two
members were returned to each parliament. The Redistribution Act 1885
reduced the representation to one member. In 1257 a market was granted
to the abbot of Crowland and in 1308 to John, earl of Brittany. The
great annual mart was held before 1218 and att