The small class which will next receive notice contains what may be called “Nautical Signs.” Essex supports quite a considerable fleet of ships upon its sign-boards. These are of widely different builds, and are very variously rigged. Most of them are, of course, situated near the coast; but others are, strange to say, far inland. The author would be guilty of great impropriety did he not speak first of NOAH’S ARK--the greatest feat of early ship-building on record. As a sign, it was to be seen at Kelvedon twenty years ago, but is now non-existent. _An ark or, on the top a dove argent, holding in the beak an olive-branch vert_, forms the crest of the Shipwrights’ Company, incorporated in 1605. As already stated, no less than twenty-two SHIPS are to be found in different parts of the county. The surmise that some of these are intended to represent _sheep_ has been elsewhere advanced (p. 23). Mr. King finds evidence in ancient deeds of no less than three different houses at Leigh which have formerly borne the sign of the SHIP. The existing example was probably converted into an inn about the end of last century. It was a private house in the middle of the century. Another inn is first spoken of as the Ship in 1728. In 1732, it was “known by the sign of the Ship,” but before 1756, when it was spoken of as “formerly known by the sign of the Ship,” it had ceased to be an inn. The third and probably the earliest house of this name was a private residence in 1756, having formerly been called the SHIP. A SHIP is depicted on the tokens of “William Martin at the Key [? Quay] in Barking,” and of “Thomas Pollard at the [Ship] in Plaistowe,” 1668, and the SHIP at *Colchester is several times mentioned in the advertisements appearing in the various numbers of the _Chelmsford Chronicle_ issued during February, 1786. The first and last are, perhaps, identical with the houses of the same name still existing at those places. In addition to the foregoing we have five OLD SHIPS. If Mr. Plimsoll were informed of this fact it would probably cause him some alarm; but he would be reassured on learning that, with one exception, all are some distance inland. They are situated respectively at West Thurrock, Debden, Chelmsford, Aveley, and Rochford. The *OLD SHIP at the last-named place must be in very unseaworthy condition, for it was described as _old_ in an advertisement in the _Chelmsford Chronicle_ for January 27, 1786. There is also a *NEW SHIP at Rochford--doubtless a house started in opposition to the OLD SHIP at the same place. The sign of the *SHIP AND ANCHOR, which occurs at Maldon, is a combination the meaning of which will be at once apparent. The SHIP AND SHOVEL at Rippleside, Barking, is at least forty years old. It is probably in some way connected with Sir Cloudesley Shovel, as there is a portrait of that gentleman in the inn. The sign also occurs elsewhere, namely, in Steel Yard, St. Thomas’ Street, London, S.E.