and Navy office. These are all very spacious and commodious. The other national buildings are the Post-office, containing also the Patent office, and the Marine Barracks. The public buildings belonging to the city, are the City Hall, Theatre, Infirmary, Orphan Asylum, Masonic Hall, Columbian College, and twelve Churches belonging to different religious societies. Georgetown is situated west from Washington, and is a handsome place, having considerable trade. Alexandria is situated on the Virginia side of the Potomac, seven miles below Washington, and is the principal shipping port of the District, of which the exports in 1821 were $898,092. The whole District contained in 1820, 33,039 inhabitants, situated as follows: The other cities will now be noticed in geographical order from north to south, beginning with BOSTON.* This is a large and elegant city, beautifully situated on a small peninsula in Massachusetts Bay, being surrounded on all sides by the sea, except the narrow, low strip of land called Boston Neck, which connects it with the main land. The old part of the city is not very regular, and has very much the appearance of an old English own, but in that part more recently built the streets are spacious and regular; and the buildings generally very handsome, many of them, indeed, most elegant, indicating great wealth among the inhabitants. The harbour of Boston is one of the most safe and commodious in the United States, being secure from an enemy and from every wind, and capable of containing upwards of five hundred vessels. Being the great emporium of an extensive district, inhabited by a most industrious and enterprising people, having all the branches of industry in successful operation, it is the seat of a very extensive commerce, both foreign and domestic. The public buildings, the wharves, and the bridges, are all indicative of a most active community; and the late census affords evidence that great attention is paid here to that grand source of national wealth, manufacturing industry. Their seminaries of learning and public institutions are equally indicative of a people sensible of the importance of the dissemination of knowledge, and the cultivation of the human faculties; who will continue to support the character of the city as the cradle of civil * See the plan. and religious liberty and independence. The city continues steadily to increase. In 1800, the population was 24,937; in 1810, 33,250; in 1820, 43,940; and in 1826, 55,000. Of these there are 1728 people of colour, but no slaves. The population is classed in the census as follows: NEW-YORK is a most elegant city, and holds such a commanding situation in all respects, that it is the greatest commercial depot in the United States. The duties at the N. Y. custom house in 1825, amounted to sixteen million of dollars. It is handsomely situated at the confluence of the Hudson and East Rivers, having a fine bay in front, and easy and commodious access to the sea at all seasons, by two different channels; the one through the Narrows and past Sandy Hook into the Atlantic Ocean, being most extensively used for the foreign and southern trade; the other into Long Island Sound, through which there is a most extensive trade with the New England states. The Erie and Champlain Canals have added immensely to the trade of New-York, and the North or Hudson's River, which has been already described, pours down its treasures into the lap of the city; and many extensive manufactories having been lately established on its banks, the trade of the city is greatly augmented in consequence. The extensive manufactures of a considerable part of the New England states, also find a ready * See the plan. market here, particularly those of Connecticut and Rhode Island, and this is the grand emporium through which they in return get a great deal of the raw material, particularly cotton. There are also extensive manufactories in the contiguous part of New-Jersey, particularly Patterson and Newark. The city was not originally laid out on a plan corresponding with the elegance of the situation; many of the old streets being narrow, crooked, and consequently filthy; but great improvements have lately been made, and New-York bids fair to rival the far-famed city of Philadelphia, which it certainly will do, provided a plan, which is in contemplation, be carried into effect, to supply the city with that most necessary of all commodities, pure water. The increase of the population has been rapid and steady. In 1790 it was 33,131; in 1800, 60,439; in 1810, 93,914; in 1820, 123,706; and in 1826, 168,000. This population is classed as follows: It will be observed that the above includes all the inhabitants on Manhattan Island, which constitutes the county of New-York, which, however, is of small extent, and settled mostly by citizens of New-York. PHILADELPHIA* is situated on the west side of the Delaware River, 30 miles below the head of tide-water, and 104 from the Atlantic Ocean. It is regularly laid out into squares, with streets crossing at right angles. The plan of the city extends from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, nearly two miles, and it is about a mile broad; but it is not closely built above two-thirds of the way. The extensive suburbs of the Northern Liberties and Kensington on the north, and Southwark on the south, forming, together with the city, nearly three square miles of pretty close building, contain a population of more than 110,000. The Delaware River is nearly a mile broad at the city, but spreads out a little above it, and then gradually contracts towards Trenton, at the head of tide-water, where it is about one-third of a mile broad. Below Philadelphia, the river extends in width as it proceeds to Newcastle, 40 miles distant, where it stretches out into a spacious bay. It is favourable for navigation all the way to the city, and for sloops to Trenton, 30 miles farther. Seven miles below the city, the Schuylkill River falls into the Delaware, and it is navigable for sloops to the Permanent Bridge. At the head of tide-water on that river, a little above the city, there is a spacious dam across, and a canal with locks on the west side, water-works being erected, on the east side, for raising water for the supply of the city; there are also two steam engines with forcing pump apparatus for the same purpose. The water being raised to a considerable elevation, is conveyed through cast-iron pipes to the city, where it is distributed to almost every house in it. This subject is particularly mentioned, because it does honour to the public spirit and enterprise of the citizens of Philadelphia, and has proved * See the plan. |
