The Commercial Institutions, established in this city, correspond in their magnitude with the extent of its trade.

There is in this city a Chamber of Commerce, which was formed April 5th, 1768, and incorporated 1770. This association is enabled to hold property to the amount of 3,000 pounds sterling per annum. This body regulates merchant's commissions, adjusts mercantile disputes among the members, regulates the amount of damages, on the non-payment of exchange, &c. &c.

There are between three and four hundred vessels, estimated on an average, at forty tons each, employed continually on Hudson's river throughout the mild season. The quantity of property, floating on this stream, exceeds, beyond comparison, that which moves on any other river in the Eastern section of the United States.

*Since this was written, the Franklin Bank, the North River Bank, and a branch of the U. S. Bank have been established.-Pub.

New-York is fast becoming, and to a great extent has already become, the market town for the whole American coast, from St. Mary's to Cape Cod.

The Foreign commerce of this city is carried on with every part of the world, to which its ships can find access; and is universally acknowledged to be fair and honourable.

I do not intend, that there are not here, as well as elsewhere, fraudulent men, base commercial transactions, and dishonest bankruptcies. I mean, that the general scheme of commerce, adopted here, and actually pursued by a great part of the merchants, is fair and upright; that their customers have ordinarily no reason to complain, and much reason to be satisfied; and that the country merchants, from every part of the Union, come to New-York with full confidence, that they shall be safe.

The following tables will exhibit the extent and importance of the commerce of this State.

Abstract of exports from the State of New York during ten years; almost all of them from the city.

Abstract of the duties, collected in the City of New-York dur

Abstract of duties, collected in the rest of this State; viz. at

Sag-Harbour, City of Hudson, Lake Champlain, Genessee, Sacket's Harbour, Oswego, Niagara, and Buffaloe Creek.

LETTER V.

Origin of the inhabitants of New-York-Their industry-Rapid increase of the city-Economy of the citizens-Their hospitality--Respect for Religion-Intelligence-Language-Amusements--Religious character--Police-Receipts and expenditures of the treasury-Water-Ferry-boats-Appearance of the city and the adjacent country-Distinguished men.

Dear Sir,

THE inhabitants of this city are composed of the following classes, arranged according to their supposed numbers.

1. Immigrants from New-England.

2. The original inhabitants, partly Dutch, partly English. 3. Immigrants from other parts of this State; a considerable proportion of them from Long-Island.

4. Immigrants from Ireland.

5. Immigrants from New-Jersey. 6. Immigrants from Scotland. 7. Immigrants from Germany. 8. Immigrants from England. 9. Immigrants from France. 10. Immigrants from Holland. 11. Jews.

To these are to be added a few Swedes, Danes, Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, and West-Indians.

The children, born of immigrants, are numerous.

Among so many sorts of persons, you will easily believe, it must be difficult, if not impossible, to find a common character : since the various immigrants themselves, and to some extent their children, will retain the features, derived from their origin and their education.

In an account of the character of the citizens of New-York, these varieties are of course to be included; and wherever, to avoid prolixity and repetition, they are not specified, are still to be carried along in your own mind, as being always intended. VOL. III.

60

The first trait, which I shall take notice of in the character of these citizens, is their industry. This characteristic spreads through all classes, and is every where visible. The bustle in the streets; the perpetual activity of the carts; the noise and hurry at the docks, which on three sides encircle the city; the sound of saws, axes, and hammers, at the ship-yards; the continually repeated views of the numerous buildings, rising in almost every part of it; and the multitude of workmen employed upon them; form as lively a specimen of "the busy hum of populous cities," as can be imagined. A fine variety is added to this display of energy by the vast number of vessels and boats, continually plying in the bay, and the rivers. Almost all the marketable articles of New-York are brought to it by water; and nearly the whole of its imports are conveyed into the different parts of the country in the same manner. The coasting vessels of the Hudson, New-England, and New-Jersey, appear to the eye to be numberless. So long ago as 1793, six hundred and eighty-three vessels entered this port from abroad: and one thousand three hundred and eighty-one, coastwise; in 1794, seven hundred and ninety-one foreign, and one thousand five hundred and twenty-three coasting, vessels; in 1795, nine hundred and forty-one foreign. Independently of the restrictions upon commerce, adopted by the National government, the number of both has been continually increasing; and in all probability will continue to increase through centuries to come.

Hardly any sight is more rare, or more beautiful, than the steam-boats, which move on the waters, connected with NewYork; and which began their first operation, deserving of any notice, at this place.

Another object delightful to the lover of fine scenery, and to the patriot also, is the rapid increase of the number, and beauty of the buildings, both public and private. The gayest landscape is less cheerful than this interesting display of prosperous energy. In the year 1784, the number of inhabitants was 18,400; in 1810, 96,000:* more than five times the first number in twenty-six

* By an official return of the census of New-York, taken by order of the Corpora. tion of the city in 1819, the whole number of the inhabitants was 119,657.—Pub.