of the U. States, on the southern extremity of Manhattan Island, at the point of confluence of the Hudson River, which separates Manhattan from New Jersey, with East River, which separates it from Long Island, lat. 40° 42′ N., lon., 74° 8′ W. New York bay, or inner harbour, is one of the most capacious and finest in the world; it is completely land locked, and affords the best anchorage. The entrance to the bay through the Narrows is extremely beautiful. On each side, the shore, though wooded down to the water's edge, is thickly studded with farms, villages, and country seats. At the upper end are seen the spires of the city; and in the distance the bold precipitous banks of the Hudson. From New York to the bar between Sandy Hook Point and Schryer's Island (the division between the outer bay or harbour and the Atlantic) is about 17 miles. Fortifications have been erected at the Narrows, Governor's Island, and other places, for the defence of the city and shipping. The wood-cut on the opposite page represents the city and bay of New York, and the surrounding country. The Hudson river was first explored in 1609, by the famous English navigator whose name it bears, then in the service of the West India Company of Holland. In 1612, New Amsterdam, now New York, was founded by the Dutch, as a convenient station for the fur trade. In 1664, it was taken by the English. The Dutch again recovered possession of it in 1673; but it was retaken by the English in the following year, and continued in their occupation till the termination of the revolutionary war. New York has increased faster than any other city of the United States. In 1699 it contained 6,000 inhabitants. In 1774, previously to the commencement of the war of independence, the population amounted to 22,750. During the war the population continued stationary; but since 1783, its increase has been quite extraordinary. In 1790, the population amounted to 33,131; in 1800, to 60,489; in 1820, to 123,706; in 1830, to above 213,000; in 1840, to 312,710; and in 1850 to 517,849. Originally the houses were mostly of wood, and the streets narrow and confined. In these particulars, however, a vast improvement has taken place during the last half century; most part of the old houses having been pulled down and rebuilt with brick. The new streets, which are broad, and intersect each other at right angles, are well paved and lighted. Broadway, the principal street, is one of the largest and finest in the world. Many of the public buildings are commodious and elegant. The pools, that were formerly abundant in the city and its vicinity, have been completely filled up; a measure that has done much to improve the health of the population. In respect of cleanliness, however, New York, though much improved, is still rather deficient. Formerly there was hardly such a thing as a sink or common sewer in the whole city; the night-soil and filth were collected in pits, of which there was one in every house, and, being conveyed to the nearest quay, were thrown into the water; and as these are made of timber, with many projections, a great deal of filth was retained about them, producing, in hot weather, an abominable stench. But in these respects a great amendment has been effected; and the deficiency of water, under which the city formerly laboured, has been completely obviated by the construction of the Croton aqueduct, about 40 m. in length, a work worthy of being ranked with the noblest of the old Roman aqueducts. It is carried over the Haarlem river (separating Manhattan island from the continent), on a bridge of stone of 14 arches, 1450 ft. in length. The yellow fever, by which New York has sometimes been visited, uniformly breaks out in the lower and dirtiest part of the town; and seldom, indeed, extends to the new and more elevated streets. It is now much less prevalent than formerly; and the general opinion seems to be, that were stone substituted for timber in the quays, sewers generally constructed, and proper regulations enforced as to cleanliness, the scourge would entirely disappear. New York is indebted, for her wonderful increase, to her admirable situation, which has rendered her the greatest emporium of the New World. The rise of the tide is about 6 feet; and even at ebb, there is 21 feet water on the bar; and the water in the outer and inner bays, and in the river, is so deep, that ships of the largest burden lie close to the quays, and may proceed to a great distance up the river. The navigation of the bay is rarely impeded by ice. The great strength of the tide, and the vicinity of the ocean, keep it generally open, even when the Chesapeake and Delaware bays are frozen over. The influence of the tides is felt in the Hudson as far as Troy, 160 miles above New York, affording peculiar facilities for its navigation. These natural advantages have been vastly extended by a system of canals, which has connected the Hudson not merely with Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, but with the Ohio river, and consequently with the Mississippi and the Gulph of Mexico! So prodigious a command of internal navigation is not enjoyed by any other city, with the exception of New Orleans; but the readier access to the port of New York, the greater salubrity of the climate, and her situation in the most industrious part of the Union, where slavery is abolished, give her advantages over her southern rival, which, it is most probable, will secure her continued preponderance. Entrance to Harbour, Light-houses, &c.-The course in entering the harbour of New York is nearly due W. from the outermost white buoy on the bar, till the buoy on the S. W. point of the east bank be passed, and then nearly due N. The navigation is extremely easy. Pilots generally board vessels without the bar; for, otherwise, they are only entitled to half fees. Were it not for fear of vitiating insurances, their services would seldom be required. (See Rates of Pilotage, post.) The light-house near the extremity of the long, low, narrow tongue of land, projecting from the New Jersey shore, called Sandy Hook, is in lat. 400 28 N., lon. 740 8 W. It is fitted up with a very powerful fixed light, which, in clear weather, may be seen by vessels coming from the westward 10 leagues off. But, from its position, it is not readily discovered by ships coming from the S. till too near. To obviate this inconvenience, a floating light was moored about 7 miles E. from Sandy Hook Point. In 1828, however, 2 light-houses were erected on Neversink hills, nearly 4 miles S. by E. from Sandy Hook. They are 300 feet apart; the most northerly being furnished with a fixed, and the other with a revolving light, both of great power. The lights are elevated 250 feet above the level of the sea; and may be seen, in clear weather, in all directions, from 40 to 50 miles. Since they were fitted up, the floating light has been discontinued. Vessels load and unload at the wharfs on both sides the city. Trade, &c. The commerce of New York is of vast extent. The value of the merchandise annually loaded and unloaded in the port is estimated at from 250 to 320 millions of dollars; and in the busy season the number of vessels in it varies from 800 to 1,400, exclusive of about 150 steamers. The number of arrivals from foreign ports amounted, in 1850, to 3,489, and the coasting arrivals exceed 5,000. The total value of the imports into the United States in the year ending the 30th June, 1850, amounted to 178,136,318 dolls., of which no less than 111,123,524 dolls, were imported into New York! The imports comprise an infinite variety of articles. The principal are cottons, woollens, linens, hardware and cutlery, earthenware, brass and copper manufactures, salt, &c., from Great Britain; silk, wine, brandy, &c., from France and Spain; sugar and coffee from the Havannah and Brazil; tea from China; with spices, indigo, cochineal, dye woods, &c. &c. The value of the exports from New York in the year ending the 30th of June, 1850, amounted to 52,712,689 dolls., being above 1-3d part of the total exports from the United States. The exports principally consist of wheat and wheat flour, corn, rice, and cotton; beef, pork, butter, dried fish, and all sorts of provisions; furs, tobacco, coarse cottons, and other manufactured goods, lumber, &c. The great excess of imports into New York over the exports is accounted for by the fact, that while by far the larger portion of the articles of export from the Western states are sent down the Mississippi, to be shipped at New Orleans, the greater part of the more valuable articles brought from abroad, and destined for the consumption of the same states, is imported into New York. The tonnage of New York is greater than that of any other port, London not excepted. The total tonnage belonging to the port on the 30th of Sept. 1838, amounted to 400,971 tons; and on the 30th of June, 1849, it amounted to 796,492 tons, being near 1-4th part of the entire tonnage of the United States, and the greatest amount of shipping that has ever belonged to any single port. Subjoined are some statements respecting the navigation, &c., of New York, in some recent years: Sardinian Italian Portuguese N. Granadian Spanish Lubec 17-11-88-88 Barques. Brigs. Schooners. Steamers. Galleys. Total. Months. Steamers. Ships. Barques. Brigs. 35 1,973 39 811 7 January 38 April 70 May 40 June 58 July 11 19 September 18 22 October 28 November 39 257 356 80 503 672 69 512 658 43 368 456, 66 482 596 10 37 317 394 42 314 413 48 57 329 183 Note.In the above there are no sloops included, which, if added to the many schooners from Virginia and Philadelphia, with wood and coal, which discharge their cargoes at Brooklyn, Williamsburgh, Jersey City, and the adjacent towns on the Hudson, and are not boarded, owing to the remoteness of those points for general business, would make the number much greater. We estimate the schooners that arrive at the above places, and are not reported, at 6 per day, which we think a small estimate; this would give for the year 2,190 additional schooners to be added to the coasting trade, ruaking the whole number of coastwise arrivals for 1849, 7,960. We annex a Statement of the Amount of Customs Duties received at the Port of New York in each of the last Four fiscal Years: 234,271 8,480 1850 55,705 1819 15,146 $24,487,609 73 | 1848 $20,839,680 60 17,348,41 86 The following Statement shows the Number of Foreign Arrivals and Passengers in different Years : The following vessels cleared from the port of New York, during the year 1849, for San Francisco: -7 steamers, of the burden of 3,571 tons; 77 ships, burden 40,374 tons: 60 barques, burden 24,413 tons; 20 brigs, burden 4,858 tons; 30 schooners, burden 3,675 tons: total, 76,981 tons." A Statement exhibiting the Total Value of the Imports, and of the Imports consumed in the United States, exclusive of Specie, during each Fiscal Year, from 1821 to 1850 showing, also, the Value of the Domestic and Foreign Exports, exclusive of Specie, and the r gistered Tonnage during the same Period. Domestic Pro- $43,671,394 Foreign Produce Total Exports. Tonnage. $10,824,429 $64,974,382 1,298,958 1822 83,241,541 11,501,270 72,160,281 1,321,699 74,699,030 1,336.566 1,389.163 1825 96,340,075 99.535,388 1,423,112 1,934,191 1,620,608 1828 88,509,824 66,975,475 49 976,632 14,014,648 72,308,671 1,260,798 1,191,776 81,300,583 1.267.847 1,439,450 1,066,151 80,623,662 21,036,553 104,336,973 1,758,907 100,459,481 14,756,321 158,811,392 128,563,010 1,882,103 1,995,640 101,625,533 111,660,561 114,776,309 103,636,236 8,181,235 121,851,503 2,130,744 104,691,554 2,092,591 2,158,603 99,531,774 6,214,058 111,200,046 2.280,695 Regulations as to Passengers arriving at New York. Ou the arrival of passengers, an entry must be made at the Custom-house, of their names, clothes, implements of trade or profession (ali of which are exempt from duty), and an oath taken respecting them; the form of which, and the entry, may be had at the office gratis. Cabin passengers make this entry themselves, and pay 20 cents each for a permit; on exhibiting which to the officer on board, they are allowed to remove their baggage after it has been inspected. Only 1 entry and permit is necessary for a family, and only 20 cents demanded, whatever may be the number of the family. Remains of sea stores, such as tea, sugar, foreign spirits and wines, are liable to pay duties; but unless these are of great bulk or quantity, they are generally allowed to pass free. An entry is usually made by the master of the vessel of steerage passengers and their baggage; they pay each 20 cents for a permit. When entry is made by any person not the owner, he gives bond for payment of the duties, if any; and if, after entry is made at the Custom-house, and the oath taken, any article is found belonging to a passenger, liable to pay duty, not specified in the entry, it is forfeited, and the person in whose baggage the article is found subjected in treble the value. Besides making entry at the Custom-house, it is provided by a law of the State, that every master of a vessel arriving from a foreign country, or from any other port of the U. States, "shall within 24 hours after entering his vessel at the Custom-house, make a report in writing, on oath, to the mayor, and in case of his sickness or abscice, to the recorder of the said city, of the name, age, and occupation, of every person who shall have been brought as passenger in such ship or vessel on her last voyage, upon pain of forfeiting, for every neglect or omission to make such report the sum of 75 dollars for every alien, and the sum of 50 dollars for every other person neglected to be so reported as aforesaid." Masters of ships bringing passengers to New York must also pay a dollar on account of each passenger to the corporation, as commutation money, or give bond that none of them shall become chargeable on the city poor rates for the space of two years. They almost uniformly prefer paying the commutation. LINES OF PACKETS. The establishment of regular lines of packets from New York to foreign ports and also to every principal port in the U. States, produced a new era in the commerce of the city, and has redounded equally to the benefit of the enterprising individuals by whom they were projected, and the public. The principal intercourse is carried on with Liverpool; there being about 25 packet ships, distributed in 5 lines, employed at present (1850), in maintaining a regular communication with that port. A dozen packet ships are also employed in the trade between New York and London: and 15 in the trade between New York and Havre. These ships vary in size from 800 tons to above 1.400 tons. Their tonnage has latterly been increasing; and, at an average, it may now be estimated at about 1,100 tons. These ships are all American property, and built chiefly in New York. They are probably the finest and fastest sailing merchant vessels in the world; being beautifully modelled, of the best workmanship, and fitted up with every convenience for passengers, and in the most expensive style. The safety, regu larity, and expedition with which they perform their voyages is quite astonishing. The average length of a voyage from Liverpool and Portsmouth to New York may be estimated at about 34 days, and, from the latter to the former, at about 20 days. And it is material to observe, that these voyages are not reckoned from land to land, but from port to port. The packet ships for New York sail from London on the 7th, 17th, and 27th; and from Portsmouth, or rather Cowes, at which piace they touch, on the 1st, 16th, and 20th of each mouth. Those bound for New York from Liverpool sail on the 1st,7th, 13th, 19th, and 25th of each month; and they sail on the came days from New York for Liverpool. Those bound for New York from Havre sail on the same days as those from Liverpool. Cabin passage to New York from London and Liverpool, 25 guineas; from New York to London and Liverpool, 75 dollars. This includes provisions, beds, &c.; but neither wines nor liquors of any kind. Each ship has a separate cabin for ladies; each state-room, in the respective cabins will accommodate to passengers; but a whole state-room may be secured for 1 individual by paying at the rate of 14 passage, that is 37) guineas to New York. Packets for Philadelphia sail fron Liverpool on the 8th of every month through at the year; and 4 of these ships sail from Philadelphia for Liverpool on the 20th of each month; the others do not always return direct for Liverpool, but sometimes go to Charlestown, Savannah, &c., to bring cargoes of produce to Liverpool. Cabin pasage same as that to and from New York. These ships are all American bulit and owned, being from 700 to 1,000 tons burden; some of them are as splendid as the New York packets, and all are fitted up with every regard to comfort. The rate of steerage passage varies, in the course of the year, considerably; depending on the number of ships and the num her of passengers going at the time. By the packet ships it fluctuates from 3 to 4 guineas for each full-grown person; and children under 14 years are taken at half price. By other ships the rate of steerage passage varies, at Liverpool, from 17. 108. to 34. 108.; but the average rate may be taken at 27. 104. For these rates, the ship provides nothing but berths, fire, and water; the passengers provide their own provisions, bedding, &c. The expense of provisions for a pour person, who might wish to be as economical as possible, for the voyage out to the U. States, would not be more than from 404. to 50s. The cabin passage by the common traders (and many of them are quite equal to the packets in equipment and safety) varies from 127. to 251.; no wines being provided by the ships at these rates, but provisions, bedding, and malt liquor. Rules observed by the New York Banks. - The banks are open every day in the year from ten to three in the afternoon, except Sundays, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, the 4th of July, and general holidays appointed by legal authority, and the bank of New York on Good Fridays. The interest for discount in the banks in this city is fixed at six per cent. per annum, upon notes or bills not having 60 days to run. Three days of grace are allowed, and the discount taken for the same. Upon notes or bills having more than 60 days to run, 7 per cent is taken. Every bill or note offered for discount, must be delivered into the office on the day preceding the day of discount, inclosed in a sealed cover, directed to the cashier, advising the name of the person upon whose account it is offered, &c. Bills or notes lodged at the banks for collection, are collected free of expense, except when protested for non-payment: the person lodging the same pays the charge of protest. Deposits of money, or notes for collection, must be entered in the dealer's book at the time such deposit is made. Gold coins of France, Great Britain, and Spain, are received and paid at the banks at the following rates, according to an act of Congress, passed 1834, viz.: France, 93 1-10 cents the pennyweight. Great Britain, Portugal and Brazil, 94 8-10 cents do. Spain, 89 9-10 cents do. Silver coins are received at the banks as follows:-1 crown, 109 cents; 1 dollar, 100 cents; 5 francs, 93 2-100 cents: pastareens, 18 cents. Remarks on Banking in New York. - The reader will find in the article BANKS, FOREIGN (antè, p. 111.), some details as to the banking system of the U. States. It seems to be quite as defective in New York as in any other part of the Union. Several banks in that State have failed, and some of those that still exist, obtained their charters by resorting to the most disgraceful practices. In the summer of 1826, the grand jury of the city entered upon an investigation of certain circumstances connected with the formation of some of these establishments, which ended in the conviction, as conspirators to defraud the public of not a few citizens, and even of some members of the legislature, who had previously been deemed highly respectable! The Court of Errors afterwards decided, by a small majority, that these convictions were illegal; but the fact of the most scandalous abuses having prevailed was established beyond all question. We may mention, by way of example, that the United States Lombard Association, incorporated in 1825, was sworn to as having a paid-up capital of 300,000 dollars; but the association having failed in 1826, it was ascertained that not more than 30,000 dollars had ever been paid up! There were, we are sorry to say, several other cases quite as bad, or, if possible, even worse than this, — (Report and Observations on the Banks, &c. of the State of New York, p. 10.) In order to protect the public from the mischief resulting from the failure of banks, the legislature of the State of New York enacted a law, in 1829, compelling all banks chartered in future, or getting their charters renewed, to pay from to 1 per cent of their capital stock to the treasurer of the State, by whom it is invested and accumulated as a guarantee fund. When a bank fails, its debts, under certain restrictions, are to be paid from this fund. Commissioners have also been appointed, having authority to examine upon oath, and to inquire into any particulars as to the management of the different banks subjected to this regulation. When the last edition of this work was published, we observed of this system, that "it has not been established for a sufficient length of time to enable a conclusive opinion to be formed as to its practical operation. We believe, however, that it will be found quite inadequate to eradicate the evils complained of. Even were it otherwise successful, what can be more unjust than to tax the capital of solid and well |