United States

United States

power-loom weaving in 1773, the cotton trade States of the Union. Tennessee, Virginia, the and manufactures in Glasgow largely helped to Carolinas and Georgia formerly furnished the increase its wealth and advance its great- largest supplies. Now California, Oregon, Washness. Almost all varieties of textile manufac-ington, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, tures are here carried on more or less. Many Colorado, Montana, Dakota, and Wyoming are of the mills are situated on the outskirts of the by far the most extensive and productive gold city, and employ a large number in producing fields in America. Much of the immense tract various matters in art and mechanics; textile is also rich in silver, copper, lead, and other fabrics and dress, in dealing with animal and valuable minerals. Comparatively little of the vegetable substances, and with minerals. One field has been even prospected, and important of the staple trades is that of iron. The city discoveries in the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra has in relation to it very great advantages, Nevada, and the Pacific coast range may be from its close proximity to the iron fields looked for for the next 100 years. Early of the north. In the immediate vicinity there Spanish, Portuguese, and English explorers are about 140 iron furnaces in blast, producing were all on the look-out for minerals. Huts upwards of 3,000 tons of pig iron daily. In and utensils, supposed to have belonged to De ship-building this port also holds a high place. Soto's party in the sixteenth century, have been Its building yards are both numerous and ex- discovered among the mountain gold regions tensive, and the vessels constructed, whether of Georgia and the lead mines of Missouri. of timber or iron, are celebrated all over the Previous to 1848 the annual gold product was world. The merchants import to a large estimated at about one million dollars, chiefly amount sugars, rum, wines, brandy, timber, from Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and N. cotton, coffee, flour, &c., from Demerara, the Carolina. Some gold had been known to exist Caraccas, Buenos Ayres, the United States, for nearly 300 years, and when Humboldt Canada, Novia Scotia, &c. Their commercial visited that region he had predicted that large transactions likewise extend to the coasts of quantities would yet be discovered. The first Africa and Asia, and are of great importance rich deposits were found in 1848, near the city in many of the markets of Europe. Their of Sacramento. By the close of 1850 there were exportations comprise shawls and every de- 50,000 miners at work in the State. Silver scription of cotton goods, silks, glass, soap, exists in all deposits of lead ore. It is found whiskey, and the various manufactures of in largest quantities in Nevada and Idaho, Paisley. The Exchange is in Queen Street, though some is procured in Arizona, California, and the Post Office in George's Square. The Colorado, and New Mexico. Iron is found in chief market day for corn and provisions is every State and territory, and in every form. Wednesday. The great deposits of lead are in Missouri and in half a dozen adjoining counties of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. Lake Superior is the great copper region, though the metal is found in Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and in nearly all new gold-bearing States. Tin exists in Maine and California; zinc in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and many other States; and quicksilver in California. Vast beds of coal, which are already worked, underlie many of the States east of the Rocky Mountains and portions of Utah, California, and Washington territory. The yield of the precious metals in 1868 was estimated at 66,500,000 dollars. California produced the largest amount, 20,000,000 dollars; and after it came Nevada, 18,000,000; Montana, 12,000,000; Idaho, 6,000,000; Oregon, 5,000,000; and Colorado, 4,000,000. Upwards of 25,000,000 tons of coal were raised in 1867. Vegetable productions. Great diversity prevails as regards soil, from the rich alluvions of the Great Mississippi valley to the barren plains of New Mexico, Utah, Oregon, and the Indian territories. Agricultural capabilities of the Mississippi valley are believed to be unequalled on the globe, unless in the valley of the Amazon, in South America. The annual productions of the States are thus estimated :600,000,000 bush. Indian corn; 147,000,000 bush. oats; 100,000,000 bush. wheat; 6,000,000 bush. barley; 15,000,000 bush. rye; 9,000,000 bush. buck-wheat; 6,000,000 bush. flax seed;

UNITED STATES, The. A federal republic occupying more than half the territory of the temperate zone in N. America, lies between 24° 30′ and 49 N. Lat., and between 66° 50' and 124 30 W. Long. It has a coast-line of 2,163 miles on the Atlantic, 1,764 miles on the Gulf of Mexico, and 1,343 miles on the Pacific. Alaska, or the territory acquired from Russia in 1867, and sometimes known as North-western America, extends from the S. end of Prince of Wales Island north to Point Barrow. The entire area of the United States is 3,578,392 square miles, or about four-ninths of N. America, and more than one-fifteenth of the land surface of the globe. The area has been acquired as follows:-Territories ceded by England 1783, 815,615 square miles; Louisiana, as acquired from France 1803, 930,928 square miles; Florida, from Spain 1821, 59,268 square miles; Texas, as admitted to the Union 1845, 237,504 square miles; Oregon, as settled by treaty 1846, 280,425 square miles; California, as conquered from Mexico 1847, 649,762 square miles; Arisona (New Mexico), as acquired from Mexico by treaty 1854, 27,000 square miles; Alaska, as acquired from Russia by treaty 1867, 577,390 square miles. Pop., native born, 32,989,437; foreign born, 5,566,546; total, 38,555,983. Mineral resources, the, are more varied and extensive than those of any other country in the world. Gold has been found in greater or less quantities in half the

United States

United States

880,000 bush. grass seeds; 70,000,000 bush. of World, favoured by power, may have had for a Irish and 39,000,000 bush. sweet potatoes; short period a more rapid rise than those of the 10,000,000 bush. peas and beans; 215,000,000 American Confederacy, but in the aggregate lb. of rice; 200,000,000 lb. tobacco; 990,000,000 we have no example of such an amazing exlb. cotton; 53,000,000 lb. wool; 315,000,000 lb. tension and growth of towns as this republic butter; 105,000,000 lb. cheese; 4,000,000 lb. exhibits. New York has now a population of hops; 8,000,000 lb. flax; 10,840 lb. silk cocoons; 805,651 souls; Philadelphia, 562,529; Brook35,000,000 lb. maple, and 250,000,000 lb. cane lyn, 266,661; Baltimore, 212,418; Boston, sugar; 15,000,000 lb. bees'-wax and honey; 177,812; New Orleans, 168,675; Cincinnati, 14,000,000 tons hay; 35,000,000 tons hemp; 161,044; St. Louis, 160,773; Chicago, 109, 260; 14,000,000 gall. molasses; live stock valued at Newark, 71,914; Louisville, 68,033; Albany, 600,000,000 dollars. The greatest amount of 62,367; Washington, 61,122; San Francisco, live stock was in New York. The greatest 56,802; Providence, 50,666; Charleston, 40,578. wheat growing States (in the order named) were Ports. There are 84 distinct ports of entry for Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Virginia, and foreign merchandise, viz., 57 on the Atlantic, Illinois; rye, Pennsylvania, New York, New 4 on the Pacific, 8 on the Gulf of Mexico, and Jersey, and Connecticut; Indian corn, Ohio, 15 on the shores of the great lakes. The prinKentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee; cipal ports are:-BOSTON, at the western exoats, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, tremity of Massachusetts Bay, lat. 42° 21′ 22′′ Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee; tobacco, N., long. 71° 4, 9" W.; distant from WashingVirginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Tennessee, ton 464 miles N.E., from New York 236 miles. Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio; cotton, Ala- The harbour opens to the sea between two bama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, points, nearly four miles distant from each Tennessee; wool, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New other-Point Alderton, on Nantasket, and York, Vermont, Virginia, and Indiana. The Point Shirley, in Chelsea. It is sheltered from middle and western States are most productive the ocean by the peninsulas of which these two in wheat, rye, and oats; the southern and points are the extremities, and a large number western in Indian corn; the southern in rice; of islands, between which are three entrances.. the territory between 34° and 41° in tobacco. The main passage, which is about three miles Cotton is wholly produced south of 38°; wool S. E. from the Navy-yard, lies between Castle and Irish potatoes mostly N. of 34°; sweet and Governor's Island. The foreign commerce potatoes mostly S. of 40°; barley, apples, and of this port has always been great, and extends pears, mostly N. of 38°; peaches, mostly S. of to almost every nation on the globe. The 41°; hemp, hops, and flax, N. of 34°; cane coast trade is also immense. NEW YORK, the sugar, oranges, figs, bananas, S. of 33. Manu- most populous city and the greatest emporium factures. There are about 1,700 establishments in the New World, is situated on the southern engaged in the manufacture of cotton, produc- extremity of Manhatten Island, at the junction ing 763,000,000 yards of stuffs, and 28,000,000 of the Hudson and East Rivers, about 18 miles lb. of yarn; about 1,600 woollen manufactories, from the Atlantic. The city is strongly deproducing 82,000,000 yards of stuffs, and nearly fended both by nature and art. The entrance 5,000,000 lb. of yarn; 2,190 forges, furnaces, to the upper bay is through a strait called the &c., producing 1,165,544 tons of wrought, cast, Narrows, about one mile in width, and is comand pig iron. There were invested in the manded on the Long Island side by two forts, manufacture of malt and spirituous liquors one in the water, 200 yards from shore. The 8,334,254 dollars, employing 5,487 hands, and harbour is eight miles in length and four or five consuming 3,787,197 bush. of barley, 11,067,761 in breadth, and the largest ships may lie close bush. of corn, 2,143,927 bush. of rye, 56,517 to the quays. It is as the great centre of combush. of oats, 526,840 bush. of apples, 61,675 merce for half a continent that New York dehogsheads of molasses, and 1,294 tons of hops, rives its highest claim to pre-eminence. Surproducing 1,177,924 barrels of ale, &c., rounded by one of the most capacious harbours 42,133,955 gall. of whisky and high wines, and in the world, within two hours' sail of the At6,500,000 gall. of rum: 6,263 tanneries, produc- lantic, communicating with the New England ing 12,557,940 sides, and 2,654 skins of tanned States by Long Island Sound, and with the inleather. The New England States are most terior of New York State by the Hudson River, extensively engaged in the manufacture of cot- which is in turn connected with the great lakes ton and woollens, and the middle States and Ohio by the Erie Canal, it presents facilities for inin the manufacture of iron and spirituous and ternal and foreign navigation unrivalled by mait liquors. Other important branches of any commercial emporium of this or any other industry are the manufacture of shoes, hats, period. Nor have her merchants been satisfied cabinet-ware and furniture, combs, cutlery, to repose on her natural advantages, but they hollow-ware, sugar (refined), agricultural im- have connected her with every great point plements, &c., cheap clocks, pottery, glass, which deposits in her depôts the cotton and chemicals, dye stuffs, locomotives and steam-rice of the South, the grain, lead, tobacco, and engines, gas fixtures, &c. Principal Towns. The progress of the cities of the United States as a mass has been without a parallel in the history of the world. Some cities in the Old

pork of the West, and the wool, wheat, timber, and flour of the North and East. The imports and exports embrace every article that enters into the trade of the Union. PHILADELPHIA,

the second city of the States, is situated be-mouth of the harbour, affording, however, two tween the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, entrances, of which the deepest, near Sulliabout six miles above their junction, and 06 van's Island, has 16 feet of water at low tide. niles from the ocean, in lat. 39° 57′ N., and The chief exports are cotton and rice. Tolong. 15° 11′ W. The quays on the Delaware bacco and provisions are also exported in conare accessible to the largest vessels. This port siderable quantities. SAVANNAH, in Georgia, is chiefly distinguished for its coasting trade, is situated on the right bank of Savannah which is extending beyond all parallel. The River, 18 miles from its mouth. It is 90 miles leading articles of import are cotton, woollen, W.S. W. from Charleston, and its trade is very and silk goods, raw cotton, hides, manufactured similar to that port. MOBILE, the port of iron, molasses, sugar, &c.; and the chief ex- entry of Alabama, is on the west bank of Moports are flour, provisions, and manufactures. bile River, immediately above its entrance BALTIMORE is situated on a small bay or es-into the bay of the same name, 30 miles N. tuary, which extends about two miles and a from the Gulf of Mexico. Exports, chiefly half inland from the north side of Patapsco cotton. NEW ORLEANS is on the left bank of River, about 12 miles from its entrance into Mississippi, about 100 miles from its mouth. Chesapeake Bay. The bay round which the Lat. 29° 58′ N., long. 90° 7' W. It possesses city is built affords a secure and spacious har- great natural advantages for internal trade. Lour, and there is communication by railway The Mississippi and its tributaries afford not not only with Philadelphia and Washington, less than 15,000 miles of navigable waters, but with Winchester, Annapolis, Cumberland, communicating with a vast extent of country, Frederick City, York, Lancaster, and Harris- illimitable in its resources, exhaustless in ferburg. CHARLESTON is situated on a tongue tility, and embracing nearly every variety of of land between the Rivers Ashley and Cooper, climate. The river is very deep at the town. which unite immediately below the town and Exports, cotton, corn, sugar, tobacco, and form a commodious harbour, communicating provisions principally; and imports provisions with the ocean at Sullivan's Island, seven from the Northern States. miles below. A sand-bar extends across the

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

10,951,000

not exceeding one-half of the whole alloy. Gold. Double eagle, weight 516 gr., value $20; eagle, 258 gr., $10; half eagle, 129 gr., $5: quarter eagle, 64 gr., $2.50; dollar, 25 4-5 gr., $1. Silver. Dollar, weight 412 gr., value $1; half dollar, 2064 gr., $o 50; quarter dollar, 103 gr., $0.25; dime, 411 gr., So 10; half dime, 20 gr., $0'5; three-cent piece, 12 gr., $0.03. Copper. Five-cent piece, weight 77 16 gr., value $0 05; three-cent piece, 30 gr.; two-cent piece, 96 gr.; cent, 48 gr.

USANCE is the time of one, two, or three months after the date of a bill of exchange, according to the custom of the places between which the exchange runs, and the nature of which must be shown and averred in a declara tion on such bill. Double or treble usance is double or treble the usual time, and half usance is half the time. Bills drawn in India, for instance, are made payable six months after sight or presentation for acceptance, the object being to give the acceptor time to dispose of the shipment against which the bills are drawn, before they nature.