The following table exhibits the imports, exports, and tonnage of each state and territory; the imports and exports during the year ending Sept. 30, 1829; and the tonnage reckoned on the 31st Dec. 1828:

The following is a table of the exports of the United States, from 1800 to 1821:

Currency and Banks.] With one exception, all the banks established in the United States are joint-stock companies, incorporated by law, with a fixed capital, a portion of which is sometimes vested in public stocks, but this is not obligatory. The business of these banks consists in receiving money on deposit, in issuing bank-notes, and in discounting bills of exchange. The capital of the state-banks, existing in 1830. amounted to nearly 110,500,000 dollars, thus:

The total amount of the paper currency, on the first of January, 1830, was estimated at 63,500,000 dollars. There are no means of ascertaining correctly what portion of this sum consists of the precious metals. The silver coinage of England forms nearly one-seventh part of the whole circulation of our own country; at this rate that of the United States-allowing for the various considerations which may affect the question cannot be estimated at more than 10,000,000 of dollars. We have, therefore, the following results:

But if the bank notes of other banks on hand are deducted, the

The act of congress, of the year 1791, which declared that the dollar of the United States should contain 371 grains of pure silver, has fixed that quantity as the equivalent of a dollar of account, and as the permanent standard of value according to which all contracts must be performed. The medium par of exchange between the United States and England is about 4 dollars 75 cents for one pound sterling.

The United States Bank was incorporated by charter in 1791, with a stock of 10,000,000 of dollars, one-fourth of which was in specie; onefifth of the whole capital was subscribed by the president in name of the States. But the war in which America was last involved with Britain completely deranged her circulating medium, and shook the basis of both public and private credit. To remedy these evils it was resolved to establish a new bank at Philadelphia, on the security of such ample funds as should ensure universal confidence, and thus give its notes a free circulation throughout the states. A bill for this purpose was therefore introduced to congress, and the capital, viz. 35,000,000 of dollars was instantly subscribed.

Post Offices.] In the year 1790, there were only 75 post-offices in the Union; there are now between 6,000 and 7,000 post stations; at the former period the whole length of post-roads did not exceed 2,000 miles, while there are now upwards of 90,000 laid out.

Commercial Navy.] A better idea of America as a maritime power, than a view of her infant navy presents, may be obtained by a reference to her commercial marine, which is second only to that of Britain. Indeed it would be easy to show that there are circumstances in the political organization of the United States which make it next to impossible that its warlike power should ever be in the ratio of its commercial opulence. The total merchant-tonnage of the United States, corresponding to the British registered tonnage, amounted in 1826 to 1,534,000 tons, being an increase of 11,070 tons within the year, which was more than double the increase in any one of the twelve preceding years. That of the United Kingdom is stated in the parliamentary returns to have been, in 1827, 2,105,605 tons. Of 606,000 tons employed in 1790, in the foreign trade, 251,000 belonged to foreigners. Of 611,000 tons employed in 1794, this proportion was reduced to 84,000; and of 880,000 in 1820, it had sunk 79,000. The exports of 1825 exceeded 92,000,000 of dollars; and of these, 81,000,000 were made in American vessels; the imports were 91,000,000, and of these 86,000,000 were made in the same. The ex ports of 1826 had sunk to 78,000,000, and the imports to 85,000,000 of dollars; but 70,000,000 of the exports, and 80,000,000 of the imports were carried in native ships.

CHAP. VIII.-CHIEF TOWNS.

Under the new census (1830) the cities and towns of the United States containing a population of 5,000, will range in the following order:

New York.] New York, which was for sometime the seat of the general government, occupies a healthy and commanding situation, at the confluence of the Hudson and East rivers, on Manhattan island. 66 Approaching the city at sunset," says a female traveller, "I shall not soon forget the impression which its gay appearance made upon me. Passing slowly round its southern point, formed by the confluence of the Hudson with what is called the East river, we admired at our leisure the striking panorama which encircled us. Immediately in our front was the battery, with its little fort and its public walks, diversified with trees, impending over the water, numberless well-dressed figures gliding through the foliage, or standing to admire our nearing vessel. In the back-ground, the neatly painted houses receding into distance; the spiry tops of poplars peering above the roofs, and marking the line of the streets. The city gradually enlarging from the battery as from the apex of a triangle, the eye followed, on one side, the broad channel of the Hudson and the picturesque coast of Jersey, at first sprinkled with villages and little villas, their white walls just glancing in the distance through thick beds of trees; and afterwards rising into abrupt precipices, now crowned with wood, now jutting forward in bare walls of rock. To the right, the more winding waters of the East river, bounded, on the one side, by the wooded heights of Brooklyn and the varied shores of Long Island, and on the other, by quays and warehouses, scarcely discernible through the forest of masts that were crowded as far as the eye could reach. Behind us stretched the broad expanse of the bay, whose islets, crowned with turreted forts, their colours streaming from their flag-staffs, slept on the still and glowing waters, in dark or sunny spots, as they variously caught or shunned the gaze of the sinking sun. It was a glorious scene, and we almost caught the enthusiasm of our companions, who, as they hailed their native city, pronounced it the fairest in the world." "The harbour of New York," says Duncan," is one of the best in the country, and is capable of almost unlimited extension. The wharfs skirt both sides of the island, and piers project at right angles into the stream, leaving intermediate slips, which have many of the advantages of wet docks, and are free from several of their inconveniences. The tides rise and fall about six feet, but there is always water enough abreast of the piers to float the largest merchantmen. They do not, however, enjoy the advantage of dry docks, for the tide does not ebb sufficiently to empty

them, and mechanical means have not yet been resorted to; but vessels which need repair are heeled down in shallow water, first upon the one side, and then upon the other. Masts surround the city like reeds on the margin of a pool; and when one passes along the wharfs, and witnesses the never-ceasing operations of loading and discharging, warping out and hauling in, vessels of every description arriving and sailing with every breeze that blows, together with the bustling of shippers, custom-house officers, sailors, and carmen, he cannot but be impressed with the great extent of the commerce which can supply such extensive means with such unceasing employment." While nature has done so much for this city, as regards its pleasant and advantageous situation, art has as yet done little, at least in the way of ornamental architecture. Except the city hall, there is scarcely a public building worth noticing. "The streets, in the lower and older portion of the city," says Mr Duncan, “ are very narrow and crooked, and, what is more immediately inexcusable, are kept in very bad order. Garbage and litter of almost every kind are thrown out upon the pavement, where a multitude of hogs of all ages riot in abundance. The foot-walks are incumbered with projecting steps and cellar-doors, lampposts, pump-wells, and occasionally poplar-trees; and where any open space occurs, barrels, packing-boxes, and wheel-barrows, are not unfrequently piled up. No town affords greater facilities for subterraneous drains, for the ground slopes on both sides from the centre to the water; and no town that I ever saw stands so much in need of them. The more modern streets are greatly superior in every respect: they are in general wide and straight, and the foot-walks are comparatively free from projections and incumbrances. The city is throughout very indifferently lighted; and in many places, the feeble glimmerings of a solitary oil-lamp must struggle past two stately trees, which stand like sentinels to defend it."

By its situation, New York commands not only the entire trade of its own state, but that of a great part of the northern and middle states; and for extent of foreign commerce it equals, if it does not surpass, every city in North America. Its harbour is inferior only to those of Rhode Island and Portland. The current, caused by the meeting of the two rivers, and the flowing of the tide through the narrow channels by which these rivers enter the ocean, prevent the roads from being frozen at any time; and the inhabitants of New York have made every use of the advantages of their situation. Their trade with almost every commercial part of the world is very extensive. In 1640, New York was a mere village, and the only dwelling-houses were few, low, and straggling. The most prominent buildings were then, according to its erudite and right pleasant historian, Diedrich Knickerbocker, "the fort, the church of St Nicholas, the jail, the governor's house, the gallows, the pillory, the West India stores, and the city tavern," of which there are now no remains. In 1697, 34 years after the Dutch had been expelled by the English, the population of New York amounted to only 4,302 persons. In 1790, it had increased to upwards of 33,000 (including 2,369 slaves). In 1810, it had risen to 96,000; in 1816, to 100,619; in 1819, to 119,657; in 1826, to 166,086; and in 1830, to 213,000, including the population of Brooklyn on the opposite shore of Long Island, which may be considered as a suburb.— For a long time after the independence of the United States had been established, New York had to contend for supremacy against a powerful rivalry. Philadelphia, distant less than 100 miles, was not only more