GENERAL VIEW OF THE UNITED STATES.

AGRICULTURE.

THE chief agricultural occupations in the eastern States are grazing and the dairy. The middle States are principally devoted to the cultivation of wheat and maize; the southern to that of tobacco, cotton, sugar, and rice; and the western to maize and wheat. Slave labor is chiefly employed in the southern States, and in some of the middle and western. The following are among the most important articles of the growth of the United States in 1840:

The imports into the United States for the year ending 30th September, 1840, amounted to one hundred and seven millions, one hundred and forty-one thousand, five hundred and nineteen dollars. The exports of domestic produce for the same time, to one hundred and thirteen millions, eight hundred and ninety-five thousand, six hundred and thirty-four dollars; of foreign produce, to eighteen millions, one hundred and ninety thousand, three hundred and twelve dollars. Total exports, one hundred and thirty-two millions, eighty-five thousand, nine hundred and forty-six dollars. The most important exports are those of cotton, flour, rice, tobacco, beef, pork, lumber, cattle, and horses. New Orleans has the greatest export trade, and New York the greatest imports. Most of the shipping is owned in the New England States and New York.

MANUFACTURES.

The value of the most important manufactures in 1840, was as follows: Manufactures of wool, $20,696,999; manufactures of cotton, $46,350,453; mixed manufactures, $6,545,503; manufactures of tobacco, $5,819,568; of hats, caps, &c., $8,704,342;

of leather, $33,134, 403; of glass, $2,890,293, of refined sugars, &c., $3,250,700; of paper, $5,641,495; of cordage, $4,078,306; of carriages and wagons, $10,897,887. The total amount of capital invested in manufactures in 1840, was $267,726,579. In addition to the large establishments, it is estimated that two-thirds of the clothing worn by the agricultural population are the product of domestic manufactures. The greater portion of American manufactures are designed for internal consumption; yet, in 1840, there were exported from the United States manufactured articles to the value of twelve millions, eight hundred and forty-eight thousand, eight hundred and forty dollars.

FISHERIES.

Nearly all the fisheries are carried on by the New England States. The whale fishery alone employs three hundred ships, averaging three hundred and forty tons each. The products of the American fisheries in 1840, were as follows: 773,947 quintals dried and smoked fish; 472,359 barrels pickled fish; 4,764,708 gallons spermaceti oil; 7,536,778 gallons whale and other fish oil. The amount of capital invested in the fisheries is $16,429,620. The mackerel and herring fishery is pursued along the northern coast, and the cod fishery on that of Labrador and the Newfoundland banks

PUBLIC LANDS.

The national domain, or public lands, consists of tracts of territory ceded to the General Government by the several States; of the lands in the Territory of Louisiana, pur chased of France; and those in Florida, acquired by treaty from Spain. A vast portion of this land is occupied by the Indians, who are considered as proprietors of the soil till the government extinguish their title by purchase. A General Land Office, at Washington, directs the sale of these territories. All the lands are surveyed before sale; they are divided into townships of six miles square, which are subdivided into sections of one mile square, containing each six hundred and forty acres, and sold in sections, half, quar. ter, nd alt-quarter s ctions. The minimum price is fixed by law at a dollar and a quarter. A sales are made for cash. Salt springs and lead mines are reserved, but may be sold by special orders from the President. One section of six hundred and forty acres is reserved in each township, as a fund for the perpetual support of schools. By the act of Congress of 1841, the annual proceeds of the sales of the public lands are to be divided in equitable portions among the States, according to their representative population, after deducting expenses of sales, and certain reservations granted for the benefit of the States in which the lands are situated. By a proviso in the act, however, the proceeds of the lands are to revert to the treasury whenever the duties on imports are made to exceed a tariff of twenty per cent.

REVENUE, EXPENDITURE, AND DEBT.

The revenues of the United States have hitherto been derived from the customs, sales of lands, lead mines, the post-office, and stock held in the Bank of the United States. The only reliable source of revenue is now that derived from the customs. The total revenue from all sources, for the year 1840, was thirty millions, four hundred and ten thousand, one hundred and sixty-seven dollars. The expenditure for the same year, in. cluding interest on public loan, and interest and principal on treasury notes, thirty-two millions, twenty-five thousand, and seventy dollars. The amount of the public debt ex. isting in 1842, is about ten millions in treasury notes outstanding, and seventeen millions of authorized an, making a total of about twenty-seven millions of dollars.

ARMY AND NAVY.

1

The army consists of two regiments of dragoons, four regiments of artillery, and eight regiments of infantry, under the command of one Major-General and two Brigadier. Generals. The numerical force, according to the returns of 1841, presents a total of 12,537. The navy consists of eleven ships of the line, fifteen frigates of the first class, two frigates of the second class, twenty-one sloops of war, four brigs, eight schooners, and five steam vessels. This estimate includes those upon the stocks, and the Home Squadron, established in 1841.

POST.OFFICE.

The post-roads in the United States amount to one hundred and fifty-five thousand, seven hundred and thirty-nine miles; and the yearly transportation of the mail is equal to thirty-six millions, three hundred and seventy thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six miles; namely, twelve millions, one hundred and eighty-two thousand, four hundred and forty-five miles by horse and sulky; twenty millions, two hundred and ninety-nine thou sand, two hundred and seventy-eight miles by stage and coach; and three millions, eight hundred and eighty-nine thousand, and fifty-three miles by railroad and steamboat. The number of post-offices in the United States is thirteen thousand six hundred and thirtyeight. The expenses of the post-office department in 1840 were four millions, seven hundred and fifty-nine thousand, one hundred and ten dollars. Receipts, four millions, five hundred and thirty-nine thousand, two hundred and sixty-five dollars.

MINT.

The Mint of the United States commenced operations at Philadelphia, in 1793, and the branches in North Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana, in 1838. Coinage of gold and silver bullion is performed free of expense to the owners.

Statement of the Coinage at the Mint of the United States, for each successive period of ten years, from the commencement of its operations until December 31st, 1840.

TAXATION.

Congress possess the power to impose direct taxes; but as this branch of the revenue has been found one of the least productive, and the other sources of supply being abun dant, there is no taxation by the General Government. Each State levies its own tax for the expenses of its local government; and each city or town provides, by taxation, for its own municipal concerns.

SALARIES.

The highest salary is that of the President, who receives twenty-five thousand dollars a year; Ministers Plenipotentiary receive nine thousand dollars annually, and the same sum for an outfit; the Secretaries of State, the Treasury, War, and the Navy, and the Postmaster General, six thousand; the Vice-President, five thousand; the Chief Justice, five thousand; the Associate Justices, four thousand five hundred ; Chargés des Affaires. four thousand five hundred; Secretaries of Legation, two thousand; members of Congress, eight dollars a day.

NEWSPAPERS.

The first paper printed in America, was the Boston News Letter; the first number of which was issued April 17th, 1704. In 1775, there were thirty-seven periodicals, of all sorts, published in different parts of the United States; in 1810, three hundred and fifty. eight; in 1828, eight hundred and two; at present, there are above one thousand, of which fifty are daily. The number printed annually cannot be estimated with any degree of accuracy-by some, it is calculated at sixty-four millions.

INTERNAL NAVIGATION.

About two thousand five hundred miles of canal have been executed, or are in a tol erable state of forwardness. By means of these artificial channels, and the great lakes and western rivers, with which they open a communication, the internal navigation far surpasses in extent that of any other country in the world. The course upon a single line from New York up the Hudson, through the Erie Canal, Lake Erie, the Ohio Canal and river, up to the highest navigable point of the Missouri, would equal four thousand three hundred and twenty miles.

CHIEF CITIES.

NEW YORK.

The city of New York occupies the first rank among the cities of the western world, for population, wealth, and trade. Situated upon a noble harbor, at the mouth of one of the finest navigable rivers in the world, it enjoys a monopoly of the trade of a large and wealthy district of the interior. Hence, the increase of the city has kept pace with the development of trade and industry in the neighboring States. The rapid augmentation of population, commerce, and every material of prosperity which New York has witnessed in recent years, is almost without a parallel. Founded by the Dutch, in 1614, by the name of New Amsterdam, it did not for a century exceed Boston in point of numbers; but with the settlement of the interior of the State, and the opening of the navigation of the great lakes, New York has received an impulse, which, added to other advantages, has established its present and secured its future pre-eminence. In respect to commerce, it is already the second city in the

world.

It stands on the southern point of an island, at the mouth of the Hudson; on the east, the shore of this island is watered by a deep chanuel, called East River, which separates it from Long Island, and affords a navigable communication between New York harbor and Long Island Sound. The harbor extends nine miles south of the city, to the sea. The first settlement was made at the southern extremity, conse. quently that portion of the city is composed of narrow, crooked, inconvenient streets, and unsightly old buildings; but the more modern parts, and especially those which have grown up within twenty years, are regular and commodious. The finest street is Broadway, which traverses the whole city in a straight line from north to south, being three miles in length, and eighty feet in breadth. It is occupied chiefly by shops and elegant public buildings, and few streets in the world equal it for the splendor, bustle, and fashion it exhibits. The Battery is an inclosed promenade, on the shore at the southern extremity of the city; it is planted with trees, and though not extensive, is pleasant, much frequented, and offers a delightful view of

the harbor.

The Park is a triangular inclosure of eleven acres, in the centre of the city; upon one side of this stands the City Hall, an elegant structure with a front of white marble. It is two hundred and sixteen feet long, and one hundred and five broad; and is one of the finest buildings in the country. The Merchants' Exchange, in Wall-street, is handsomely built of white marble. The United States Branch Bank is a so a fine marble structure. St. Paul's Chapel is esteemed one of the finest buildings in the city; its spire is two hundred and thirty-four feet high. St. John's Chapel has a spire two hundred and forty feet in height, and is the most costly church in the city; having been built at the expense of two hundred thousand dollars. St. Patrick's Cathe dral, a Roman Catholic edifice, is the largest of all the churches, and is of stone, one hundred and twenty feet long, and eighty feet wide. There are more than one hundred additional churches, some of them very costly. Trinity Church is a Gothic edifice of stone, and belongs to the oldest and richest Episcopal establishment in America, possessing a property to the amount of several millions of dollars.

Packets sail from New York, to Liverpool and London, every week; to Havre every ten days; and to Hull, Greenwich, Belfast, Vera Cruz, Carthagena, and all the