emetic; upon most as cathartic and diuretic. They may be taken in very large quantities without fenfible injury, or difagreeable operation. Great numbers of people, under variety of maladies, refort to thefe fprings, and many find relief, and a confiderable number a complete cure, particularly in billious diforders, falt rheum, and relaxations. But as the waters are unfriendly and even fatal in fome diforders, they ought to be ufed under the direction of a phyfician thoroughly acquainted with the quali ties of the waters, and the difeafes of the patient. Ignorant of the fuitablenefs of the waters to their complaints, many have imprudently thrown away their lives in the use of them. New Lebanon fprings are next in celebrity to thefe of Saratoga. NewLebanon is a pleasant village, fituated 32 miles E. by S. of Albany, fituated partly in a vale, and partly on the declivity of hills. The pool is fituated on a commanding eminence, overlocking the valley, and furrounded with a few houfes, which afford but indifferent accomodations for the valetudinarians who refort here in fearch of health. The waters have an agreeable temperature, and are not unpleafant to the tafte. They are used with fuccefs it is faid, in fcorbutic and rheumatic difeafes, falt rheums, &c. but are pernicious to confumptive perfons. In the new town of Renfallaer, nearly oppofite to the city of Albany, a medicinal spring has lately been difcovered combining molt of the valua ble properties of the celebrated waters of Saratoga. This ftate embofoms vaft quantities of iron ore. Naturalifts obferve that ore, in fwamps and pondy ground, vegetates and increafes. There is a filver mine at Philipfburgh, which produces virgin filver. Lead is found in Herkemer county, and fulpher in Montgomery. Spar, zink, or fpeiter, a femi-metal, magnez, ufed in glazings, pyrites of a golden hue, various kinds of copper ore, and lead and coal mines, are found in this fiate. Alfo petrified wood, plafter of Paris, ifinglafs in fheets, tale and cryals of va rious kinds and colours, flint, afbeftos, and feveral other fofils. A finali black flone has alfo been found, which vitrifies with a fmall hear, and, it is faid, makes excellent glass. Ifiands. THERE are three iflands of note within this flate, viz. Long ifland, Staten Island and York- Ifland. Long-Ifland which contains upwards of 40,000 inhabitants, extends 140 miles, and terminates with Montauk Point. It is not more than ten miles in breadth on a medium, and is feparated from Connecticut by Long Island found. The middle of it is indeed fomewhat barren, but both ends have moft excellent foil, which perhaps is improved to as great advantage as any lands in America, producing corn and fruit to great perfection, and abounding in horfes, cows, fheep, and fwine, more than any other part of the late. In the midlt of the island is a celebrated plain 16 miles long and 4 bread, to which they have given the name of Salisbury plain, from its having as fine turf as that of Salisbury plain in England. They have races there every feafon. Sir William Howe, with an army of 35,000 men, made a defcent here in 1776, and fubdued the whole island, which the kings troops retained polletion of during the war. Staten or Streghien Ifland is oppofite to the weft end of Long Island and forms the narrows or firaits through which fhips pafs that are bound to and from the fea to New-York. It forins Richmond county, is about 18 miles in length and, at a midium, 6 or 7 in breadth, containing about 4000 inhabitants. York Island, formerly called Manhattan, is formed by a confluence of Hudfon and Euft rivers, is about 15 miles long, and on an average one. mile broad; and is connected with the main land by a bridge at the pofttown of Kings Bridge. N Chief Towns. EW-YORK is the capital of the State and ftands on the fouthweft point of Manhattan, now called York Island at the confluence of the Hudfon and Eaft rivers, in N. lat. 40° 42′ lon, 1° 17′ E. It is 95 miles N. E. of Philadelphia, and 250 from Bofton. The principal part of the city was formerly on the eaft fide of the island, but within a few years, fuch improvements have been made on the north fide on the banks of the Hudfon, that the length of the city on each side is about two miles. They have forced the Hudfon back about 200 feet by encafements comp fed of large trunks of trees, funk with an enormous weight of flones. On all fides new houfes are raifing and streets extending. The breadth of the city on an average, is nearly three fourths of a mile, and its circumference about five miles. The plan of the city is not perfectly regular, bat is laid out with reference to the fituation of the ground. The principal ftreets run parallel with the rivers; these are interfected by freets running from river to river. The whole number of flreets is 137, the principal of which are Front, Water, Pearl, William, Naffau, Greenwich, Wall, Broad freet, and Broad Way. Broad Way is the principal fireet in this city for beauty, it begins at the Battery and runs in a direct line to what is called Sandy Hill, an extent of two miles, crofling 24 Areets and 4 lanes. There are alfo 12 public flips for the accomodation of coafting veffets, thefe flips are all under the authority and regulation of the city corporation-29 Wharves,-and 5 Docks for the accomodation of fhips of any burden, a navy yard, and a number of private yards for fhip building. That part of the city which in 1788, was buried in ruins, is now wholly covered with elegant brick houfes. The most confiderable buildings are the Federal Hall, at the head of Broad ftreet; an elegant brick edihce for the accomodation of the governor of the ftate, where the Fort formerly flood, a city Hotel in Broad way 100 feet front, So deep, and 4 ftories high, two elegant buildings for the use of the Banks have lately been erected in Wall street. The New-York State Prifon lately erected on an improved plan, is fituated at Greenwich, about two miles from the fouthernmost point of the city on the eaft fide of Hudfon's river. A new theatre has alfo lately been erected, fronting the Park, which for its extent and beauty is not rivalled in the United States. The number of places for public worship, are three for Prefbyterians, five for Epifcopalians, one of which has lately received the addition of an excellent chime of bells, four for Baptifts, two for Scotch Prefbyterians, one for the Affociate Prefbyterians, three for the Dutch reformed, one for German Calvinifls one for German Lutherans, one for English Lutherans, three for Methodists, one for Quakers, one . French Proteftants, one for Univer Julifts, one for Independants, one for Moravians, one for Roman Catholics and one Synagogue. Befides thefe, there is the college, gaol, New Almshoufe, an extenfive building, houfe of Correction, and feveral other buildings of lefs note: there are also three public clocks, as well regulated as any in Europe. The city is accommodated with five markets in different parts which are furnished with a great plenty and variety of provifions in neat and excellent order. The government of the city, which was incorporated in 1696, is now in the hands of a mayor, aldermen and common council. The city is divided into feven wards, in each of which there is chofen annually by the people an alderman and an affiftant, who, together with the recorder, are appointed an■ually by the council of appointment. The mayor's court, which is held from time to time by adjournment, is in high reputation as a court of law. A court of feffions is likewife held for the trial of criminal causes. The fituation of the city is both healthy and pleasant; furrounded on all fides by water, it is refreshed with cool breezes in fummer, and the air in winter is more temperate than in other places under the fame parallel. The channels between Long and Staten islands, and between Long and York iflands, are fo narrow as to occafion an unusual rapidity of the tides, which is increafed by the confluence of the waters of the Hudfon and Eaft rivers; this rapi dity, in general, prevents the obftruction of the channel by ice, fo that the navigation is clear, except for a few days in feafons when the weather is unCommonly fevere. There is no bafon or bay for the reception of fhips; but the road where they lie, in Eaft river, is defended from the violence of the fea by the islands, and excellent wharfs extend from the upper fhip yards along the S. E. fide of the city to the S. W. point of the battery, and from thence along the N. W. fide as high as the new fhip yard, a distance of at leaft three miles and a half, which interlock with each other, fo that, except that of Rhode-Ifland and Portland, in the diflrict of Maine, the harbour of New-York, which admits fhips of any burthen, is the befl in the United States. This city is efteemed the most eligible fituation for commerce in the United States. It almoft neceffarily commands the trade of one half of New-Jerfor. moft of that of Connecticut, and part of that of Maffachusetts, and almoit the whole of Vermont, befides the whole fertile interior country, which is pe. netrated by one of the largest rivers in America. This city imports most of the goods confumed, between a line of thirty miles c. ft of Connecticut river, and twenty miles west of the Hudfon, which is 130 miles, and between the ocean and the confines of Canada, about four hundred miles; a confiderable portion of which is the best peopled of any part of the United States. Tides, fome of the other States are partially fupplied with goods from NewYork. But in the ftaple commodity (flour) Pennfylvania and Maryland have exceeded it-the fuperfine flour of thofe States commanding a higher price than that of New-York; not that the quality of the grain in this State is worfe, but because greater attention is paid in thofe States to the infection and manufacture of that article. Be In the manufacture, likewife, of iron, paper, cabinet works, &c. PennfilDania exceeds not only New-York but all her filler States. In time of peace, however, New-York will command more commercial business than an▾ town in the United States. In time of war it will be infecure without a marine force; but a small number of hips will be able to defend it from the oft formidable attacks by fea. A want of good water hitherto has been a great inconvenience to the citizens, there being few wells in the city; most of the people are fupplied every day with fresh water, conveyed to their doors in cafks, from a pump near the head of Pearl-ftreet, which receives it from a fpring almoft a mile from the center of the city; but a fociety has lately been formed by law for providing the city with wholefome water, which we thali speak of, under its proper head. New-York is the gayeft place in America; the ladies in the richness and brilliancy of their drefs, are not furpaffed in any city in the United States, not even in Charlton, South-Carolina, which has heretofore been called the center of the beau monde. The ladies, however, are not folely employed in attention to drefs; there are many who are ftudious to add to brilliant external accomplishments, the more brilliant and falling accomplishments of the mind nor have they been unsuccessful; for New-York can boaft of great numbers of refined talle, whofe minds are highly improved, and whofe converfation is as inviting as their perfonal charms: tinctured with a Dutch education, they manage their families with good economy and fingular neatness. An inquirer, who would with to acquaint himself with the state of the people of New-York, their manners and government, would naturally ask the citizens for their focieties, for the encouragement of sciences, arts, manufactures, &c. for their public libraries; for their patrons of literature; their well-regulated academies; for their female academy for inftructing young ladies in geography, hiftory, belles lettres, &c. Such inquiries might be made with propriety, but could not at prefent be answered fatisfactorily. From the fpirit of improvement, however, which has of late appeared, there is reafon to believe, that this trait in the character of the citizens of New-York will foon give place to one diftinguished for a preference for thefe things. The number of inhabitants in the city and county of New-York, which in 1756 was 10,821 amounts now to above 70,000. Albany is fituated upon the well fide of Hudfon's river, 160 miles N. of the city of New-York, and 340 fouth of Quebec, N. lat. 42° 39 min. W. long. 73 deg. 30 min. It contains about 1500 buildings, upwards of 6000 inhabitants, and is next in rank to New-York. It is a place unrivalled for fituation, being nearly at the head of floop navigation, on one of the nobleft rivers in the world. It enjoys a falubrious air, and is the natural emporium of the encreafing trade of a large extent of territory W. and N. of an excellent foil, abounding in every article for the West India market, plentifully watered with navigable lakes, creeks, and rivers, fettling with almoft unexampled rapidity. When the contemplated locks and canals are completed, the bridge over the Mohawk river erected, and convenient roads opened in every part of the country, which foon will be accomplished, Albany will increafe and flourish beyond almost every town on this continest. A bank is here inftituted; and, among other improvements they are about conducting into various parts of the city from a fine spring five miles W. of the city, excellent water, an article in which this city has hitherto been extremely deficient. The public buildings are, a Low Dutch Church, two for Prefbyterians, one for Epifcopalians, one for Germans, one for Baptifts, and one for Methodists; an Hofpital, a City Hall, and a Jail.. The feat of govern ment has in 1797 been removed from New-York to this city. No. 26, Hudfon, This city is a port of Entry and Poft-town, on the east fide of Hudfon river, in lat. 42 deg. 18 min. N. long. I deg. 23 min. E. It is 34 miles S. of Albany and 130 mile, N. of New-York. Poughkeepfie is the fhire town of Dutchefs county, and is fituated a mile from the caft fide of Hudfon's river, and north of Wappingkill or creek. It is a pleasant little town, of about three thousand inhabitants, eighty-four miles north of New-York and eighty-one fouth of Albany. Lanfingburg formerly called the new City, ftands on the eaft fide of the Hudfon, juft oppofite to the fouth branch of Mohawk river, and nine miles north of Albany three above Troy, and one hundred and feventy north of New-York. It is a very flourishing place, pleafantly fituated on a plain at the foot of a hill. Kingston or Efopus is the county town of Ulfter. Before it was burnt by the British, in 1777, it contained about two hundred houses, regularly built on an elevated dry plain, at the mouth of a little pleasant stream, called Efopus-kill or creek, that empties into the Hudfon, but is nearly two miles weft from the river. The town has been rebuilt, and contains now about one hundred and fixty houses, fifty-fix miles fouth of Albany, and one hun dred and nine N.of New-York. Schenectady is fixteen miles north-weft of Albany, in Albany county, fituated on the banks of the Mohawk river. The town is compact and regular, built of brick, and excepting a few, in the old Dutch flyle, on a rich flat of low land, furrounded with hills. The windings of the river through the town, and the fields, which are often overflowed in the fpring, afford a beautiful prospect about harvest time. As it is at the foot of a navi gation on a long river, which paffes through a very fertile country, one would fuppofe it to embrace much of the commerce of it but originally, knowing no other than the fur trade, fince the revolution the place has decayed, and no advantage been taken of its happy fituation. : Plattfburgh is an extensive township in Clinton county, fituated on the well margin of lake Champlain. Seven years ago, this township, and the, whole county, indeed, which at prefent contains feveral thousand inhabi tants, was a wilderness: now they have a house for public worship, a court houfe, and gaol. The courts of common pleas and general feffions of the peace fit here twice in a year. They have artifans of almost every kind among them, and furnish among themselves all the materials for building, glafs excepted. It is about three hundred miles north of New-York, and nearly that diftance fouth of Quebec. Whiteftown in Herkemer county is fituated on the fouth fide of the Mohawk river, four miles weft of old fort Schuyler, and one hundred west of Albany. This town and its neighbourhood is fettling with remarkable: rapidity. The compact part of it lies on one beautiful freet, about one. mile in length, ornamented with trees. All that district comprehended. between the Oneida refervation, and the German flats, and which is now divided into the townships of Whiteftown, Paris, and Weftmoreland was: known, a few years fince, by the name of Whiteflown, and no longer ago than 1785, contained two families only, but in the year 1796, there was within the fame limits, fix parifhes, three full regiments of militia, and one corps of light-horfe in fuil uniform. Befides the towns and cities already mentioned, there are feveral newly laid out on the river Hudfon, viz.-Favette opposite the city of Hudfan Vol. IV. |