the city, and to pave and light the ftreets, which will fave a heavy tax that arifes in other cities, and confequently render the lots confiderably more valuable.

The grants of money made by Virginia and Maryland being fufficient, few of the public lots were fol, till the 17th day of September, 1793, when the demand was confiderable, as the monied men in Europe and America had turned their attention to this great national object.

At the clofe of the year 1792, most of the ftreets were run, and the fquares divided into lots. The canal was partly dag, and the greatest part of the materials provided, for the public buildings, which are entirely of free-ftone polifhed, and are now carrying on with all poffible expedition. Several private houfes were erected, and a great many proprietots of lots were preparing to build. The city now makes a noble appearance, many of the public buildings being in great forwardness, or finiflied, and a great number of houfes built.

This city is 42 miles S. W. of Baltimore, 500 from Bofton, 250 from New-York, 144 from Philadelphia, 132 from Richmond, in Virginia, 630 from Charleston and 795 from Savannah.

CHA P. XIX.

STATE OF VIRGINIA.

Situation, Extent, &c.

THIS State is fituated between 0° and 8° weft longitude from Phi

ladelphia, and 36° 30′, and 40° 30′ north latitude. Its length is about four hundred and forty-fix miles, and its breadth two hundred and twenty-four. It is bounded on the ealt by the Atlantic, on the north by a line of latitude, crolling the eastern fhore through Watkins's Point, being about 37° 57' north latitude; from thence by a ftraight line to Cinquac, near the mouth of the Potomack; thence by the Potomack, which is common to Virginia and Maryland, to the first fountain of its northern branch; thence by a meridian line, paffing through that fountain till it interfects a line running eaft and weft, in latitude 39° 43′ 42 4′′ which divides Maryland from Pennfylvania, which was marked by Meffrs. Mafon and Dixon; thence by that line, and a continuation of it weftwardly to the completion of five degrees of longitude from the caflern boundary of Pennfylvania, in the fame latitude, and thence by a meridian line to the Ohio ; on the weft by the Ohio and Miffiffippi, to latitude 36° 30' north; and on the fouth by the line of latitude laft-mentioned. By admeasurements through nearly the whole of this laft line, and fupplying the unmeafured parts from good data, the Atlantic and Mippi, are found in this latitude to be feven hundred and fifty-eight miles diftant, equal to 13° 38' of longitude, reckoning fifty-five miles and three thoufand one hundred and forty-four feet to the degree. This being our comprehenfion of American longitude, that of their latitude, taken between this and Mafon and Dixon's line is 3° 13′ 42 4′′, equal to about two hundred and twenty-three miles, fuppofing a degree of a great circle to be fixtynine miles, eight hundred and fixty-four feet as computed by Cofint. Thefe boundaries include an area fomewhat triangular, of one hundred and twenty. Vol. IV.

C &

one thousand five hundred and twenty-five fquare miles, whereof, seventy nine thousand fix hundred and fifty lie weftward of the Allegany mountains, and fifty-feven thoufand and thirty-four weftward of the meridian of the mouth of the Great Kanhawa. This State is therefore one third larger than the itlands of Great Britain and Ireland, which are reckoned at eightyeight thoufand three hundred and fifty-leven square miles. The whole flate contains about 850,000 inhabitants of which 300,000 are flaves.

It is divided into eighty-two counties, and by another divifion is formed into parifhes, many of which are commenfurate with the counties; but fometimes a county comprehends more than one parifh, and fometimes a parifa more than one county. This divifion had relation to the religion of the State, a minifter of the Anglican church, with a fixed falary, having been heretofore established in each parifh. The names and fituations of these counties are as follow:

WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE.

Ohio, Monongalia, Woflington, Montgomery. Wythe, Botetourt, GreenBriar. Kanbawa Hamplare, Berkley, Frederick, Shenandoah, Rockingham, Augufta, Rockbridge.

BETWEEN THE BLUE RIDGE AND THE TIDE WATERS.

Loudoun. Fauquier. Culpepper. Spotfylvania. Orange, Louifa. GoechLand. Flavania, afirmarle, Amherfi, Buckingham, Bedford, Henry. Pittfylvania, Halifax Charlotte. Prince Edward, Cumberland, Powhatan, Amelia, Nottaway, Lunenburgh, Mecklenburgh, Brunswick.

BETWEEN JAMES RIVER AND CAROLINA.

Greenfuille, Dinwiddie, Chefterfield, Prince George, Surry, Suffex, Southempton, Ifle of Wight, Nanfemond, Norfolk, Princess Ann.

BETWEEN JAMES AND YORK RIVERS.

Henrico, Hanover, New-Kent, Charles City, James City, Williamsburgh York, Warwick, Elizabeth City.

BETWEEN YORK AND RAPPAHANNOCK RIVERS.

Caroline, King William, King and Queen, Effex, Middlefex, Gloucefter.

TETWEEN RAPPAHANNOCK AND POTOMACK RIVERS.

Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, King George, Richmond, Welmoreland, Northumberland, Lancaster.

Accomac, Northampton,

EAST SHORE.

THE EOLLOWINC ARE NEW COUNTIES.

Campbell, Franklin, Harrifon, Randolph, Hardy, Pendleton, Rufet

Chief Towns.

THE towns in this flate are generally finall, owing probably to the

interfection of the country by navigable rivers, which bring the ride to the doors of the inhabitants, and prevent the neceffity of their going in quet of

it to a diflance.

On James river and its waters- -Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Suf. folk, Smithfield, Williamsburgh. Petersburgh, Richmond, Manchejler. Charlottefville, New-London-On York river and its waters, York, New-caftic, Hanover. O Rappahannock, Urbanna, Port Royal, Frederikfburgh, Falmouth.-On Potomack and its waters, Dumfries, Colchester, Alexandria, Winchester, Staunton.

The following deferve a particular defcription:

Norfolk, is the moft confiderable commercial town in Virginia, fituate on the Eaft fide of Elizabeth river, immediately below the confluence of the eastern branch. It has a fafe and commodious harbour, large enough to contain 300 fhips. It was burnt by the British in 1776, but contains now about 100 dwelling houfes, a court-house, gaol, an Epifcopal and Methodist church, a theatre, and an academy. It is 390 miles, S. by W. of Philadelphia, and 114 E. S. E. of Richmond. N. lat. 36° S. S. W. long. 76° 28′.

Alexandria. lands on the fouth bank of Potomack river in Fairfax county; its fituation is elevated and pleafant; the foil is clay. The original fettlers, anticipating its future growth and importance, laid out the streets upon the plan of Philadelphia. It contains about feven hundred houses, many of which are handfomely built, and about feven thousand inhabitants. This town, upon opening the navigation of Potomack river, and in confequence of its vicinity to the city of Washington, will probably be one of the most thriving commercial places on the continent. It is about 5 miles S. W. from the Federal city, 60 S. W. from Baltimore, and 290 from the fea, N. lat. 38, S. S. W. long. 77, 10.

Fredericksburgh, in the county of Spotfylvania, is fituated on the fouth Side of Rappahannock river, one hundred and ten miles from its mouth, and contains about two hundred houfes, principally on one ftreet, which runs nearly parallel with the river, and about two thousand inhabitants.

The new

Richmond, in the county of Henrico, is the prefent feat of government, and ftands on the north fide of James river, jufl at the foot of the falls, and contains about fix hundred houtes, and about fix thousand inhabitants. Part of the houses are built upon the margin of the river, convenient for bufinefs; the rest are upon a hill which overlooks the lower part of the town, and commands an extenfive profpect of the river and adjacent country. houfes are well built. A large ftare-house, or capitol, has lately been erected on the hill. The lower part of the town is divided by a creek, over which is a convenient brigde. A bridge between three and four hundred yards in length, has lately been thrown acrofs James river, at the foot of the fa!!, which connects the city with Manchester.

a

Besides the capitol, there is an Epifcopal church, a court-house, gaol and theatre. This place is 375 miles from New-York, 176 from Baltimore, aind 278 from Philadelphia. N. lat. 37 40. W. long. 77 50.