THE SUPPER-BELL. 19 more than usually refreshing to one who has only had sea and sky to look on for a long month. I then returned, and went to bed, heedless of the supper-bell, that was sounding its gastronomic warning in the erect ears of the greedy gourmands. And now, for fear I should interrupt either of these essential operations with regard to yourself, I will have mercy on your perhaps wearied patience, and bid you, for the present, adieu ! LETTER II. Description of New York-Tables of Comparative Population-Number of Newspapers published-City HallExchange-Churches-Distribution of Religious Sects-American Curiosity— The Battery-New York Ladies Princeton The Navy-Yard—The Table d'Hôte-Rapidity of Eating - Ap MY DEAR FRIEND, Philadelphia, 12th June, 1831. I Now resume the thread of my narrative where it broke off in my letter addressed to you from New York, and which had conducted you across the Atlantic to that place. I proceed to give you a few notices respecting this, the metropolitan city of the Union; for such, in a commercial point of view, it must essentially be considered; possessing, as it does, greater natural and artificial advantages than any other town in the States. New York is situated on the Island of Manhattan, at the confluence of the Hudson and East SITUATION OF NEW YORK. 121 Rivers; the island extending about fifteen miles in length, with an average breadth of a mile and a half, or two miles. It lies in 40 deg. 40 min. of north latitude, and was originally settled by the Dutch in 1615, being called by them New Amsterdam; the historical details of which are humorously and admirably given, by Washington Irving, in "Knickerbocker's History of New York." In process of time, however, and as the result of various causes, it changed masters, and fell under the dominion of the English; and you do not require to be informed by what course of events it was afterwards forcibly transferred to its present possessors. The city lies on the southern point of the island, running along the western shore of the Hudson to the extent of nearly two miles, and along that of the East River, between three and four. The natural advantages by which it is surrounded are not excelled, if equalled, by any city on the face of the globe. Flanked, on each side, by the two splendid rivers I have mentioned; one of them being navigable to the sea, and the other, through the auxiliary medium of the Erie Canal, bearing the rich freights of the capital into the very heart of the state; lying, too, on the margin of an extensive and noble bay, across whose waters you sweep onward to the ocean in the short distance of twenty-two miles,—it makes good the claim which it asserts, at once with 22 POPULATION OF NEW YORK. justice and with pride, of being the commercial queen of the western world. To afford you some insight into the comparative population at different periods of this city, as well as of the state to which it belongs, both of which you will perceive have advanced most rapidly within the last fifty years, I give you the two following authenticated statements. Population of the City of New York. 1749 100,000 1810 340,120 Increase. Slaves. 21,324 50,395 1800 . 586,050 1790-1800.. 245,930 20,613 959,049 1800-1810 372,999 15,017 1771 163,338 1820..1,372,812 1810-1820. 413,763 10,088 1825..1,616,458 1830..1,913,508 1820-1830.. 540,696| 46 By this latter table you will observe, with much gratification, that, to the honour of New York, slavery has been abolished within the limits of its jurisdiction. As the Americans, from the nature of their government, are all politicians, from the president NUMBER OF NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED. 23 down to the ostler of an inn, you will feel interested, perhaps, in knowing the amount of political information communicated to the sovereign people throughout this city and state, and which I here subjoin. The number of newspapers published in the state, according to Williams's New York Annual Register, amounted in 1831 to 239; 54 in the city of New York, and 185 in other parts of the state. Number of Sheets issued from the fifty-four Presses in the City of New York annually. 11 daily papers (average 1,455 each in one day) 4,944,000 10 semi-weekly do 1,880 26 weekly do ............ .... 6 semi-monthly and 1 monthly .... 1,955,200 2,600,000 36,800 Total number of sheets printed annually.. 9,536,000 parts of the state.... Total 5,000,000 .14,536,000 With respect to the city of New York, it struck me, I confess, as much superior to what I had anticipated, as well in the dimensions of the streets, the neatness and elegance of the houses, as in the beauty and nobleness of many of its public edifices. Broadway, which is the finest street in the town, possesses an appearance highly imposing, and extends three miles in |