CITY OF WASHINGTON.

The city of Washington is situated on the Potomac, at the confluence of this river with its Eastern-branch, which formerly bore the name of Anna kostia, in lat. 38° 55' north, and in longitude 76° 55′ from Greenwich. From Washington to Philadelphia, the distance is...

To Baltimore..

144 miles.

43

132

40

124

The meridional line, which passes through the Capitol, was drawn by Mr. Ellicot. The longitude was calculated by Mr. Lambert.

A celebrated astronomer, the baron Lindenau, to whom we communicated this calculation, was pleased to favor us with the

five, for no other reason, as he states, than that of having worn a "green-coloured coat," and vented sighs for his "dear native country." This sign-board was attacked by some malicious hand, and the poor old man, deeply mortified at this outrage in a land of freedom, published his complaint in the National Advertiser, offering a dollar, (it was all he possessed), as a reward for bringing the offender to justice.

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following observations concerning it. "On the 20th of October, 1804, the immersion of y Plej. was observed at Washington at 9" 22′ 36",32 (true time): from this the calculator deduces the conjunction of the moon and the star at 10" 42', 59",277. Calculating the place of the moon by the tables, he finds this ♂, or conjunction for Greenwich, at 15h 5', 35′′,556, and hence the west longitude of Washington equal to 5", 7', 36′′, 279. This calculation is perfectly just; nevertheless the longitude which results from it remains uncertain, and may be defective by several minutes of the arc. 1.0 The calculator supposes the right ascension of y Plej. 53°, 59', 6′′, 27. -The declination 23°, 29', 45′′, 14, whereas the catalogue of Piazzi generally considered as the best, gives the right ascension 55o, 58', 50", 9. The declination 23°, 29′, 34′′, 5. 2o The conjunction for Greenwich having been calculated, not by real observation, but by the places of the moon taken from the Tables of Mason, perhaps incorrect from 10/ to 15', an error may result from 20 to 36′ on the time of this, or conjunction, and also on the longitude of Washington. Unfortunately I have not been able to find an ob

servation made in Europe corresponding with this, which would have enabled me to repeat the calculation, and establish the longitude of Washington above-mentioned. From the observatory of Leeberg, 10th October, 1812. B. LINDENAU. In 1809, Mr. Lambert presented a memorial to the House of Representatives on the establishment of a first meridian for the United-States at the city of Washington. The year following, this memorial was submitted to a Select Committee of Congress, of which Dr. Mitchill was Chairman, who recommended that provision should be made by law for determining, with the greatest accuracy, the distance between the city of Washington and Greenwich in England, and that proper instruments should be procured. This Committee observed, "that situated as we are in this western hemisphere, more than three thousand miles from any fixed or known meridian, it would be proper, in a national point of view, to establish a first meridian for ourselves; and that measures should be taken for the eventual establishment of such a meridian in the United States; that no place perhaps is more proper than the seat of go

vernment." This subject was referred to the secretary of state, who, in a report, addressed to the House of Representatives, in July, 1812, strongly recommended the establishment of a first meridian, and an Observatory, at Washington; "that the former has become, by the usage of nations, an appendage, if not an attribute, of sovereignty."

The origin of Washington, like that of several ancient cities, is already wrapt in fable. The story is, that a few families had lived there in rural solitude for nearly a century, of which one was established on the borders of the Columbia Creek, from whom it received the name of Tiber; and the place of residence was called Rome. History may hereafter record the belief, that this simple farmer, endowed with prophetical powers, foresaw the destinies of the Columbian territory.

Travellers, from different motives, have given very unfaithful pictures of the city of Washington, The buildings are described to be in a state of dilapidation. The inhabitants are represented as a "half-organised, half-minded race;" although it is well known, that they came from various regions

of the United States, and from different countries of Europe, bringing with them qualities of mind and body, and topographical habits, which prevent the possibility of any characteristic trait, except in the imagination of the poet.

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The following poetical description is from of Moor:

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"In fancy now beneath the twilight gloom,
Come, let me lead thee o'er this modern Rome,
Where tribunes rule, where dusky Davi bow,
And what was, Goose-Creek once, is Tiber now.
This fam'd metropolis, where fancy sees
Squares in morasses, obelisks in trees;
Which travelling fools, and gazetteers adorn
With shrines unbuilt, and heroes yet unborn;
Tho' nought but wood and

they see, Where streets should run, and sages ought to be."

It is scarcely possible to imagine a situation more beautiful, healthy, and convenient, than that of Washington. The gentle undulated surface throws the water into such various directions, as affords the most agreeable assemblage. The rising hills, on each side of the Potomac, are truly picturesque ; and as the river admits the largest frigates, their sails, gliding through the majestic trees which adorn its banks, complete the scenery.