CRITICISM-FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

CUM TABULIS ANIMUM CENSORIS SUMET HONESTI.-Hor.

A Gazetteer of the State of Newyork; carefully written from original and authentic materials, arranged on a new plan-in three parts:-Comprising-First, A comprehensive Geographical and Statistical View of the whole State, conveniently disposed under separate heads.-Second, An ample general view of each County, in alphabetical order, with topographical and statistical tables, showing the civil and political divisions, population, post-offices, &c.-Third, A very full and minute topographical description of each town or township, city, borough, village, &c. &c. in the whole State, alphabetically arranged; as also its lakes, rivers, creeks, with every other subject of topographical detail: forming a complete Gazetteer or Geographical Dictionary of the State of Newyork: with an accurate map of the State. By Horatio Gates Spafford, A. M. author of a Geography of the United States, a member of the Newyork Historical Society, and a corresponding secretary of the Society of Arts." Albany, 1813. pp. 336, Svo.

THIS is a good book, compiled on a well-digested plan, and merits every encouragement, since it is only from the accumu lated information which such works supply, that we can expect a comprehensive statistical account of the United States. The author seems to have been very industrious in the collection of materials, for he informs us that, in addition to his own researches, and those of his agents, he has drawn information from more than a thousand original letters from correspondents in almost every part of the state. His work has, therefore, every appearance of authenticity, and although the representations of individuals, situated as were these correspondents, may naturally be suspected of some degree of inaccuracy from local partialities, and the wish of magnifying the advantages of their own. possessions, yet we do not perceive any undue preferences given by the geographer, nor any other fault in the local descriptions, except the pardonable one of drawing every thing in rose colours. The mere topographical account of all the towns and villages of Newyork, is not calculated to excite much interest beyond the immediate neighbourhood of them. Nor does the general view of each county attract much more attention. We shall, therefore, confine ourselves to the first part, describing the general results

of these inquiries, from which we shall make a few extracts to show the actual situation of that very important section of the union.

On the subject of inland navigation, the author observes:

It may be said, however, that no portion of the United States enjoys such facilities for inland navigation, as the state of Newyork; combining, in the consideration, the objects and the means of intercourse. The Hudson, opens a good sloop navigation for vessels of 100 tons to Albany. And, passing the carrying place to Schenectady 15 miles, the Mohawk affords a boat navigation with the aid of two short canals, that at the Little Falls, and at Rome, to Wood creek; thus extending the navigation through Oneida Lake and Oswego river, to Lake Ontario, with the exception of two other short portages in Oswego river; a distance of 203 miles from Schenectady; 218 from Albany, with but 15 miles land carriage; and 393 miles from Newyork.

The canal at Rome, connecting the waters of the Mohawk and Lake Ontario, was completed in 1797. This canal is about a mile and a half in length, with a lock at each end. It is fed by a lateral cut from the Mohawk, which enters the canal nearly a mile W. of the lock at that river.

Batteaus, carrying from three to fifteen tons, and drawing two feet water, pass the canal at all times; but in times of severe drowth, experience some difficulty below, both in the Mohawk and Wood creek. A well informed correspondent, computes the number of boats that annually pass these locks, at three hundred; and that they carry 1500 tons of goods, produce, &c. The canal at the Little Falls of the Mohawk, completed in 1795, has several locks, and extends the navigation by a fall of forty-two feet, within one mile.

Under this head may be introduced the expense of transportation, from Newyork to Oswego. From Newyork to Albany, bulky articles pay about forty cents per hundred weight; heavy from ten to twenty cents-say common freight, to average twenty-five to thirty cents per hundred. From Albany to Schenectady, sixteen cents. From Schenectady to Utica, seventy-five cents; and from Utica to Oswego, $1.25 per hundred, including lockage, portagemoney, &c.—making in all, $2.35 to $2.40 cents per hundred weight through this whole distance.

The Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, has been incorporated by this state, for the purpose of improving the navigation of the western waters. But, the project of a great western canal, to connect Lake Erie and the Hudson by a boat navigation, is now a principal topic in this state. Commissioners have examined the country, and have reported in favour of the project, but on a plan which, to my apprehension, is generally impracticable. With regard to roads and bridges, we have the following information:

The roads of this state, particularly those in the new parts, are certainly very good, and conveniently disposed; and when we take into view, the recent settlement of a large extent of country, where they have been constructed, I can but believe they would bear a comparison with those of any other portion of the United States. And no state has been more liberal in making appro priations of public funds, for the purpose of extending good roads into every section of the state. Corporate bodies have also been multiplied for these purposes, till their nominal stock amounts to 8,067,000 dollars, in the charters for turnpikes and toll-bridges alone.

The charters for toll-bridges (36 in number) have created nominal stock to the amount of $ 509,000; and these and the turnpike companies, 135 in number, are probably authorized to erect about 450 toll-gates. But they have opened, and are opening about 4500 miles of road.

The central position of Albany, as a place of trade, of commerce, of travel, and of general intercourse, renders it of course, the great point of concentration for all the great roads of this region. A bare enumeration of those which connect Albany with the surrounding countries, would fill several pages. But the great chain of turnpikes that extend from the E. line of the state, near the village of New-Lebanon, through Albany, Schenectady, Utica, Geneva, Canandaigua and Batavia, to Buffalo, must not be omitted; a distance which sufficiently bespeaks the magnitude of the object-being 324 miles. From this grand avenue, turnpikes and country roads traverse the western country in every direction.

From the best information that I can obtain, after much inquiry and research, I suppose we have now opened for travel, about 16 to 1680 miles of turnpike road! A vast extent-and some part of this system has proved of proportionate importance to the interests of the citizens, and the community at large.

The bridges that have been erected within ten years, and those too of very considerable magnitude, are almost innumerable-and of these, about thirtyfive are authorized to collect toll. But there are many other bridges on the country roads, that do great honour to the public spirit of the inhabitants.

The notices on domestic animals are interesting:

The following computations of the numbers of sheep, neat-cattle, horses and swine, are founded on the details of the census, and the information of well informed correspondents. In some counties, these items were omitted in the census. To supply this deficiency, I have applied to correspondents in those counties for estimates, according to the best information: and the ratio, thus obtained, falls a small fraction short of 1.5 sheep to each person in the aggregate. This gives 1,410,044, as the whole number of sheep in the state. The neat-cattle, according to the same authorities, may be computed at

363,298; the horses, 527,570; giving the enormous aggregate of 2,810,912 of these valuable domestic animals. The American statist, the indefatigable Blodget, computes the whole number of neat-cattle in the United States in 1809, at 3,660,000; horses, 1,400,000. The enumeration of swine, in this state, was wholly omitted by the census; but an inspection of our list of exports, will show the importance of the products of this animal. Pork, hams, and lard, are consumed to a great amount among the farmers, where less beef and mutton are eaten than in towns and cities. We may venture to compute the number of fattened swine, slain annually, at 140,000; and of beaves slain here, or driven to market, at 220,000.

The state of the banking capital is thus described:

There are in this state, fifteen banking companies, with an enormous amount of capital stock. During the annual session of the legislature, in 1811, a" Committee, appointed to report the amount of capital authorized by law, in this state, Report, that the capital allowed to the bank of Newyork, in the act of incorporation, is $ 1,050,000;—to the bank of Albany, $ 280,000; bank of Columbia, at Hudson, § 160,000; Manhattan bank, including the expense of supplying the city of Newyork with water, $2,000,000; Farmers' bank, at Troy, $300,000; Newyork State bank, at Albany, $460,000; Merchants' bank, at Newyork, $1,250,000; Mohawk bank, at Schenectady, $200,000; bank of Hudson, $300,000; Mechanics' bank, in Newyork, $1,500,000; making in all $7,490,000. In several of the original acts for incorporating the above banks, a right was reserved to the state to subscribe certain sums, and the capital of such banks was to be increased to the amount of the sums so to be subscribed." The committee further state that they have not ascertained the amount actually subscribed by the state, but that the permission exceeds 400,000 dollars, the most of which is subscribed. "The acts incorporating the banks of this state, with the exception of the Manhattan bank, declare, that the total amount of all debts which the said corporations shall at any time severally owe, over and above the monies then actually deposited in the bank, shall not exceed three times the sum of capital stock subscribed and actually paid into the bank. Thus, therefore, the bills which may legally be issued and circulated by the above banks, exceed 23,000,000 dollars." During the session of 1811, and after the date of the above report, the Union bank in the city of Newyork was incorporated, with a capital stock of $1,800,000; the Mechanics' and Farmers' bank, in Albany, capital stock, $600,000; with a right reserved to the state to subscribe for shares to the amount of 40,000 dollars, making 640,000 dollars; the Troy bank, capital $ 500,000, with a like right of 50,000 dollars to the state, making 550,000 dollars; the bank of New. burgh, capital stock $400,000, do. to the state of 50,000, making 450,000 dollars; the Middle District bank, at Poughkeepsie, capital stock $500,000, with a right reserved to the state to subscribe for stock to the amount of

50,000, making 550,000 dollars; with a branch bank for discount and deposit at Kingston: seven of the twenty-one directors are to be chosen from Ulster county. The capital stock of the Mechanics' bank in Newyork, was also increased 500,000; and the bank of Hudson authorized to establish a branch for discount and deposit in the village of Catskill. The actual capital stock of banking companies, was thus increased during that session, $4,300,000; and when the state shall have subscribed its shares, which amount to 190,000 dollars, the aggregate increase will amount to 4,490,000 dollars. If to that sum be added the amount of stock above reported by the committee, of 7,490,000 dollars, we have 11,790,000 dollars, as banking capital stock;-to this we may add $400,000 principally subscribed; and 190,000 dollars reserved to be subscribed by the state, which then make an aggregate of bank stock authorized in this state, of 12,380,000 dollars. This amount, assuming the same ratio, authorizes the emission and circulation of bank bills, to the enormous amount of 37,140,000 dollars; or 35,370,000, exclusive of stock owned by the state.

If the whole amount of bank stock were subscribed, paid in, and bills issued to the extent of the charters, the amount of paper currency in circulation would exceed thirty-eight and a half dollars to each individual in the state.

The revenue produced to this state in 1810, for dividends on the profits of bank stock owned by the state in seven banks, amounted to $33,323.62.

If this species of stock be equally productive to other proprietors, the annual dividends in this state, of clear profits, amount to $1,032,473; on the supposition that twelve millions of stock are now actually employed in the business of the several banks, though it probably falls considerably short of this amount.

The following comparative view of the trade of Newyork is striking:

The port of Newyork, yields about one fourth of the revenue of the United States' government collected from commerce, which is extended to every part of the globe. The tonnage of Newyork, agreeably to the books of registry at Washington, amounted, on the 31st December 1809, to 252,065 tons; of which 243,539 belonged to the port of Newyork; and the remainder to Hudson and Sagg-harbour. The tonnage of Philadelphia at the same period, was 121,443; of Boston, 133,257; of Baltimore, 102,434; of Charleston, S. C. 50,820; of Norfolk, V. 40,940.

We shall close our extracts with two or three miscellaneous particulars.

Agreeable to the very able report of the comptroller to the legislature of this state, during its annual session in 1811, the productive funds, invested in stock of banks, United States stock, &c. securities on lands, &c. &c. amount