wise divided into thirty-six shares, which were called "the king's shares," as the other twenty-nine were; "the adventurers," who were incorporated by letters patent, in the year 1619, by the name of "The New River Company," and the government of the concern lodged in their hands, In the year 1766, one of the king's shares was sold by public auction for 4,4007. and in 1770, another king's share, or one seventy second part of the whole, was purchased at a public auction for 6,7001. The corporation consists of a governor, deputy-governor, treasurer, and twenty-six directors, a collector and his assistant, a surveyor and his deputy, collectors, and workmen. The canal called "The New River" is carried over two vales, in wooden frames, or troughs, lined with lead; in its course are forty-three sluices, and over it are two hundred and fifteen bridges. In some parts it is conveyed through subterranean passages.

Sir Hugh Middleton left by his will some of his shares to the Goldsmiths' company, to be divided among its poor members. *

This adventurous baronet was possessed of mines in Cardiganshire, which he is said to have worked to so great advantage, as to have cleared two thousand pounds a month for several years together, which enabled him to bring the New River water to London; but Mr. Pennant says that he expended the whole on that great object, and was so reduced, as to support himself by becoming an hireling surveyor. One of his female descendants, being in very reduced circumstances, was, not many years ago, voted a small annuity by the corporation of London, in consequence of a petition which she presented.

NORTH AMERICA.

America is extremely well watered by rivers not only for the support of animal life, and all the advantages of fertility, but for the convenience of trade, and the intercourse of the distant inhabitants by water. In North America, the great river MISSISSIPPI runs chiefly from north to south, receiving in its course many large rivers, scarcely inferior to the Rhine or the Danube, navigable almost from their sources, and laying open the inmost recesses of this part of the continent. Near the heads of these are extensive lakes of fresh water, which have a communication with

each other, and with the great river ST. LAWRENCE. On the eastern side of North America are the fine rivers, Hudson, Dela. WARE, JAMES, POTOWMACK, SUSQUEHANNA, CONNECTICUT, and several others of extensive length and depth.

The rivers which flow westward, and discharge themselves into the Pacific Ocean are very imperfectly kuown: among these, the OREGAN, COLUMBIA, or RIVER OF THE WEST, is probably by far the largest. Captain Cook proceeded a considerable way up it in the year 1778, and through the whole extent of his navigation it was found to be broad, deep, and rapid, so that it may be supposed to take its rise in the central part of the American coutinent.

The BOURBON has only been traced from a very extensive lake, which has received the same name; its course is toward Hudson's bay, above the fifty-fifth degree of north latitude.

The vast river MISSISSIPPI is supposed to take its rise from three or four springs, which unite at about 46° north latitude, and 98° west longitude; it has been ascended as high as 45° north, about one hundred and fifty miles above the Falls of St. Anthony. Its course extends above two thousand miles, comprising its continual flexions. It proceeds in a south-east direction, till it arrives at about 38° north latitude, and then proceeds almost due south, till it arrives at West Florida, where it again runs to the south-east.

It receives the river St. Pierre, or St. Peter, on the westward, near the Falls of St. Anthony, and the Moingona in the same direction, about 41° north latitude; from the eastward, the Fox river; and the Illinois below 40°. A little lower, the noble Missouri runs into it from the westward; the Ohio joins it from the eastward. At 33°, the White river and the Paniassas first join, and then pour their united streams into this grand receptacle of waters, which dis charges itself into the sea by many openings, most of which have but little depth of water.

The Mississippi, after being joined by the Missouri, is about six miles wide, and continues its course southerly, no considerable stream falling into it after this for between two and three hundred miles, when it is joined by the Ohio. The country on each side the Mississippi to this place is exceedingly fine, the climate warm and agreeable.

The navigation of the Mississippi is very tedious, even in descending, as it is not deemed safe to sail down it during the night; the

river being constantly encumbered with floating trees, which the winds tear from its banks, and precipitate into the water. The ascent is still more difficult and tedious. Proceeding northward from its mouth, the adjacent country is one continued level spot, covered with vast forests of trees, which so entirely intercept the winds, as to cause a dead calm constantly to prevail, so that in this part it commonly takes a month to sail only twenty leagues. When these forests cease, the remainder of the navigation is obstructed by strong currents, so that boats seldom advance farther than five or six leagues in a whole day. This river bounds Louisiana to the eastward.

The OHIO, or Fair River, which Mr. Jefferson calls "the most beautiful river upon earth," rises in several branches, some of which spring near lake Erie, and others within a few miles of lake Ontario. It is called the Alleghany, until it is joined by the Monongahela, which rises from the west side of the Alleghany mountains, in a great number of small streams, that unite, and, together with the Alleghany, form this river, about 40° 35′ north latitude, when it takes the name of Ohio. Its general course afterward inclines to the south-west, and takes a remarkably winding serpentine form. At Fort Pitt, where the junction is made, it is a mile wide, but grows much wider before it joins the ississippi, which is in latitude 36° 8' north, receiving several streams in its course thither.

The country between the lakes and the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi, for several hundred miles, is level, and has an excellent soil; the climate is healthy and agreeable, and the winters short and moderate: its natural productions are numerous and valuable: it is well stocked, but not encumbered with timber trees, so that no country in the world is capable of nobler improvements.

Great part of this country is now settled, and new states are form ing; of these Kentuckey has for many years sent representatives and senators to congress.

None of these American rivers are acted upon by tides, the copious efflux causing the waters constantly to proceed with rapidity toward the mouth, so that no ships, without great difficulty, can proceed upward in any of these rivers, and the commercial benefits which they yield are chiefly internal, furnishing a ready conveyance for the productions of the country, but incapable of bringing back any foreign articles. In the rising state of Kentuckey many ships are built, which floating down the Ohio, proceed to the gulf of

Mexico, and taking the benefit of the current, which constantly sets in to the northward through the Bahama straits, arrive at their destined port on the eastern coast of North America, with greater celerity and safety. One material impediment, however, to this navigation on the Ohio, is a considerable fall, about the latitude of 38° north. Its descent, however, is gradual, but continued for half a league: the breadth of the river in that part is a mile and a quarter. The level of the river by this fall is not sunk more than twenty feet. There is a considerable variation in the quantity of water which fills the bed of this river at different seasons of the year, and when the river becomes shallow, the depth of water at this fall is only sufficient to convey light boats down the stream.

The ISLE OF ORLEANS, at the mouth of the Mississippi, in 29• 58′ latitude, and 89° 59′ west longitude from Greenwich, is a very beautiful and fertile spot of ground, on which the French had a considerable city, named New Orleans, which is the capital, and indeed the only city of Louisiana. It is fortified in a regular manner, and according to some French authors, has about six hundred handsome houses, and five parish churches, with straight and handsome streets, that cross each other at right angles, but the buildings are chiefly of wood, and not remarkable for their beauty.

This town owed its rise to the delusions which were practised by the celebrated projector Law upon the French nation. The inmense wealth which was supposed to be contained in the mines of St. Barbe, in Louisiana, caused a company to be formed in France, and a na. tional phrenzy long prevailing, vast numbers embarked for the purpose of settling on the banks of the Mississippi. They were landed at Biloxi, in West Florida, where the far greater number perished by want and misfortunes. Five years afterwards, the survivors were removed to the island on which the town of New Orleans was built, and so named after the regent of France. The Abbé Raynal asserts that upwards of a million sterling was sunk in this disastrous scheme.

The source of the ST. LAWRENCE, the great river of Canada, has never been traced, though it is known to have a communication with the lakes into the interior country to a vast extent. Carver, indeed, asserts, that the four capital rivers on the continent of North America, viz, the St. Lawrence, Mississippi, Bourbon, and Oregan, or river of the west, have their sources very near each other: those of the three former being within thirty miles, the latter some.

what farther to the west; but the evidence on which he makes this assertion is by no means clear and conclusive. After a north-eastern course of many hundred miles, it discharges its waters into a large gulf, extending from 45° 30′ to 51° north latitude; the islands of Newfoundland and Cape Breton lying between it and the great Atlantic Ocean. The river is navigable for large ships as high as Quebec, which is four hundred miles from its mouth; farther up, shoals and rocks impede its navigation. The French, while in possession of Canada, industriously exaggerated the difficulties and dangers attending the navigation of this river; but since the English have possessed the country, the utmost attention has been bestowed to form accurate charts of it, and to give every kind of assistance for its safe navigation. In executing these designs, Captain Cook was for some time employed, before he became a circumnavigator, in performing which his great abilities were first discovered, and the foundation laid for his future fame.

HUDSON'S, or the NORTH RIVER, rises within about twenty miles of Lake George, and runs to the south, discharging itself at New York, or Sandy Hook. This river is navigable for vessels of one hundred tons, as high as Albany, which is a course of one hundred and fifty miles, and shallops may go up eight or ten miles higher.

The largest river in the state of Pennsylvania is the DELAWARE, which rises in the country of the Five Nations, and flows into the sea at Delaware-bay. It is navigable for near an hundred and fifty miles up, after which it has some falls; the settlements upon this river extend an hundred and fifty miles from the city of Philadelphia, which is seated on its banks to the westward, and on the Schoolkill~ to the eastward, which it joins a few miles below Philadelphia. The lands on the banks of the Delaware are excellent. Its course is nearly south-east, and it affords great plenty of all such fishes as are common to the climate, especially sturgeon, which are here cured, and exported in greater abundance than in any other part of America.

The SUSQUEHANNA rises in the same country, at the distance of ninety miles from the Apalachian mountains, and runs at first southwest, and then south-east, nearly parallel to the Delaware, till it discharges itself into Chesapeak-bay, in Maryland. This river is likewise navigable a great way up the interior country, and, if pos sible, exceeds the other in the pleasantness and fertility of the soil