crop of last year at 125 millions of pounds, of which 13 may have been sea islands. per "Of Tobacco we exported in 1815,85,337 hhds. and in 1816, 69,241 hhds-the last valued at $12,809,000, or an average of 185 dollars hhd. For the years 1808, 1809, 1810 and 1811, the average was somewhat more than 45,000 hhds. The cultivation was declining for several years before the war, but has, since the peace, been far more rapidly extending-and we may accept 70,000 hhds. as the surplus quantity. The table before referred to, estimates the whole crop of last year at 127,000 hhds-valued as follows: less than the treasury estimate of last year. But the price of the article has decreased; and this may be a pretty fair estimate of the quantity produced. The export of manufactured tobacco is not worth taking into the account. "Sugar is becoming a very important item in our agriculture; and the time is close at hand, when it will nearly cease to be imported. Large tracts of land are continually brought into the cultivation of the cane. Mr. Darby tells us there are 250,000 acres in Louisiana fit to produce it. We have reason to believe there is a much greater quantity than that;† but 250,000 acres, worked by 83,333 hands, at one to three acres, calcu † See page 224 of this edition, or pages 155 and 156 of my first edition. lated to produce 1000lbs. per acre, would give us 250 millions of pounds!-a quantity that we should not know what to do with. Besides, it succeeds well in Georgia, and the most southerly parts of South Carolina. At present, it is the most profitable crop of the planter-Mr. Darby estimates the product, per hand, thus: Sugar at 8 cents per lb. $240 per hand. Cotton⚫ Indigo Tobacco Rice 15 100 $10 per cwt. 180 140% 107 84 "We have no certain returns whereby to calculate the quantity of sugar and molasses made in the United States. In 1810, the marshals returned 9,665,108lbs. of maple sugar, and 9671 hhds. from the cane, together about 20 millions of pounds-with 3,590 hhds. or 179,500 galls. molasses. The quantity of maple sugar made has not, probably, increased; but it may be safe to say that Louisiana now makes at least 30 millions from the cane. "Rice-the export last year, was 137,848 tierces, valued at $3,555,000, $26 per tierce, nearly. For the years 1809, '10, '11, and '12, the average annual export was about 115,000 tierces. The estimate before referred to, gives the whole crop of 1816, as being only 110,000 tierces, valued at $3,600,000. The quantity we think cannot be less than 150,000. But as its home consumption comes in lieu of wheat, corn, and other grain, we shall consider it as already accounted for in the vegetable food we have supposed was consumed. The cultivation of rice appears to be declining.” The only town in the state of Mississippi worthy particular-notice, is NATCHEZ. NATCHEZ, in Adams county, stands upon the left or east bank of the Mississippi, at 31° 33′ N. lat. 14° 20′ W. from Washington city. The site of Natchez is high and commanding. The town is laid out at right angles upon very uneven ground. Though upon a bluff of the Mississippi, the river cannot be seen from the town, owing to the elevation of the intervening hill. The waters that drain from Natchez, flow into St. Catharine creek. It is difficult to ascertain the present population of Natchez, perhaps 2500 would not be far from the number of persons now residing in that city. This town is well situated for a commercial depot; having a fertile well-cultivated country in its rear. Many very wealthy merchants are established in Natchez, who carry on the cotton business extensively. There are no public edifices of any particular consequence in Natchez. Most of the private buildings. are constructed of wood, though many elegant brick houses have been erected within the last twelve years. WASHINGTON, about six miles east from Natchez, also in Adams county, has been for fifteen years past the seat of government for the Mississippi territory. This town contains at this time perhaps 1000 inhabitants. It stands on the bank of St. Catharine creek, in a healthy pleasant situation, amid the most wealthy and best peopled settlements in the state. Washington has many allurements as a summer residence over any town near the Mississippi river, south of Tennessee; it is placed in a well-cultivated neighbourhood, the water is excellent, the adjacent country is agreeably diversified with hill and dale, and no stagnant waters in its vicinity. The state of society does not differ materially in Natchez and Washington. There is much in both of that urbanity that marks the people of the southern states, and strangers meet an unréserve found in every place where men have much intercourse with each other. The other towns in the state are yet small, and of no other consequence than being the seats of justice for the respective counties. No city of any great extent can easily rise in the vicinity of New-Orleans; its concentrated advantages will allure population and commercial capital into its own bosom, and prevent the increase of other towns within the sphere of its attraction, Some place on or near the Mobile river, will no doubt become of considerable importance; but a ratio will exist between the cities situated on the respective streams on a similar scale with that between the Mississippi and Mobile rivers. STATISTICS OF ALABAMA TERRITORY. CHAP. X. LIMITS, EXTENT, GENERAL FEATURES. THE Alabama territory is formed out of the east part of the late Mississippi territory, and occupies almost all of the valley of the Mobile and its tributary streams, part of that of Tennessee, and Pascagoula. This territory was created by the following Act of Congress. An Act to establish a separate territorial government for the eastern part of the Mississippi territory. BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that all that part of the Mississippi territory, which lies within the following boundaries, to wit: beginning at the point where the line of the thirty-first degree of north latitude intersects the Perdido river, thence east to the western boundary line of the state of Georgia, thence along said line to the southern boundary line of the State of Tennessee, thence west along said boundary line to the Tennessee river, thence up the same to the mouth of Bear-creek, thence by a direct line to the north-west corner of Washington county, thence |