clergy, physicians and furgeons, (except in fo far as their profeffional fervices are required) profeffors and ftudents, fchool-mafters engaged in that profeffion for three months or more, perfons belonging to the poft-office, one man for each corn mill, all the firemen belonging to infurance companies, and the perfons employed in iron works and glass works. Every other free man, from eighteen to forty-five, is subject to militia duty, except Quakers, who are relieved upon payment of three dollars annually. The governor, in his character of commander in chief, may call out the militia in cafe of invafion, or in any other particular emergency.

THE FINANCES.

The ftate of New York is rich. Its annual revenue, proceeding from the interest of money, lodged moftly in the banks of the state, and in that of the United States, is two hundred and thirty-four thousand two hundred and eighteen dollars. There has not, as already mentioned, been any general tax for the state imposed fince the year 1788.

The annual expence of the civil lift is about feventy-five thousand dollars, and the money expended by the public treasury upon the univer

fity, the college, the hofpital, schools, and cafualties, exceeds this fum.

The ftate ftill owes two hundred and twentyfive thousand dollars, moftly treasury-bills granted during the war. In this fum is not included the debt due to the United States, which the commiffioners of accounts have ascertained to be two millions feventy-four thoufand eight hundred and forty-fix dollars; and it appears that the State of New York is lefs difpofed to pay than other of the United States debtors.

any

TRADE.

in

Of all the towns on the continent, New York is beft fituated for trade. It is the only port the ftate, and is one of the greatest and most flourishing in America.

All the produce of the state is brought to New York by water-carriage, as well by the river as by canals, which the legislature are unremittingly employed in completing, and which will establish a free communication between Lake Ontario and this port. Another intended canal is to run from Lake Champlain and Hudson's River, by which the productions of Lower Canada will be conveyed directly to New York. The length of this canal will not exceed eighteen

miles; it is to terminate at South Bay, which communicates with Lake Champlain.

New York alfo receives, by its noble river, all the productions of that part of Massachusetts, fituated on the weft of the Green Mountains, and of that part of the state of Vermont, which is in the fame tract.

The impoffibility which the State of Connecticut finds of extending its commerce for the want of a fufficient capital and good ports, adds to the trade of New York all that of Connecticut. New York is alfo the place of exportation of most of the provifions from New Jerfey, as well as of the importation neceffary for this state, which, as we have already feen, carries on little or no trade at its fine port of Amboy.

None of the states is more rapidly increafing than New York. All its new lands, to the west of Albany, along and behind the Mohawk River, which were not formerly inhabited, are peopling very faft. The immenfe country, extending from the Mohawk River by the Wood Creek, as far as Lake Ontario, and which has, at different times back, been purchased by companies on fpeculation, begins to be divided and cleared. In that still larger tract, which runs to the fouth of Lake Oneida, as far as the boundaries of Pennsylvania, there are a number of fettlements ftill farther ad

vanced.

vanced. Geneffee, which was in a manner a defert four years ago, is peopling beyond every expectation; and all the immenfe territory of the State of New York is now inhabited, except a tract between the river Geneffee and that of Niagara, which was acquired from the Indians only last month, and a small part ftill retained by the Indians, which they will foon be obliged to dif pofe of to fpeculators.

These lands will be foon inhabited; they are good, fome of them of the first quality; and the flats of the Geneffee, which I fpoke of in my journey in the year 1795, are at leaft equal to the German flats along the Mohawk River, which has been confidered the richest land in America. This country will be peopled by the inhabitants of New England, the most induftrious, active, and enterprising of all the United States; and if, as is expected, the obftructions in the navigation of the River Ofwego and Wood Creek were removed; if the canals projected, and already begun, to join Wood Creck and Mohawk River; and the canal to make Mohawk River, navigable as far as Albany, were completed; and if the fand bank in Hudfon's River, fix miles below this town, in the midft of the islands called Overflaugh, which at prefent prevents large veffels from going up to Albany, were, as it is thought practicable,

practicable, cleared. away, New York would enjoy a great part of the fur trade.

This year two small floops have already made this voyage from Niagara. But what was to them a matter of labour, will undoubtedly be foon made eafy for larger veffels, and will add much to the prosperity of all the states of New York, and particularly its capital.

New York is, next to Philadelphia, the place of the greatest trade in the United States. The amount of its exports in 1791 was two million four hundred and ninety-one thousand and fiftyfour dollars; in 1792 it was two million five hundred and twenty-eight thoufand and ninetyfive dollars; in 1793 it was two million nine hundred and eighteen thousand three hundred and three dollars; in 1794 it was five million four hundred and thirty-five thousand four hundred and twenty dollars; in 1795 it was ten million three hundred thousand fix hundred and forty-two dollars; and in 1796 it was twelve million two hundred and eighty-eight thousand and twenty-feven dollars.

The articles of commerce are the fame as in the other principal ports of the United States; and thefe, as well as in all the others, the re-exportation of the produce of the Antilles makes a great part of their exports. I have not been able VOL. IV

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