several European establishments, and treated by them in all respects, as a free and independent nation; as such, during our stay, we were universally considered. The Chinese themselves, were very indulgent towards us, and happy in the contemplation of a new people, opening to view, a fresh source of commerce to their extensive empire. 300,000 dollars, but began with $152,000, is governed by 13 Directors, of whom 9 were from the neighbourhood, the other 4 were from Philadelphia, where much of the capital was originally owned. Its loans are chiefly made to manufacturers, millers, butchers, and farmers. Their President is Samuel Harvey, Cashier, John F. Watson. The house in which the bank was first kept a few doors above the school house lane, was once ho"After remaining near four months at Canton, and nored with the presence of Generals Washington, Knox experiencing from all hands, every possible attention, and Greene, directly after the battle of Brandywine.we set sail for America the 28th of December, and hapThey slept in it one or two nights. A British court mar-pily arrived in this port on the 11th instant.” tial also occupied the large parlour up stairs. (To be continued.) COMMENCEMENT OF THE CHINA TRADE. The first vessel which sailed from the U. S. for China, was the ship Empress of China, Captain Green, she left New York 22d February 1784, and returned 11th May 1785; burthen 360 tons; she was considered a very small vessel to encounter the perils of so long a voyage. An account of her reception in China was published in the papers after her return, and is as follows: New York, May 16. As the accounts of the reception which the ship Empress of China met with on her arrival in China, have been variously represented in the different news-papers of this city, a gentleman on board has furnished us with the following particulars, selected from his journal: In 1785, 880,100lbs. of tea were imported into the United States from China. On the 18th of December 1785 the sloop Experi- In Congress, Monday, January 2, 1786. "On the 17th of July last we made the island of Java, and the following evening came to anchor in the Streights of Lunda: On this occasion our happiness was greatly augmented, by finding there two ships belong ing to our good allies, the French. The Commodore, Mons. D'Ordelin, and his officers, welcomed us in the most affectionate manner; and, as his own ship was immediately bound to Canton, gave us an invitation to go in company with him. This friendly offer we most cheerfully accepted, and the Commodore furnished us with his signals by day and night, and added such in structions, for our passage through the Chinese Seas, as would have been exceedingly beneficial had any unfortunate accident occasioned our separation; but happily we pursued our route together. On our arrival at the island of Macao, the 23d of August, the French Consul for China, with some other gentlemen of his nation, came on board to congratulate and welcome us to that part of the world; and kindly undertook the introduction of the Americans to the Portuguese Governor of that place. The little time that we were there was entirely taken up by the good offices of the Consul, the gentlemen of his nation, and those of the Swedes and Imperialists, who still remained at Macao; the other Europeans had repaired to Canton. Three days afterwards, we finished our outward bound voyage. Previous to coming to anchor, we saluted the shipping in the river with thirteen guns; which were answered by the several Commodores of the European nations, each of whom sent an officer to compliment us on our arrival, These We, the United States in Congress assembled, make visits were returned by the Captain and Supercargoes known, that Thomas Truxtun, captain of the ship called in the afternoon, who were again saluted by the respec- the Canton, is a citizen of the United States of America, tive ships, as they finished their visit. When the French and that the ship which he commands belongs to citisent their officers to congratulate us, they added to the zens of the said United States; and as we wish to see the obligations we were already under to them, by furnish- said Thomas Truxtun prosper in his lawful affairs, our ing men, boats and anchors, to assist in coming to safe prayer is to all the before-mentioned, and to each of and convenient moorings. Nor did their good offices them separataly, where the said Thomas Truxtun shall stop here; they furnished us with part of their own bank-arrive with his vessel and cargo, that they may please to fall, and insisted further, that until we were settled we should take up our quarters with them at Canton. "The day of our arrival at Canton, August the 30th, and the two following days, we were visited by the Chinese merchants, and the Chiefs and gentlemen of the Most serene, serene, most puissant, puissant, high, illustrious, noble, honorable, venerable, wise and prudent emperors, kings, republics, princes, dukes, earls, barons, lords, burgomasters, counsellors, as also judges, officers, justiciaries, and regents, of all the good cities and places, whether ecclesiastical or secular, who shall see these presents, or hear them read,— receive him with goodness, and treat him in a becoming manner, permitting him upon the usual tolls and expenses in passing and repassing, to pass, navigate and frequent the ports, passes and territories, to the end, to transact his business where and in what manner he shall judge proper, whereof, we have caused the seal of the United States of America to be hereunto affixed. (Witness) DAVID RAMSAY, Chairman of congress, in the absence of his excellency John Hancock, president, this second day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, and of our sovereignty and independence the tenth. On the 26th January 1786, Samuel Shaw was appointed by Congress, Consul, and on the 31st January, Thomas Randal of Pennsylvania, Vice-consul at Canton, and it appears by the papers of that date, that they sailed from New York in the ship Hope Magee. During the year 1786, several vessels from different ports sailed on voyages beyond the cape of Good Hope. The ship Alliance captain Read, sailed from Philadel phia in June 1787 and arrived at Canton, December 92d, by a route till then unpractised, and discovered several islands as appears by the following extract from the Columbian Magazine: 285 works, foreign and domestic, of the highest literary and scientific character; three monthly publications, four newspapers, published three times a week; five weekly and two semi-weekly newspapers. The loans and donations to the institution have been very considerable, among which may be enumerated a draught of the Eastern section of the Pennsylvania Canal upon a large scale, and handsomely executed from the late President of the Board of Commissioners. Findlay's Map of Europe; several other maps; Stricklands Reports; a number of interesting prints; about 300 volumes of books, nearly all of which are interesting and some of them scarce besides a large number of valuable pamphlets and files of newspapers. The institution also now receives, besides the list of periodicals and newspapers before referred to, one monthly work; one tri-weekly, one semiweekly and two weekly papers free of expense. Among the most liberal patrons are several distinguished gentlemen of the city of Philadelphia. The rooms are gene"Captain Thomas Read, in the ship Alliance, bound rally well attended and the list of visiters amounts to to China, sailed from Philadelphia in the month of June, several hundred. It has always been a wish of the 1787, and arrived at Canton the 22d day of December in friends of the institution to make it a depository for every the same year, having navigated on a route as yet unpractised by any other ship. Taking soundings off the cape thing connected with the history of the county. We of Good Hope, he steered to the south eastward, encir- shall close this notice with the following extract, which cling all the eastern and southern islands of the Indian we deem worthy of attention. Reflections somewhat Ocean, passing the South Cape of New-Holland: and on their passage to the northward again towards Canton, of the same nature suggested the establishment of the between the latitude of 7 and 4 degrees south, and be- Register-a desire to collect and to preserve for postween the longitude of 156 and 162 degrees east, they terity, as well as for present use, facts and circumstances, discovered a number of islands, the inhabitants of which for the collection of which the means are daily becomwere black, with curled or woolly hair-among these islands they had no soundings. And about the latitude ing less abundant, as the depositories of them succesof 8 degrees north, and in the longitude of 160 degrees | sively descend into the tomb. east, they discovered two other islands, inhabited by a brown people, with straight black hair. These islands appeared to be very fertile, and much cultivated; and by the behaviour of the inhabitants the ship's company were induced to believe they were the first discoverers. One of them was named Morris Island, the other Alli-interest in them. Many such it is said, exist, which are ance Island. They did not land on any of them. These discoveries were made in the month of November. The officers of the European ships in China were astonished to find a vessel arriving at that season of the year, and with eagerness and pleasure examined the track of their voyage. In coasting near New-Holland, they had the winds generally from S. W. and blowing strong, with a great deal of rain. They finished their voyage by arriving again at Philadelphia on the 17th of September 1788, having returned by the usual route of European ships, until they were in the Atlantic Ocean." WEST CHESTER ATHENÆUM. "To these should be added a museum or collection of such historical relics as are to be found in the county, which might tend to illustrate past events, or excite an highly curious, and which we doubt not, their liberal WE are gratified to learn from the Address of the Board of Managers that the Athenæum which has been in operation upwards of one year, has constantly enjoyed a liberal patronage and is in a flourishing condition. The expenditures have been so regulated as not to ex-in a few years more we shall no longer hear from living ceed the first instalment of the stock paid in, and the contributions of the annual subscriptions. The rooms have been furnished at considerable cost. witnesses accounts of the battle of Brandywine; of the march of the British and Hessian troops through our county, and their different encampments; of the massacre at Paoli; and of the American army in their tents at “Two valuable and expensive atlasses have been pro- the Valley Forge: then every thing which they left behind them will be required in aid of tradition; to show cured; the rooms have been regularly warmed, lighted the true character of those interesting events. Such a and opened for the reception of patrons and visitors collection we hope to see commenced at the rooms of they have been supplied with six quarterly periodical | the Athenæum in the course of the ensuing year." LAW CASE. Commonwealth, at the relation of John Shaw, Esq. one of the Justices of the Peace of Philadelphia county. vs. The Commissioners of Philadelphia county. This was a rule for the County Commissioners to shew cause why a writ of mandamus should not issue against them, commanding them to pay to the relator, certain costs accrued in prosecutions for felony, of which the defendants were convicted or acquitted. Thos. Sergeant, for the defendants, shewed cause, and relied upon the various acts of assembly relating to penal prosecutions; that in none of them the county was required to pay to magistrates the costs accrued in the convictions or acquittals for larceny or other offences; that the charge upon the county, if it were so, would be onerous and unjust in the extreme, and that there would be an immediate drain upon it to the extent of many thousand dollars; that neither law or practice authorised the payment of any other fees than those of the Attorney General, Sheriff and Clerk. Willing and Tilghman, for the relator, replied, that the obvious intention of the law was to indemnify all the officers for their services in criminal prosecutions, and of course for the benefit of society; that it was manifestly unjust to require private persons to defray an equitable and righteous charge upon the public, to ask for the costs in prosecutions intended and conducted for their own good, and not for private benefit; that as it now stands, persons prosecuting for robbery, larceny, &c. are required to pay magistrates and constables fees of prosecution: thus restraining the detection of crime, and levying a heavy tax upon private individuals, when they are doing a great benefit to society, &c. The court, per Gibson, C. J. declined to give any opinion upon the question, whether the county commissioners were liable to magistrates for costs in criminal prosecutions, and refused to grant the mandamus asked for; but ordered an issue to be framed, to be tried at Nisi Prius, to ascertain the amount actually due to the relator, and upon the trial of that issue, the decision of the court upon the question of law will, of course, eventuate. This interesting question, which concerns to a certain extent every county in the commonwealth, and a different practice prevailing in the state, some counties paying and others refusing to pay magistrates' fees, is approaching a final issue, after an agitation of several years. It would seem to be no more than just, to visit upon the funds of the public, the actual charges for conducting police, administering the penal code, arresting crime, and securing the peace and happiness of the community,-U. S. Gaz. DELAWARE RIVER. From M'Clure's Survey. The following list exhibits some of the most important sections in the survey: From Richmond to Petty's island, 2,550 ft. mean depth 14 ft. area of section In the same line from Petty's island to Jersey, 1,500 ft. mean depth 14.3 ft. area of sec tion from Richmond to Jersey, FEET. The section in the eastern channel, from the From Fort Mifflin to Jersey, 5,100 feet, mean From Mud island, across the channel on the From the Jersey to the Pennsylvania shore, in From the Jersey to the Pennsylvania shore, in 22,344 50,160 47,250 78,750 62,160 70,380 75,840 69,120 93,480 116,160 132,840 6,000 138,840 island and Pennsylvania, is the line drawn at right an The narrowest part of the river, between Windmill gles to Smith's wharf on the island. The section across from Walnut street will be nearly the smallest in this part of the river; but in the eastern channel, the smallest section is a little above Cooper's ferry to the bar, which is less than a third of the smallest section in the western channel, as has been stated in a former part of the Report. The section in the eastern channel, opposite Walnut street, is more than double the smallest section in that channel, From a view of the foregoing list of sections, it is evident that at Walnut street, and at Greenwich Point, the velocity of the current must be greatly increased; and 35,700 in the Cove below Gloucester and the Windmill, much decreased. The water flowing out of Timber creek is much less than the proportional increase of that section. 21,450 The sections, upon the whole, are gradually increasing down the river. The last section in the list contains 57,150 upwards of double the area of the first. Their distance apart is about twenty three miles. In this distance, there are a number of creeks entering the river; to accommodate the waters of which, an increase in the bed of the river is necessary; otherwise, a considerable increase in the velocity of the current would be the result. 56,250 Whole area, From Cooper's Point to Nagle's wharf, at the mouth of Cohocksink creek, 3,000 ft. mean depth 20 ft. area of section 60,000 In the aestern channel, the smallest section is On the Pennsylvania side, are Cohocksink and Hollander's creeks, Schuylkill river, Darby, Crum, Ridley, In the last number of the "Miner's Journal," (Ap.26,) the editor points out two errors which he supposes to have been committed in the statement of the coal trade, published in the Register, page 251. When we publish documents prepared by Committees or other public bodies, and give our authority, we are, of course, not to be held responsible for their correctness; but being sanctioned by their names, we have always reason to sup pose them to be as correct as the nature of the case will admit of. One of the errors pointed out by the Journal, we have, however, the satisfaction to say is one of the editor's own making. He says that "it is there said that 21004 tons were transported from the Schuylkill mines last year." Now if he will turn to the statement again, he will find no such words there, but exports from Schuylkill, or in other words, the quantity sent from that river to other ports and not sold in Philadelphia. With regard to the other error pointed out, viz. the estimate of 95,000 tons to be brought down the Schuylkill in 1828, we have to observe, that we know, the committee endeavoured to obtain their information from the most correct sources, and for that purpose applied to the principal persons engaged in the coal business both from Schuylkill and the Delaware, and from that information, made up their statements and estimates which was all they could be expected to do. As our wish is to render our paper as much to be relied upon "hereafter" as possible, we will always cheerfully correct errors when pointed out to us. We hope the editor will do us the justice in his next paper to say that he was on the one point. In order to show his ideas of the quantity which will be transported on the Schuylkill the present year, we now publish his estimate, viz. "It is now generally believed, that from 40 to 50,000 tons will be the annount of our trade this year." All estimates are mere matters of opinion, and no one relies upon them as upon matters of fact. mistaken Williamsport, (Penn.) April 25. For a few days past, a great number of arks, laden with wheat, flour, iron, whiskey, &c. passed this place, destined for the Philadelphia market, should the Union Canal be provided with boats, &c. sufficient for their immediate accommodation. The river is at present in fine arking order, and no doubt every exertion will be made by our merchants and farmers to transmit all their surplus grain and other produce by the present opportunity. SOFT SHELLED ALMONDS. 287 Extract of a letter from a gentleman of Shippensburg, to a gentleman in Chambersburg, dated the 17th inst. "Last Spring I planted 20 or 30 Soft Shelled Almonds-13 vegetated, perhaps a month after; 12 of them have come safe through the winter, and seem to stand our climate as well as a peach tree. They are now from 12 to 25 inches high, and covered with green leaves of this Spring's growth."—Frank. Repos. - CHESAPEAKE AND DELAWARE CANAL. Extract of a letter, dated Summit Bridge, Delaware, April 18, 1828. "It will afford you pleasure to learn that five sloops, loaded with stone, arrived at the wharf, near the Buck Tavern, this morning. This is about eight miles from the Delaware. The first arrival produced quite a sensation here, and the air resounded with the shouts and huzzas of a large number who witnessed the event; there was, however, neither firing of cannon nor ringing of bells, and for the best of all possible reasons." 1,696 1,801 The number of lamps on the 31st December, 1826, was Do. do. do. 1827, 105 Increase during the year, Quantity of oil consumed in 1827, 16,066 gallons. It appears, by a paragraph in the Pennsylvania Packet, for October 3d, 1751, that on the night of the preceeding Monday, "the streets of this city began to be illuminated with lamps, in pursuance of a late act of Assembly"-a boy was shortly after fined 40s. for breaking one of the lamps by throwing an apple at it. †The city watch on the 31st Dec. 1827, consisted of 16 silent watch, 47 lamp lighters, 26 east and west watch, 4 market watch, 3 at City Hall and Independence Square, 1 at drawbridge landing, and 2 turnkeysmaking in all 99. The average monthly wages (after deducting fines) will amount to $2300. New Church.-We understand that a lot on the south side of Vine street, between Twelfth and Thirteenth sts. has been purchased, on which is to be erected a Presbyterian church, the cost of which, it is expected, will not exceed $10,000. |