1790-1800 1800-1810. New York 1810-1820.. icut. State. Virginia. Ohio. section. section. 5.4 72.5 17.6 208.1 35.0 4.3 63.4 10.7 408.7 442.0 100.3 36.4 28.4 30.4 5.0 43.1 9.3 152.0 191.1 76.7 33.8 1820-1830.. 63.8 33.9 8.1 39.7 13.7 61.3 85.4 54.6 33.2 1830-1840.. 54.3 26.2 4.1 26.6 2.3 62.0 101.9 1840-1850. 64.8 16.1 19.6 27.5 14.7 30.3 59.1 47.8 36.2 1790-1850... 1,456.0 504.0 56.0 810.7 90.0 4,265.0 9,291.0 4,350.0 491.5 States. 54.8 32.7 Average.... 58.9 35.7 7.7 45.5 11.4 142.9 155.9 97.0 34.5 It will be noticed herein, that while those States, which commenced with a very high ratio, have, in consequence of the growing magnitude of the base on which that ratio is computed, suffered a great decline in that respect, New York still maintains her ratio. So New York is constantly gaining upon the States, and is growing proportionately larger constantly toward the whole United States. The latter fact is made more evident in the following statement of the per centage of the population of New York at the different periods, and of the United States at corresponding dates : In comparing the city of New York with the States of the Union, it may be remarked that the city is not only equal to several in population and wealth, but is much more powerful, and has, although possessed indep endently of municipal powers only, much greater elements of nationality than many of them, even among the more populous. She could maintain a far more respectable position as an independent nation than could above three quarters of the States, singly. Some of the most memorable nations of antiquity were only great cities, having no country region, or but an insignificant and unproductive patch of territory. COMPARISON TO FOREIGN CITIES. The only cities of the world which equal or exceed New York in population are those Lere named : In Europe, no other city beyond the four named is much above half as large as New York. Of the cities of Asia, the accounts are, in some cases, rather apocryphal. The Orientals have never been remarkable for their devotion to statistical subjects. They would be more likely to resort to imagination, a faculty which they are reputed to keep as a worker of all service, for what information they might desire on the matter, than to go to the drudgery of taking actual enumerations. Their princes would be satisfied with a general survey of their realms, giving them an approximate idea of the extent of territory and density of population. Had they full statistical information, few of them would have any idea of its use, and therefore could not be expected to seek it. The population of Asiatic cities and countries is undoubtedly overestimated, yet it is certain that Asia has the largest cities in the world. PERIOD OF DUPLICATION. The population of New York has progressively doubled upon itself at about the periods named below: If we take the period from 1790, New York has within that time doubled four times, making the average period fifteen years. From 1800, the period of duplication is once in 16 years. The following is a comparison with the duplicative periods of other cities, States, sections, and of the United States. The statement as to the latter and all places within it, relates to their progress since 1800, excepting Cincinnati, Louisville, and Buffalo : Art. IV. THE BLASTING OF ROCKS UNDER WATER WITHOUT DRILLING. NEW YORK, August 10, 1852. FREEMAN HUNT, Esq., Editor Merchants' Magazine, etc. : DEAR SIR-We take great and sincere pleasure in sending you the following communication relative to the new method of BLASTING ROCKS UNDER WATER WITHOUT DRILLING, which was invented by Mr. MAILLEFERT, and for about one year has been most successfully practiced in this country. This communication will, as soon as possible, be followed by another, relative to the REMOVAL OF BARS IN AND AT THE MOUTH OF RIVERS BY DRAGGING, a method which, in many instances, has been most successfully applied in Europe, and is destined to be extensively used in this country. We feel very much gratified for the room which you were pleased to offer us for these communications in the columns of your highly estimated Magazine, the name of which is the very best introduction to an intelligent class of readers. When Mr. Maillefert first presented his plans for the removal of those dangerous rocks in Hell-Gate, which for centuries past had been a terror to navigators, he had patiently to submit to the doubts and objections raised from all sides, and even to the far more discouraging ridicule, which some persons thought proper to throw over his contemplated operations. A strong conviction and a good deal of energy upheld, however, his courage, and carried him through a severe trial to a complete triumph. A trip to Hell-Gate on one of the many beautiful steamers that are daily running through a passage which bore its name but too properly, will now be sufficient to convince even the most skeptical. They will not any more find that terrible whirlpool which made them hold their breath in anxiety and awe, until they got safely out of it-none of those foaming eddies, which it seemed impossible to avoid. However strong may have been their doubts, they will gladly acknowledge that a wonderful change has taken place, that if they had not known Hell-Gate before, they should not be able to comprehend how it could be thus denominated, and that the few and harmless eddies that yet remain seem to be placed there rather to improve the scenery, and perhaps with a view of recalling to the mind of those who are too quick in forgetting what Hell-Gate was a year ago, and what it will never be again. Hell-Gate has lost its terrors, and may be made the best and safest entrance to the harbor of New York, if the necessary means be found to continue operations which, from the very outset, have given such beautiful and important results. You will, in the following communication, find a short account of the progress of the operations in Hell-Gate up to the present day; the difference between Mr. Maillefert's method of blasting rocks under water, and those hitherto used; what may be expected from it; its peculiar advantages and applications towards the improvement of our rivers, harbors, and maritime thoroughfares. We feel it our duty, in submitting the following communication to your readers, to apologize for the foreignisms it may contain, and which we trust they will kindly excuse, in consideration of our sincere endeavor to contribute our share to the development of the immense resources of this great and hospitable country. We have the honor to be, dear sir, with high and sincere respect, Your very obd't serv'ts, B. MAILLEFERT, { Submarine Engineers. THE blasting of rocks under water without drilling for which Mr. Maillefert has taken out a patent, dated the 2d of March, 1852, is an invention which is intimately connected with the general desire for improvements in rivers, harbors, and maritime thoroughfares. We do not, however, intend to say, that this invention has been directly called forth by that desire, for such is not the case; but we feel convinced that nothing short of a general and strong feeling in favor of such improvements could have prevailed upon private individuals to furnish the pecuniary assistance which was requisite in order to give a fair trial to an invention, which, at the outset, met with so many doubts and objections, and had to encounter an almost general incredulity. The trial has been most successful throughout, and has been carried out to an extent which at once secures to the invention a prominent place among the operations to be used for the improvement of our maritime highways. Notwithstanding the difficulties and delays always and unavoidably attending experiments, the most remarkable results have been obtained. The first submarine charge was fired by Mr. Maillefert on Pot Rock, in Hell-Gate, the 19th of August, 1851, and from that day the operations have been continued in that difficult and dangerous thoroughfare, being interrupted only during the severest frost, and during Mr. Maillefert's illness consequent upon an accident which happened the 26th of March last. It will be necessary, for a just appreciation of the magnitude of the undertaking, and of the difficulties with which these operations were attended, to give a short description of the character of this thoroughfare, and the dangers to navigation arising from the crookedness and narrowness of the channel, the violence of the currents, and the great number of sunken and visible rocks which obstruct it. The very picturesque appearance which Hell-Gate bore in former times, and which it derived from the whirlpool called the Pot, the violent agitation of the water rushing through it, the foaming eddies indicating the existence of the dangerous sunken rocks, has inspired Cooper with some of his most thrilling descriptions of maritime scenery and daring sea-adventures. A more sober and business-like description than those which the great American romancer has given us in the "Red Rover," and in the "WaterWitch," are to be found in some able and lucid reports from Lieuts. Com. C. F. Davis and D. D. Porter,* from which we will give some of the prominent passages. Lieut. Davis states in his report as follows: "Of the sailing vessels that enter the Hurl-Gate passage, it is estimated that one in fifty sustains more or less injury by being forced by the violence of the currents on the rocks or shoals; and the accident to the Oregon, which nearly proved fatal to her passengers, shows that even steamboats, with a motive power that keeps them under perfect control, and guided by the most experienced pilots, are not secure from peril. "Such an improvement in the channels of Hurl-Gate as would render them navigable to vessels of all classes under common circumstances, would supply to the Commerce of New York a new outlet to the sea-one in a different direction from the harbor channels, and available when those were temporarily closed by adverse winds or other causes-and would therefore be a permanent and valuable resource both for those vessels outward bound and for those returning home. "But a still more serious consideration is that of the increased facilities for naval defense which this improvement would afford. In the event of a rupture with a naval power, there can be no doubt that the attempt in the last war to ravage the shores of Long Island Sound, and to prey upon its domestic Commerce, will be repeated. The means of resisting or preventing such hostilities must be drawn chiefly from New York; and if the Hurl-Gate passage be made secure, not only our largest men-of-war, but our steamboats of a superior class, which, on such occasions, would be armed for the purpose of defence, would be at once enabled to hasten to the scene of danger. "The steamboats are now constantly passing through Hurl-Gate; but the difficulties of the passage would to them be seriously increased if they were pressed down by a naval armament and equipped for action. 66 During the war with Great Britain our frigates were blockaded in the harbor of New York, which could not have been the case if the Hurl-Gate passage had been open. Commodore Decatur ventured to carry his squadron through, but with such risk that the attempt with a frigate was only made once afterwards, notwithstanding the constantly recurring necessity. Rep., made by Lieut. Com. C. F. Davis, of survey of Hurl-Gate channel, and communicated to the Chamber of Commerce of the city of New York, by Prof. A. D. Bache, Supt. U. S. Coast Survey, dated February 15 1848, and report made by Lieut. Com. D. D. Porter, etc., communicated by Prof. A. D. Bache, Supt. U. S. C. S.. to Eben Meriam, for the use of the Chamber of Commerce of New York, dated October 30, 1848. "The removal, therefore, of the obstructions to the safe navigation of HurlGate, is recommended by a regard to the future naval defenses of the country. "The dangers in this channel arise from the great strength of the current, and the number and position of the rocks and reefs. The strength of the current is such that sailing vessels can only stem its force or escape from it by a commanding breeze; but as the main course of the flood tide keeps the middle of the eastern channel, it is most secure for vessels which are coming from the westward, with the tide, to place themselves in the center of the stream, and follow its direction. They are thus carried through in safety. This plan, however, is inadmissible for any but small vessels, on account of two rocks, the 'Pot,' and the Frying Pan,' which lie in or very near the mid-channel, are in the way both going to the eastward and westward, and have but little water on them at low tide. There is also a reef called Way's Reef, which lies in the course followed by the steamboats principally when coming from the eastward against a strong flood. It is their custom to keep close around Pot Cove, and run up under Hallet's Point; by so doing they avoid the strength of the flood. In this part they find an eddy current in their favor. “But in the ebb the greatest danger arises from the divergence of the current at a point marked (A) on the sketch, where the ebb tide branches off into three directions to take the course of the three channels; the main south channel, the middle channel, and the eastern channel. "The safe navigation depends here upon deciding sufficiently soon at the point of separation which channel shall be taken; and the neglect to do this, or a loss of control over the vessel for any reason, frequently results in being carried on the Gridiron. "When a vessel that has attempted the eastern channel finds herself carried. towards the Gridiron, her only chance for safety is to run for the middle channel, which is narrow, and made precarious by the middle reef, the outer rock of which is the Negro Head. "The Gridiron is, owing to the strong set of tide on it, the most dangerous reef in the passage. "The reef known as the 'Bread and Cheese,' on the eastern end of Blackwell's Island, is also very dangerous. Vessels are liable to go on it on the flood when it is covered, by getting into the eddy near it, with a light wind. The chief danger is on the ebb, and from the same cause as that which makes the Gridiron dangerous, i. e., the strong set of tide in that direction." * * New York Municipal Gazette, p. 886. Lieut. Porter states as follows :— * "It was my intention to have made you a full report on the subject, but a copy of the report of Lieut. Charles H. Davis, on Hell-Gate, was sent to me to-day, and I find it so full and correct in all its details, that I could say but little more without incurring the charge of plagiarism; in fact, the opinions expressed by Lieut. Davis, coincide with those I had formed previous to reading his report, and it only remains for me to point out the dangers I have noticed while surveying here, and which have escaped his attention. I have also had a better opportunity of measuring the size and shape of the rocks than he had, and herewith give a description of them. "The first in order, and the principal obstruction in Hell-Gate, is 'Pot Rock,' on which I found eight feet of water at the lowest tides. * * * "At half tides the depth of water does not increase on 'Pot Rock,' as there is at least a fall of four feet, and a vessel drawing over eight feet must strike upon it it. A full rigged brig struck it three days since, and went down with a valuable cargo on board. This obstruction once removed, Hell-Gate would be less dangerous by one-half, and the eddies, which are now the cause of half the difficulties, would, in a measure, disappear. * * * "There is a dangerous rock, called 'Bald-headed Billy,' fifteen yards from Hatter's Dock, which is dry at low water, and brings up' a number of vessels at high water. Three vessels struck upon this rock while I was at Hell-Gate: one we got off with some difficulty; another lost bowsprit, anchors, and chains. * * * |