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The bank capital of New York, in 1830, was $15,280,000, and that of Boston $12,350,000. In 1835, the bank capital of Boston was $18,150,000, and that of New York in 1836 was $20,361,200. The following is a statement of the capital and rate of dividends of the banks in the two cities, in each year from 1845:

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The capital of the Boston banks, thirty-two in number, was, in October of the present year, $24,660,000. The capital of the banks of Philadelphia in 1851 was $7,725,000, the banks being 13 in number, and the dividends averaged 9.67 per cent. The total capital of all the banks in the United States was, on the 1st January, 1850, $217,317,211, there being 824 banks and branches.

The condition of the banks of New York and of the other principal cities, is so often and regularly presented in the Banking and Finance Department of the Magazine, that it is unnecessary to enter into further particulars here. Those who are desirous of pursuing these comparisons, will find valuable tables in the Magazine, vol. xxiii., p. 552; vol. xxv., p. 742; vol. xxvi., p. 736; vol. xxvii., p. 215; and, in fact, in almost every number of the Magazine.

FIRE AND MARINE INSURANCE COMPANIES.

LIST OF FIRE AND MARINE INSURANCE COMPANIES IN NEW YORK, WITH THE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL, NUMBER OF SHARES, AND PAR VALUE.

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The following is a tabular statement of the railroads terminating in New York and the vicinity, with their length, including branches, and cost:

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By means of these railroads, New York is directly connected with every section of the country. The various lines with which these are interwoven, form a great net-work of several thousand miles of iron pathway.

HOTELS.

Within a few years a great revolution has been made in the hotel-system in all the large cities of the Union, but the change has been nowhere so great as here. The leading houses for public lodging and board, are far more ahead of the "elegant hotels" of twenty-five or even fifteen years since, than those were in advance of the places of "accommodation for man and beast," which went under the name of inns or taverns in the last century. The great "houses," as they are now simply called, are most magnificent palaces, of immense area, with the utmost abundance of provision for every comfort. This word comfort, which referred formerly to a few wants, which the best host could not have imagined to reach beyond a half-dozen, now comprises a vast list of real necessities, (some of them the luxuries of the former time,) conveniences, and elegancies. The populations of these houses form almost towns by themselves; certainly there are many incorporated villages in the United States at present with a less number of inhabitants than may be found at any time within several of these establishments— while their internal arrangements are so complete and masterly, as to quite exceed the order of some very respectable national governments, that find it very difficult to make things go smooth. The first adventure in this class of houses was the Tremont, in Boston, which succeeded so well as to encourage the establishment of others, superior to the pattern. The Astor was the pioneer in New York, and stood for a number of years entirely unapproached, we may say without any effort at rivalry, either in regard to its size, splendor, or character. The Astor is built of granite, extending the whole space between Barclay and Vesey streets, on Broadway, (just below the City Park,) and is five stories in hight. It was calculated to accommodate 400 guests, without there being anything like crowding. The House is under the excellent management of Messrs. Coleman and Stetson, and is so universally known, by fame at least, even in the remotest parts of the country, that more need not be said here respecting this establishment.

But it is of the Metropolitan that we wish now particularly to speak. This new hotel, on the corner of Broadway and Prince-street, is considered by many the largest and most magnificent establishment of the kind in the world. It is built of brown stone, six stories in hight, and the building alone cost above half a million of dollars. Everything about it is in a style of

princely magnificence. The halls, parlors, ordinaries, dressing-rooms, bathing-rooms, bed-rooms, &c., are all furnished with a sumptuous elegance, that it would require pages to describe, and of which description could give but an imperfect idea-it must be seen to be realized.

We will, however, briefly notice one room, from which some notion may be derived of the whole building, as nearly an equal degree of elegance, though varying widely in style, pervades the whole. This is one of the dining-rooms, called the "Five o'clock Ordinary," situated on the second floor, and fronting on Prince street. This room is 120 feet long and 36 feet wide. The ceiling is beautifully frescoed, and it is well lighted and ventilated by windows on both sides. It is decorated at the ends with immense mirrors, and has 24 brackets and 4 chandeliers, making in all 64 gas-lights. The ornamental work alone, in the room, cost $8,000. When lighted up, the appearance is of the most imposing kind.

The building is warmed by steam, furnished by large boilers, and is provided with the most thorough ventilation. It will be delightfully cool in the hottest weather. There is also a steam engine which furnishes power for a number of domestic purposes, and for forcing water to any part of the house, in case the Croton should fail.

There are upward of two miles of halls in this establishment, and twelve miles of gas and water pipes. There are more than 13,000 yards of carpeting laid down, which cost, with the superb drapery, $40,000. The cabinet furniture cost $50,000; the mirrors (some of them the largest ever imported) about $18,000; the silverware, $14,000. The cost of the whole establishment, including the value of the ground ($300,000) was $950,000. To strangers in the city, the Metropolitan will certainly be one of the greatest curiosities which the city has to offer.

The other principal hotels of the city are the Irving, Howard's, the New York, Rathburn's, Delmonico's, the American, Atlantic, City, Globe, Judson's, and the Carleton House, all on Broadway; Lovejoy's, Park Row; French's and Tammany, Chatham-street; Merchants', National, and Dunning's, Cortlandt-street; United States, Fulton and Water streets; Pearlstreet House; Pacific, Greenwich-street; and Battery Hotel, Battery Place. There are others, equalling these in rank, which we have not time to enu

merate.

Thus we have finished an exhibit of New York in some of her most material interests, and in partial comparison with other cities of the United States, and with some of Europe. We have prepared other interesting statistics of our city, which will be, perhaps, better deferred to another time, or will be better adapted to the pages of some other publication than those of the Merchants' Magazine. In what we have given, we have endeavored, both from the unassisted facts relating to New York, and from the comparative view of corresponding statements for the other cities, to point out some peculiar results, movements, and tendencies-but this only in a limited degree. The "facts and figures" here embodied, furnish material for much more of study and discovery. To those who are disposed to see what further can be drawn from them, and who have more time to pursue the investigation, we leave them. The statements presented, however, are of themselves, without comment, sufficient to answer the chief intent of their compilation, viz.:-to show What New York Is-Whither she is goingand, imperfectly, What she is To Be.

Art. IV.-H. A. S. DEARBORN.*

THE late General Dearborn has often enriched the pages of this magazine by his contributions, and it is fit that here also should be recorded some notice of his life. The good that men do lives after them, but lest they themselves should be forgotten while their works remain, it is proper to remember their services as a part of their personal history, and whenever we erect a monument to their usefulness, we should inscribe the marble with their

names.

The ancestors of Gen. Dearborn were among the early settlers of New Hampshire. His father commanded one of the first companies which were raised in that State by the creative news of the Lexington fight; and he was a conspicuous actor in all the subsequent period of the Revolution. He was with Stark at Bunker Hill, with Arnold in his perilous expedition through the wilderness to Quebec, with Gates at the taking of Burgoyne, a Lieut. Colonel under Cilley at the Battle of Monmouth, with Washington in Virginia as Deputy Quarter-Master General, at the siege of Yorktown and capture of Cornwallis, and, at the close of the war, he succeeded Col. Scammell in command of the 1st N. H. Regiment. In June, 1784, he removed to Kennebec County in Maine; and he subsequently represented that district for two terms in Congress. President Jefferson honored him with a place in his cabinet, as Secretary at War, and when he resigned this office in 1809, he was appointed Collector of Boston. During the War of 1812 he was again conspicuous in the service of his country. He was then a Major General in the army, and it was under his auspices, that the capture of York and Fort George was accomplished in 1813. At the close of that year he was ordered to the command of New York; and, subsequent to the war, in 1822, he was minister of the United States in I'ortugal. He died in 1829, at the age of 78 years.

General Dearborn was, thus, born to an inheritance of patriotism, and, through a long life, he proved himself worthy of it. Although an ardent politician for many years, and warmly attached to his political opinions, his love of country knew no restraint of party, but sometimes separated him from those with whom, upon public affairs, he was accustomed to act. He supported warmly the war of 1812, and, when the late struggle with Mexico had commenced, he was in favor of the largest grants of men and money for its vigorous prosecution; while no one rejoiced more proudly than he did, at its triumphant course and the brilliant reputation which it gave our arms. The good of the nation was with him a personal concern, and, since he believed that our national greatness must depend upon the perpetuity of our Union, he was always alarmed by any agitations which seemed to threaten seriously the harmony of the States. He was against, therefore, the abolition excitements of the North, and was cordial and unhesitating in his approval of the Compromise measures of the last Congress. If in 1841 he erred in adopting the opinions of the Native Americans, his very error arose unquestionaby from his earnest patriotism; for he measured the responsibility of American citizenship by the high standard of its dignity and its privileges, and feared to commit our institutions to the care of those who

HENRY ALEXANDER SCAMMELL DEARBORN, late of Roxbury, Massachusetts. He bore the Christian name of his father, prefixed to that of Col. Scammell, who commanded, at the beginning of the Revolution, the N. H. Regiment in which Gen. Dearborn, the elder, served as Captain.

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