The Press.
London, England, 1853-12-03 00:00:00

THE UNITED STATES' CENSUS.

Tim first revni upon the Seventh Census of Population,
Av., in the United States, which was taken in ISM, is only
now passing through the press. It will be the most im-
portant statistical work ever published in the United
States. To produce it has required the unbounded means
of the Government, the ability and zeal of two gentlemen,
as superintendents of the work, enjoying the highest repo.
tati tttt for skill in tlw collection and preparation of sta.
and the labours of a multitude of intelligent
subordimites, during three years and a half.

The work will be entitled " Statistics of the United
States," and has been prepared in confo►mity with the art
of Congress directing the method of publishing the Census
'fables, It will consist of a single volume of 1,100 pages,
and will be ready for distribution at the opening of the
next session of Congress. The form adopted is quarto, in
which respect the work will possess an advantage over any
other document of the same class published by the Govern.
went. All former returns have been thrown together in a
shape so inconvenient as to preclude their general use,
and the money expended, with the object of multiplying
those valuable memorials of progress, has p►oved a useless
expendit tire.

Mr. De How, says the New Fork l'ous'ier, has availed
himself of the clause of the act prescribing the gene►al
plan of his labours to illustrate his work with notes and
commentaries, which give it the character it ought to lore•
seas, that of a statistical history rather than a rigid and
wearisome array of tigures. This portion of his report will
occupy between seventyflve and a hundred pages. The
superintendent has prepared and includ►d in this division
a useful abstract of the results of all the censuses from
1790 to MO. lie has also given the forms and schedules
adopted for collecting and condensing information in each
census, together with a complete view of legislation on
the subject since the foundation of the 6oven►ment. This
will be valuable for reference, and will greatly abridge the
labours of Congress when hereafter called ulou► to amend
or add to existing laws.
The cost of taking and printing the different censuses
since 1790 has been as follows :

1790
I*oo NOM 04 „
1810
It120
UW► 3704,M1i „
s:►2,x7o 95 „
1,450 1 sis,o27 53
—To 30th September, It+.'►a, and exclusive of the expenses
incurred for final printing and binding.

Following these statements is a digest of all the circu-
lars and instructions issued from the state department
and from the superintendents of census to the marshals
engaged in taking the census, and the persons employed
in compiling the returns.
We then have a well-prepared deseripti )))) of the " Eon)•
pear census system," showing at what times and in what
manner the population and statistics of the different coun-
tries of that continent are obtained.

Relating more especially to the census of the Unite 4
swig* tor we extract the following statcuteut%:—

SATURDAY,

TERRITORIAL EXTENT OF THE UNITED trraTzs.
The following table was prepared for the Census-
office by Colonel J. J. Abert, of the Topographical
Engineers
Square
Area of the Pacific elope, or of the region watered by
rivers falling into the Pacific
Area of the Valley, or of the region
watered by the Mississippi, Missouri, and their _

tributaries- --
1,237,311
Area of the Atlantic slope proper b37,100
Area of the Atlantic elope including only the
widen falling into the Gulf of Mexico west
of the Misaissippi 183,646
Area of the Atlantic elope including only the
waters falling into the Gulf of Mexico east
of the Mississippi 146,830
Total of the Atlantic slope, or of the
regions whose watery fall into the At
lautic 087,576