The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-31
che Great Metropolis for 1854.

number OF docu nents on the first day Of January,
giving history Of the leading events of the past
year, in all parts Of the world, and more particu-
larlyin this country and its great Empire City Our
New Years day sheet has always, therefore, been
regarded as q most valuable and interesting map
os busy life, presenting 1T one view the civilized
world and its multifsrious objects and opera lions
for whole year These documents have so crowded
upon us this year, and such is the growth and pro-
gress Of the United States and its commercial CAPT
tal-mch the number and Importance Of the events
of the last twelve months in other nations-that
it ia impossible for us to find room for all, even in
our double sheet, on New Years day; and We
therefore "take time by the forelock," and pub
lish as many az possible Of them this dsy-the last
to morrow. Those We have given to-day are a.
follows
l-History Of Ship Building In New York.
2-Motsiity of the City in 1852
3-Stathtics Of Emigration.
4-Namea Of City and County Ohfcers.
5-ss atistics Of the Law Courts.
6-The OmnbusLines Stages Stage Routes, &c.
y Statistics OF the North Western Dispensary.
s-sta,istics Of the Asylum Of Oolored Orphans
9-Statlstics Of the Asylum Of Lying In Women.
10-ststiscs Of the House for Aged INDECENT Females
1l-statistics Of the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum.
l2-New York State Government.
In the early part Of the present month we anti
cipated all our contemporaries in the publication Of
the Census Reports the most valuable. important,
and complete ever given to the public in this any
other country. These documents presented per-
feet picture Of the whole country in bold outline,
and standing in contrast with the great nations Of
the Old World, they showed our amazing pro-
gress, and the superiority Of the physical. moral,
and intellectual condition Of the population Of the
model republic" over the inhabitants Of all the
countries of the Old World, whether governed by
absolute despotism, constitutional monarchy, or by
the appliances Of priestcraft England, the most
free Of these at least in theory, presents sad spec
tacle Of ignorance, poverty, misery, and crime,
when compared with the United States, where no
man is destitute if it is not his fault and crime
is diminished by the teeming plenty Of free land,
and by the universal diffusion of education and in
telligence from Maine to Texas, and from tho At
lantic to the Pacific. The statistical tables
and other documents We publish to-day ex-
hibit panoramic view of the great metropolis
Of the countryside mighty heart whose every pulsa
ton is felt to the renotest extremites alternately
sending forth and receiving back the current Of
national lfe through every vein and artery Of the
body polite The mass of information conveyed in
these papers unfods the character of cur local nsti
+,
foreshadowing it's future progress from It's past
career ard pointing to the time, not very distant,
when it shall be second to city the face Of the
earth in magnifcence and extent, in population
and commerce.
Among the most interesting Of the articles we
publish, is that on ship building, extending to .
period Of half o century 1t cannot be expected to
be quite perfect but it 10 rs nearly so rs possible,
and accurate enough to mark the progress Of New
York in this great branch Of the useful arts, and
the progress of its commercial enterprise, of which
its naval architecture of the surest indications
short time ago we published a statement Of the
buildings erected in every ward this city during the
year from which tappeared that the sum Of fourteen
millions Of dollars had been expended in the erection
of stores, warehouses;, hotels palaces, and humber
d,celings; and We have no doubt that, taking into
account some that necessarily omitted, in the
uppermost wards of the city, and those that have
since been built, the sum total would be found
nearer to twenty millions. We also recently pub
lished complete tabular statements Of the military
defences Of the city of New York, and it, citizen
sodery, both Of native and foreign birth, together
with the numerous target companies, which, though
not enrolled under tho State law, would be found, II
their services should be required, as brave and
effective as the best disciplined corps in the land.
II is fact, as interesting as it is important, that IN
ctfre hours notice this city alone can bring isto the
feld, ready for action, fifty thousand men and one
hundred and si.cty one pieces Of cGnnon
1t will be seen, from the bill Of mortality for the
year 1852, that 81, 1873, including 1873, have been
numbered with the dead, out Of population Of be-
tween 500 900 and 100000. There is but . slight
increase over the mortality Of the year 1851 when
the number was &c, 1868. This increase is about in
the ratio Of the increase Of population The deaths
are about one In twenty seven Of the inhabitants,
while in London, with denser population, and
less healthy climate, and many thousands perishing
from starvation, the deaths only one in forty.
When London was kept as filthy as New York, its
mortality was greater than that Of New York at
present, may be seen from Macaulsy's History of
England. In this city the mortality is swelled by
the deaths Of the foreign population many Of whom
oome here sick and in destitute condition, while
others are carried of by the effects Of imprudence
in a climate to which they are not accustomed
The mortality is particularly severe upon children,
more than half dying under ten years Of age Con-
sumption tands OF the head Of the list for fatality,
and bowel complaint Is next In order. But IL al.
lowance be made for the deaths of O transient
foreign population-for the reckless mode Of living
that prevails in New York, and for It's abominable
hlth-it win be found TO be one of the hsalthiest
cities on the face of tho globe.
By reference to tho emigration tables which we