The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-09-06
The United States

The following statistics, which we ex-
tract from the Boston Post, show the
grounds upon which rests the common
boast that "that this great country"
"The tbirty-one States, nine territories.
and District Of Columbia, comprising the
United States Of America, are situated
within the parellels Of 10 degs. east lon
gitude and 4s degs. west Of the meridian
Of Washington, and extending on the At
lantic coast from 80 degs. to 4s degs. of
north latitude, and contains a geographic
cal area of $500, ,s65 square miles, being
but one-tanth less than the entire cont
nent Of Europe. They contain a popula-
ton at the present time Of $4,000, 900, of
whom 2l,ooO,0U0 are whites. The ex.
tent Of its sea coast, exclusive Of islands
and rivers to head Of tide water, is H. 500
miles. The length Of ten Of its principal
rivers is 10000 miles. The surface off
FIVE great lakes is 10000 square miles.
The number Of miles Of railway in opera
ton within its limits is 10000, construc-
ted at cost of$6oO .ooo. 900. The length
Of its canals is 5000 miles. It contains
within its limits the longes! railway upon
The surface Of the globe-the Illinois Cen
trai-which is 73l miles in length.
"The annual value Of its agricultural
productions is $2 ,ooo, 100000 It's most
valuable product is Indian corn, which
yields annually $4oO. .ooU,ooO, and in
surveying the agricultural productions Of
our country, We are not only struck with
their abundance, but with their great va
riety. Our territory extends from the
frgid region Of the north to the genial cl'.
mate ofthe tropics, affording almost eve
W variety Of temperature and every kind
o. grain and vegetable. Her productions
range from the cold ice aud hard granite
Of the North, the golden corn Of the West
TO the cotton and sugar Of the South {; and
nearly all in sufficient quantities to sup.
ply our domestic consumptions and furn-
ish large supplies for expectation, thus
furnishing nearly all the value as well as
the bulk Of our foreign commerce; sug-
gesting thereby the irresistible conclusion
that agriculture is the great transcendant
interest Of our country, and upon which
all other interest depend.
"1he amount Of registered and enroll
ed tonnage is 4,4O7,0l0 tons. The a.
mount of capital invested in manufactures
is $500, 100000. The amount Of its for
eign imports in 1853 was $2e7,97s,O47,
and Of exports 81 3O.876,I57. The annu-
al amount Of its internal trade is SO, ,0O0.-
900, 900. The annual value OF the pro-
ducts Of labor (otner than agriculturaD is
81 500, 100000. The annual value Of
the inco nes Of its inhabitants ia, I'll ,OOO.-
000,000 The value Of its farms and live
stock is $4,000, 900, 900. Its mines OF
gold, copper. lead. and iron ore. are among
the richest in the world. The value Of
the gold produce in California is 100, 900,
900 per annum. The surface # its coal
fields is lsa,ls2 square miles. It's re-
ceipis from customs. lands, dc, in 1852
were SCI, ,S@7,274, and its expenditures
$43,5ls,263. It's national domain con-
sists Of 2,l74,lss square miles Of land
Its national debt is but $4,000, ,O0O.-
The number Of its banks, at the present
time, is about l,l0O, with capital ot
$500, 100000. Within her borders are
81 900 shooIs, 5000 academies, 234 col.
leges, and $500 churches. Only one in
twenty-five Of its white inhabitants is un-
able 10 read and write, and nineteen Of i,s
twenty one millions Of white inhabitants
are native borp.n