MAINE, one of the United States of North America, is situated between the parallels 43. 5. and 48. 3. north latitude, and extends from 66. 49. to 70. 55. west longitude. It is bounded on the north by Lower Canada, on the east by New Brunswick, on the south by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by New Hampshire. It is 350 miles in its greatest length, and ninety-two miles in mean breadth, the area by the rhombs being 32,192 square miles. Three fourths of the surface of this state are covered with a dark and deep forest of birch, beech, and evergreens. A wide belt along the sea-shore has been denuded of its timber, but this clearing of the soil diminishes as we advance towards the north. The coast between Casco Bay and Passamaquoddy is penetrated by innumerable arms of the sea, and profusely studded with islands. This state has a greater extent of sea-coast, and more good harbours, than any other in the Union; and the ocean breaks upon the shore with a violence which reduces the ice to fragments, thus preserving the harbours of Maine open, whilst those situated several degrees to the southward are frozen up. A tract commencing at the west side of the district, east of the White Mountains, in New Hampshire, and holding a north-east direction as far as the heads of the Aroostic, about 160 miles in length by sixty in its greatest breadth, is mountainous. Katahdin Mountain is the most elevated summit in this range. In the northern extremity there is likewise a small mountainous tract. The rest of the state generally may be considered as a moderately hilly country. The principal rivers arc, St Croix, Penobscot, Kennebeck, Androscoggin, Saco, Piscataqua, and a number of smaller streams. The chief bays are Casco, Penobscot, Frenchman’s, and Passamaquoddy. Amongst the lakes, which are so abundant, those called Umbagog and Moosehead are the largest. In the interior there are a great number of small sheets of water, which afford the finest fresh-water fish. The numerous bays and inlets upon the coast furnish immense supplies of sea-fish; and the larger streams are replete with salmon and shad.

The tract of country along the coast, from ten to twenty miles in width, embraces all the varieties of sandy, gravelly, clayey, and loamy soils. Although in - many places tolerably fertile, it is seldom very rich, but rather the reverse. The principal productions of this section are Indian corn, rye, barley, and grass. North of this there is a tract which extends fifty miles from the sea in the western, eighty in the central, and ninety in the eastern part; and here the same kinds of soil are found, but they are frequently less diversified, and in general more fertile. The surface rises into elevations, consisting of good soil; and between them, on the margins of the streams, rich intervals are frequent. In other places, only sandy or gravelly pine plains, or spruce and cedar swamps, are met with. The productions of this section are similar to those already mentioned, with the addition of flax. The best land in the state is that which lies between the rivers Kennebeck and Penobscot. It is well adapted to the purposes of agriculture; and, as a grazing country, it is one of the finest in NewEngland. The climate is severe, and there are five months of decided winter; yet the serenity of the sky and the purity of the air render the whole country very salubrious. Summer in most parts is favourable to the growth of all the vegetable productions of the northern states; and some of these are of a class that could not have been expected from such a temperature. In the interior, for instance, there are fine orchards of apple and pear trees, particularly of the latter. Amongst the fruits, wild or cultivated, are gooseberries, currants, wild plums, cherries, grapes, and a great abundance of cranberries. Vast quantities of sea-weed are cast ashore by the ocean, and this serves as an excellent manure for the soil.

From the number and excellence of its harbours, this state enjoys ample facilities for commerce. All the settled parts of the country lie near a market, so that the farmer can easily dispose of his goods for ready money. Timber is the principal article of export, and vast quantities of it in the shape of boards, shingles, clapboards, masts, spars, and the like, are transported to the neighbouring states, to the West Indies, and to Europe. Dried fish and pickled salmon are exported to a considerable extent. Beef, pork, butter, pot and pearl ashes, and a little grain, may likewise be enumerated amongst the articles of export. Limestone and bog-iron ore abound in many places, and great quantities of lime are annually exported. The chief manufactures consist of cotton and -woollen cloths, hats, shoes, boots, leather, iron, nails, distilled spirits, and cordage.

The principal seminary of education belonging to this state is Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, which was incorporated in 1794. It has four professors, two tutors, about one hundred and twenty students, a complete philosophical apparatus, and a library of nearly 5000 volumes. The college is endowed with five townships of land. The Maine charity school at Bangor was incorporated in 1814. Its design is to educate young men for the ministry in a shorter time than is usual at other seminaries. There is a literary and theological institution, under the direction of the Baptist denomination, at Waterville, and lyecums at Hallowell and Gardiner. Free schools are established in every town, and, by a permanent law, each town is compelled to raise for this object a sum equal to forty cents, for each individual annually. The sum required to be annually raised is 119,334 dollars; the annual expenditure is 137,878,57 dollars.

As happens throughout all the American states, the several religious denominations have emulated each other in attempts to gain an ascendancy over the community. The Baptists have 210 churches, 136 ministers, 22 licentiates, and 12,936 communicants; the Congregationalists have 156 churches, 107 pastors, and 9626 communicants; the Methodists have fifty-six ministers, and 12,182 communicants; the Free-will Baptists have about fifty congregations[7:14:44], the Friends about thirty societies, the Unitarians twelve societies, the Episcopalians four ministers, the Roman Catholics four churches, and the New Jerusalem church three societies; and there are some Universalists.

Population of the Counties and County Towns.
[table]

Portland, the largest town in the state ofMaine, is a neat and handsomely-built place, situated on a peninsula which projects into Casco Bay. It lies 110 miles north-east from Boston, in latitude 43° 39'north, longitude 70° 20'30" west. It is well situated for commerce, having an extensive and thriving back country, and one of the finest harbours on the continent, deep, safe, capacious, easy of access, and seldom frozen. On a head-land at the entrance of the harbour there is a lighthouse seventy feet in height. The town is well laid out, and built in a very convenient and elegant style. It is defended by forts placed on opposite sides of the ship channel, one mile and a half from the lighthouse. The islands around the harbour are very numerous and beautiful, and afford a protection to it against the violence of the storms. The shipping belonging to this port in 1831 amounted to 42,992 tons. The principal articles of export are lumber and fish. Much attention has been paid to education, there being abundance of schools of every description; and various religious sects have places of worship. There is a customhouse, an athenaeum containing a library of 3000 volumes, six banks including the branch of the United States, and a theatre. The Cumberland and Oxford Canal extends from Portland to Sebago Pond.

Brunswick, a post-town, is situated twenty-six miles north-east of Portland, on the south-west side of the Androscoggin, in the vicinity of whose falls there are several mills and manufactories. Bath is situated upon the west side of Kennebeck River, twelve miles from the sea, and thirty-five miles north-east from Portland. It possesses great advantages for commerce, being at the head of winter navigation, and owns more shipping than any other town in the state, with the exception of Portland. Ship-building is carried on to some extent, and the commerce is considerable. Wiseasset is situated upon the Sheepscot, eight miles north-east of Bath. The river is navigable to this place for the largest vessels, and the harbour is generally open throughout the winter. Waldoborough, situated twenty-two miles east of Wiseasset, has a large amount of shipping, employed principally in the coasting trade. Castine is situated on a promontory on the east side of Penobscot Bay. It has a large, deep, and excellent harbour, accessible at all seasons of the year. It has great strength, from its natural situation; and if efficient batteries were erected, it might almost bid defiance to attack. These circumstances, combined with its favourable situation for the entry of prizes, and, above all, its geographical position, enabling it to communicate, by a few days’ sail, with Halifax, and, by a short route up the Penobscot, with Quebec, giving it a command of all the intermediate country from the Penobscot to the St Croix, render it of the highest consequence in a military point of view. Bangor is a flourishing town, thirty-five miles north of Castine, on the west side of the Penobscot. Being at the head of the navigation on the largest river in the state, it is admirably situated for commerce. Machias lies near the south-east corner of the state, upon Machias Bay, at the mouth of Machias River. This is a very thriving town, and from it are exported large quantities of boards, shingles, spars, and other kinds of prepared timber. There are twenty-six saw-mills in the town, which on an average cut upwards of 10,000,000 feet of boards annually. Lubec or Eastport is a new and flourishing town, situated on a peninsula at the southern extremity of Passamaquoddy Bay. York is an ancient town on the coast, near the south-west extremity of the state. Hallowell is a flourishing town on Kennebeck River, more than forty miles from its mouth. Vessels of a hundred and fifty tons ascend to this place. Augusta is situated two miles above Hallowell, and fifty-six miles north-northeast of Portland. It is a pleasant and flourishing town, and was by an act of the legislature constituted the political metropolis in 1832. Here is an elegant bridge across the Kennebeck, consisting of two arches, each 180 feet in span. The river is navigable to Augusta for vessels of a hundred tons. The most flourishing towns on the Kennebeck above Augusta are Vassalborough, Waterville, and Norridgewock.

There are 164 looms in this state, in which is invested a capital of 765,000 dollars. The quantity of cloth manufactured in 1831 was 1,750,000 yards. There are 16,057 looms for the manufacture of woollen stuffs, and the number of yards produced during the same year was 2,645,755, valued at 1,067,702 dollars. The number of registered vessels belonging to Maine in 1830 was forty-five ships, 186 brigs, forty-seven schooners, and four sloops; the number of enrolled and licensed vessels was nine ships, sixty-six brigs, 1243 schooners, 119 sloops, and three steam-boats; the number of licensed vessels under twenty tons was 245 schooners and six sloops; the total number[7:14:45] of vessels being 1973, manned by 9069 seamen. The value of the imports into Maine for the year ending September 1833 was as follows: Imported in American vessels, 1,170,156; in foreign vessels, 210,150; total, 1,380,308 dollars. Value of the exports for the same year: Domestic produce in American vessels, 815,797; ditto in foreign vessels, 173,390; total value of domestic produce exported, 989,187 dollars. Foreign produce exported in American vessels, 29,653; in foreign vessels, 991; total value of foreign produce exported, 30,644 dollars. Total value of domestic and foreign produce exported, 1,019,831 dollars.

The amount of postage received in Maine for the year ending March 1832 was 31,223,63 dollars. The number of banks in Maine in 1833 and at the commencement of 1834 was twenty, with a capital of 2,727,000 dollars. The number of notes issued was 1,303,671; specie and specie funds, 108,403; deposits, 662,804; discounts of notes, &c. 4,157,556 dollars. Since the beginning of 1834, charters for three new state banks have been granted to Maine.

Some voyages of discovery were made by the English to that part of the American continent since called Maine, as early as 1602 and 1603; and it is described under the name of Mavoosheen. It was visited by French navigators, and, amongst others, by De Monts and Champlain, a few years afterwards; but it was not till 1630 that settlements were permanently established. The government was at first proprietary; but in 1652 the province of Massachusetts Bay claimed this territory, as included within the limits of their charter. In 1820, however, it was separated from Massachusetts, and received into the Union as an independent state. By the constitution, the legislative power is vested in a senate and a house of representatives, both elected annually; and these two bodies are together styled the Legislature of Maine. The number of representatives cannot be less than 100, nor more than 200. A town having 1500 inhabitants is entitled to send one representative; having 3750, two; 6775, three; 10,500, four; 15,000, five; 20,250, six; 26,270, seven; but no town can ever send more than seven. The number of senators cannot be less than twenty, nor more than thirty-one. The legislature meets at Augusta annually, on the first Wednesday in January. The executive power is vested in a governor, who is elected annually by the people on the second Monday in September, and his term of office commences on the first Wednesday in January. A council of seven members is elected annually on the first Wednesday in January, by joint ballot of the senators and representatives, to advise the governor in the executive part of government. The right of suffrage is granted to every male citizen aged twenty-one years or upwards (excepting paupers, persons under guardianship, and Indians not taxed), who has had his residence established in the state for the term of three months immediately preceding an election. The judicial power is vested in a supreme judicial court, and such other courts as the legislature may from time to time establish. All the judges are appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council; and they hold their offices during good behaviour, but not beyond the age of seventy. (r. r. r.)