In 1689, the government was taken out of the hands of lord Baltimore by the grand convention of England; and in 1692 Mr. Copley was appointed governor by commiffion from William and Mary. In 1692, the Proteftant religion was established by law. In 1699, under the adminiftration of governor Blackifton, it was enacted that Annapolis fhould be the feat of government. In 1716, the government of this province was reftored to the proprie tary, and continued in his hands till the late revolution, when being an abfentee, his property in the lands was confifcated, and the government affumed by the freemen of the province, who formed the conftitution now exiting. At the clofe of the war, Henry Harford, Efq; the natural fon and heir of lord Baltimore, petitioned the legislature of Maryland for his eftate; but his petition was not granted. Mr. Harford eftimated his lofs of quit-rents, valued at twenty years purchase, and including arrears, at £259,488: 5:0, dollars at 7s. 6d.-and the value of his manors and reTerved lands at 4.327,441 of the fame money. LIST of the GOVERNORS, with the dates of their appointments. 1637 Hon. Leonard Calvert, Efq; appointed Governor 1647 William Stone, Efq; 1649 The government remained in the hands of the parliament commiffioners during the time of Oliver Cromwell's ufurpation 1654 The commiffioners, by certain articles of agreement then entered into, delivered up the government into the hands of Jonah Fendale, Efq; then Governor 1658 Hon, Philip Calvert made Governor 1660 Charles Calvert, Efq; 1662 Upon the death of Cecilius, the government defcended to 1675 1678 Who continued till his Lordfhip returned a fecond time to the province in 1681 King William and Queen Mary took upon them the government, and appointed Lyonel Copley, Efq; Governor 1692 Francis Nicholfon, Efq; 1694 Upon the death of Queen Mary, the government was altogether in the hands of King William III. 1696 Nathaniel Blackifton, Efq; Governor 1699 By the death of King William III. Queen Anne took upon her Upon the death of Queen Anne, King George I. took upon him the government and the fame Governor was continued The government was reftored to Charles, Lord Baltimore, who iffued a new commiffion to John Hart, Efq; Charles Calvert, Efq; Governor Benedict Leonard Calyert, Efq; Governor A a 4 1714 1715 1716 1720 1727 The Samuel Ogle, Efq; Governor 1747 By the death of Charles, Lord Baltimore, the province defcended to his fon Frederick.-Governor Ogle died the fame year 1751 Benjamin Tasker, Efq; President 1751 Horatio Sharp, Efq; Governor 1753 Robert Eden, Efq; Governor 1769 Frederick, Lord Baron of Baltimore, died 1771 Robert Eden, Efq; Governor 1773 The lift of the governors of this ftate, with the times of their election into office, fince the revolution, has not been received. V Miles. Length 758 IRGINIA*. SITUATION and EXTENT. 36° 30′ and 40° North Latitude. Boundaries.] BOUNDED caft, by the Atlantic ocean; north, by Pennfylvania and the river Ohio; weft, by the Miffi fippi; fouth, by North-Carolina. Mr. Jefferfon defcribes the boundaries more particularly, as follows; Virginia is bounded on the eaft, by the Atlantic; on the north, by a line of latitude, croffing the eastern fhore through Watkins's Point, being about 37° 57′ north latitude; from thence by a freight line to Cinquac, near the mouth of Patomak; thence by the Patomak, which is common to Virginia and Maryland, to the first fountain of its northern branch; thence by a meridian line, paffing through that fountain till it interfects a line running eaft and weft, in latitude 39° 43′ 42.4", which divides Maryland from Pennfylvania, and which was marked by Meffrs, Malon and Dixon; thence by that line, and a continuation of it weftwardly to the completion of five degrees of longitude from the eaftern boundary of Pennlylvania, in the fame latitude, and thence by a meridian line to the Ohio; on the west, by the Ohio and Miffifippi, to In the following defcription of Virginia, what is included between inverted commas (except in the inftances where the reader is otherwise informed) is taken from the History of Virginia,' by THOMAS JEFFERSON, Efq, to which is prefixed a large whole fheet map of Virginia, drawn with the utmost accuracy.-Printed for John Stockdale, Piccadilly, in one val. 8vo. price 75.-Such readers as may wish for further information relating to Virginia, will find themselves highly gratified by the perusal of Mr. Jefferfon's Hiftory. latitude latitude 36° 30′ north; and on the fouth, by the line of latitude laftmentioned. By admeasurements through nearly the whole of this last line, and fupplying the unmeafured parts from good data, the Atlantic and Miffiffippi are found in this latitude to be 758 miles diftant, equal to 13° 38′ of longitude, reckoning 55 miles and 3144 feet to the degree. This being our comprehenfion of longitude, that of our latitude, taken between this and Mafon and Dixon's line, is 3° 13′ 42.4", equal to 223.3 miles, fuppofing a degree of a great circle to be 69 m. 864 f. as computed by Caffini. Thefe boundaries include an area fomewhat triangular, of 121,525 miles, whereof 79,650 lie weftward of the Allegany mountains, and 57,034 weftward of the meridian of the mouth of the Great Kanhaway. This ftate is therefore one-third larger than the iflands of Great Britain and Ireland, which are reckoned at 88,357 fquare miles. Thefe limits refult from, 1. The ancient charters from the crown of England. 2. The grant of Maryland to the Lord Baltimore, and the fubfequent determinations of the British court as to the extent of that grant. 3. The grant of Pennsylvania to William Penn, and a compact between the general affemblies of the commonwealths of Virginia and Pennsylvania as to the extent of that grant. 4. The grant of Carolina, and actual location of its northern boundary, by confent of both parties. 5. The treaty of Paris, of 1763. 6. The confirmation of the charters of the neighbouring states by the convention of Virginia at the time of conftituting their commonwealth. 7. The ceffion made by Virginia to Congrefs of all the lands to which they had title on the north fide of the Ohio.'. Rivers.] An inspection of a map of Virginia, will give a better idea of the geography of its rivers, than any description in writing. Their navigation may be imperfectly noted. Roanoke, fo far as it lies within this ftate, is no where navigable, but for canoes, or light batteaux; and, even for thefe, in fuch detached parcels as to have prevented the inhabitants from availing themselves of it all. James River, and its waters, afford navigation as follows: The whole of Elizabeth River, the lowest of those which run into James River, is a harbour, and would contain upwards of 300 fhips. The channel is from 150 to 200 fathoms wide, and at common flood tide, affords 18 feet water to Norfolk. The Strafford, a 60 gun fhip, went there, lightening herself to cross the bar at Sowell's point. The Fier Rodrigue, pierced for 64 guns, and carrying 50, went there without lightening. Craney ifland, at the mouth of this river, commands its channel tolerably well. • Nanfemond River is navigable to Sleepy Hole, for veffels of 250 tons; to Suffolk, for thofe of 100 tons; and to Milner's, for thofe of 25. Pagan Creek affords 8 or 10 feet water to Smithfield, which admits veffels of 20 tons. • Chickahominy has at its mouth a bar, on which is only 12 feet water at common flood tide. Veffels paffing that, may go 8 miles up the river; thofe of ten feet draught may go four miles further, and thofe of fix tons burthen, 20 miles further. • Appamattox 36г Appamattox may be navigated as far as Broadways, by any veff: I which has erofled Harrifon's bar in James River; it keeps 8 or 9 feet water a mile or two higher up to Fither's bar, and 4 feet on that and upwards to Petersburgh, where all navigation ceafes. James River itfelf affords harbour for veffels of any fize in Hampton Road, but not in fafety through the whole winter; and there is navigable water for them as far as Mulberry ifland. A 40 gun fhip goes to James-town, and, lightening herself, may pafs to Harrifon's bar, on Veffels of 250 tons may go to Warwhich there is only 15 feet water. wick; thofe of 125 go to Rocket's, a mile below Richmond; from thence is about 7 feet water to Richmond; and about the center of the town, four feet and a half, where the navigation is interrupted by falls, which in a courfe of fix miles defcend about 80 feet perpendicular; above these it is refumed in canoes and batteaux, and is profecuted fafely and advantageously to within 10 miles of the Blue Ridge; and even through the Blue Ridge a ton weight has been brought; and the expence would not be great, when compared with its object, to open a tolerable navigation up Jackson's river and Carpenter's creek, to within 25 miles of Howard's creek of Green Briar, both of which have then water enough to float veffels into the Great Kanhaway. In fome future ftate of population, I think it poffible, that its navigation may also be made to interlock with that of the Patomak, and through that to communicate by a fhort portage with the Ohio. It is to be noted, that this river is called in the maps James River, only to its confluence with the Rivanna; thence to the Blue Ridge it is called the Fluvanna; and thence to its fource, Jackfon's river. But in common speech it is called James river to its fource. The Rivanna, a branch of James river, is navigable for canoes and batteaux to its interfection with the fouth-weft mountains, which is about 22 miles, and may easily be opened to navigation through thofe mountains to its fork above Charlottesville. Tank River, at York-town, affords the best harbour in the state for veffels of the largest fize. The river there narrows to the width of a mile, and is contained within very high banks, clofe under which the vessels may ride. It holds 4 fathom water at high tide for 25 miles above York, mile and a half wide, to the mouth of Poropotank, where the river is and the channel only 75 fathom, and paffing under a high bank. At the confluence of Pamunkey and Mattapony, it is reduced to 3 fathom depth, which continues up Pamunkey to Cumberland, where the width is 100 yards, and up Mattapony to within two miles of Frazer's ferry, where it becomes 2 fathom deep, and holds that about five miles. Pamunkey is then capable of navigation for loaded flats to Brockman's bridge, 50 miles above Hanover town, and Mattapony to Downer's bridge, 70 miles above its mouth. Piankatank, the little rivers making out of Mobjack bay, and thofe of the eastern shore, receive only very small veffels, and thefe can but enter them. Rappahannok affords 4 fathom water to Hobb's Hole, and two fathom from thence to Fredericksburg. · Patomak i Patomak is 7 miles wide at the mouth; 4 at Nomony Bay; 3 at Aquia; 1 at Hallooing Point; 14 at Alexandria. Its foundings are, 7 fathom at the mouth; 5 at St. George's ifland; 4 at Lower Matchodic; 3 at Swan's Point, and thence up to Alexandria; thence 10 feet water to the falls, which are 13 miles above Alexandria.' The distance from the Capes of Virginia to the termination of the tidewater in this river is above 300 miles; and navigable for fhips of the greatest burthen, nearly to that place. From thence this river, obftructed by four coufiderable falls, extends through a vast tract of inhabited country towards its fource. Thefe falls are, ift, The Little Falls, three miles above tide water, in which diftance there is a fall of 36 feet: 2d, The Great Falls, fix miles higher, where is a fall of 76 feet in one mile and a quarter 3d, The Seneca Falls, fix miles above the former, which form fhort, irregular rapids, with a fall of about 10 feet; and 4th, the Shenandoah Falls, 60 miles from the Seneca, where is a fall of about 30 feet in three miles; from which last, Fort Cumberland is about 120 miles difThe obftructions, which are oppofed to the navigation above and between these falls, are of little confequence. Early in the year 1785, the Legislatures of Virginia and Maryland paffed acts to encourage opening the navigation of this river. It was eftimated that the expence of the works would amount to .50,000 fterling, and ten years were allowed for their completion. At prefent the prefident and directors of the incorporated company fuppofe that .45,000 will be adequate to the operation, and that it will be accomplithed in a fhorter period than was ftipulated. Their calculations are founded on the progrefs already made, and the fummary mode lately established for enforcing the collection of the dividends, as the money may become neceffary. On each fhare of £.100, the payment of only £.40 has yet been demanded. According to the opinion of the prefident and directors, locks will be neceffary at no more than two places-the Great and the Little Falls: fix at the former, and three at the latter. At the latter nothing has yet been attempted. At the Great Falls, where the difficulties were judged by many to be infurmountable, the work is nearly completed, except finking the lock-feats, and inferting the frames. At the Seneca Falls the laborious part of the bufinefs is entirely accomplished, by removing the ob ftacles and graduating the defcent; fo that nothing remains but to finish the channel for this gentle current in a workmanlike manner. At the Shenandoah, where the river breaks through the Blue Ridge, though a prodigious quantity of labour has been beftowed, yet much is ftill to be done before the paffage will be perfected. Such proficiency has been made, however, that it was expected, if the fummer had not proved uncommonly rainy, and the river uncommonly high, an avenue for a partial navigation would have been opened by the firft of January, 1789, from Fort Cumber land to the Great Falls, which are within nine miles of a fhipping port. As it has happened, it may require a confiderable part of this year for its accomplishment. As foon as the proprietors fhall begin to receive toll, they will doubtlefs find an ample compenfation for their pecuniary advances. By an estimate made many years ago, it was calculated that the amount, in the com mencement |