436 PROGRESS OF BOSTON. 



land for many miles around. Since 1800, the inhabitants 

 of this city have increased as follows : 



1800, . . . 24,927 



1810, . . . 32,.250 



1820, . . . 43,298 



1830, . . . 61,392 



1840, . . . 93,383 



1845, . . . 114,366 



The population has increased, therefore, about five 

 times within the fifty years a rate of progress about 

 equal to that of Glasgow. In 1845, 76 per cent of 

 the population were not born in Boston j but I am not 

 aware what proportion of these consisted of foreigners. 

 As the number of emigrants from Europe who land in 

 Massachusetts is greater than in any other State of the 

 Union, except New York, it is probable, however, that 

 the European-born are in considerable force in the city. 



Situated on a small promontory, and on a narrow neck 

 of land surrounded by creeks, which at low water left 

 long and broad flat beds of half-dry mud as the town 

 increased and covered the dry neck, it began to encroach 

 gradually upon the muddy bottoms. To fill up and 

 render these solid and available for building purposes, 

 great efforts have been made. The gravel hills at the 

 distance of many miles have been attacked by the agency 

 of rails and steam, and new land formed from these spoils 

 has grown up where the mud-banks were, as the wants of 

 the place demanded. The long bridges which at present 

 carry the railways across these sea-arms and muddy flats, 

 remind the traveller, when seen from the top of the State 

 House, of the bridges he may have driven along in cross 

 ing some of the broader Scandinavian fiords, or of those 



o / 



which span the Neva, or of one not less remarkable than 

 either, if we take into account the infancy of the country 

 which connects the two divisions of the town of Bathurst 

 in the province of New Brunswick. As in New York, the 



