CONNECTICUT. 



109 



Connecti- 

 cut. 



Rivers. 



Harbour; 



Mines. 



Manufac- 

 tures. 



channel, and then swiftly tumbling, foaming with the 

 most violent agitation, for the space of about 1 5 or 20 

 rods, over the narrow, crooked, and gradually descend- 

 ing rocky bed, that next receives it, falls at length into 

 a broad bason. The smoothness of the water above 

 the descent, the regularity and beauty of the perpendi- 

 cular fall, the tremendous roughness of the other, the 

 curious excavations produced in the rock by the long 

 continued impulses of the water, with the craggy tower- 

 ing cliffs which, on each side of the river, on one 

 of them particularly, impend, the whole presenting to 

 the view a scene highly striking and majestic. On 

 tills river, which in each of its branches is fed by num- 

 berless brooks from every part of the adjacent country, 

 there occur some of the finest .mill-seats in New Eng- 

 land, or perhaps in the world. 



Besides the Naugatuck and the Farmington rivers, 

 which severally empty themselves into the Housatonick 

 and the Connecticut, there are also the East or North- 

 Haven river, the Mill river, and West river, with a num- 

 ber of other small rivers west of the Housatonick, none 

 of which are of any great consideration. Of those last 

 mentioned, the Byram may be noticed, as forming a 

 part of the boundary between this state and New 

 York. 



The whole of the sea-coast of Connecticut is indent- 

 ed with harbours, many of which are safe and commo- 

 dious. The two principal ones are at New London, and 

 New Haven. The former opens to the south ,• the dis- 

 tance from the light-house, which stands at it mouth, 

 to the town, being about three miles, its breadth three- 

 fourths of a mile, and in some places more. The depth 

 of water in the harbour is from five to six fathoms, with 

 a clear bottom, tough ooze, and for a mile above the 

 town, secure and commodious stations for large ships. 

 The harbour of New Haven is greatly inferior to this. 

 It is a bay which sets up northerly from the Sound 

 about four miles, with good anchoring ground ; but no 

 where any considerable depth of water. Its entrance 

 is about half a mile wide. 



Mines of different kinds have been found in this state, 

 but in general they have not been wrought to any con- 

 siderable extent. On the banks of the Connecticut, 

 two miles from Middleton, there is one of lead, which 

 while wrought during the war, was found productive, 

 but attended with great expence. Copper mines have 

 been discovered and opened in several parts of the state, 

 but having proved unprofitable, have been much ne- 

 glected. The same thing may be said of the zinc mines. 

 Iron mines are numerous and productive. Steel ore 

 has been found in the mountains between Woodbury 

 and New Milford. There occur here also talcs of vari- 

 ous kinds ; white, brown, and chocolate-coloured crys- 

 tals, with several other fossils and metals. At Stafford 

 there is a medicinal spring, which is said to be a sove- 

 reign remedy for scorbutic, cutaneous, and other disor- 

 ders. There has also been observed a spring at Guild- 

 ford, of the water of which it is mentioned as a pecu- 

 liarity, that when taken from the fountain it will eva- 

 porate, even though put into a bottle, and tightly 

 corked. 



The linens and woollens of Connecticut are for the 

 most part manufactured by individuals; the farmers 

 of this state, with their families, being usually clothed 

 in plain, decent, homespun cloth, which, though of a 

 coarser kind, is commonly of a stronger texture, and 

 much more durable than those imported from France 

 and Great Britain. There are, however, other cloths 



VOL. VII. PART I. 



Connecti- 

 cut. 



also produced here, which arc fine and handsome. In 

 Hartford, a woollen manufacture has been established, 

 and is protected by the legislature, which promises to 

 be successful. At New Haven, there are flourishing 

 linen and button manufactories. Large orchards of 

 mulberry trees are raised in this state; and silk worms 

 have been reared so successfully, as to t promise not only 

 a supply of silk to the inhabitants, but even to afford a 

 surplus for exportation. In East Hartford, there are 

 glass-works, a snuff and powder mill, iron- works, and 

 a slitting-mill. Iron-works are established also at Sa- 

 lisbury, Norwich, and other parts of the state, while a 

 sufficient supply for the whole of it of hollow ware and 

 other ironmongery may be obtained from the furnace 

 which has been erected at Stafford. Paper is manufac- 

 tured at Norwich, Hartford, New Haven, and in Litch- 

 field county. Nails of every size are made in almost 

 every town and village in Connecticut, of which consi- 

 derable quantities can be exported to the neighbouring 

 states, and at a better rate than they can be had from 

 Europe. Hats of the best kinds, candles, leather, shoes 

 and boots, are prepared in this state, besides wooden 

 dishes, and other wooden wares, which are made in 

 vast quantities in Suffield and other places, and sold in 

 almost every part of the eastern states. From the seed 

 of the sun-flower, there is here expressed an oil, which 

 is as mild as sweet-oil, and is equally agreeable with 

 sallads and as a medicine : it may also be used in paints, 

 varnishes, and ointments. Oil mills, of a new and very 

 ingenious construction have been erected in several 

 parts, for the expression of this oil ; while, from the 

 quantity of it that may be drawn from any given ex- 

 tent of ground, and the price which it yields in the 

 market, the business of its preparation is found to be 

 very profitable for those engaged in it. At Stratford 

 there is farther established a duck manufactory. 



The trade of Connecticut is chiefly with the West T/ade. 

 India islands, the exports to which consist of horses, 

 mules, oxen, oak-staves, hoops, pine-boards, oak planks, 

 beans, Indian corn, fish, beef, pork, &c. This traffic 

 is carried on in vessels from 60 to 140 tons burden. A 

 great number of coasting vessels is also employed in 

 carrying the produce of this to the other states. The 

 articles supplied to those different states are different. 

 To Rhode Island, Massachussets, and New Hampshire, 

 are furnished pork, wheat, corn, and rye; to North and 

 South Carolina, and Georgia, butter, cheese, salted 

 beef, cider, apples, potatoes, and hay, in return for 

 which are obtained chiefly rice, indigo, and money. 

 A good deal of the whole trade with these states is con- 

 ducted through the medium of the markets of New 

 York; the chief of the articles thus conveyed being 

 pot and pearl ashes, flax-seed, beef, pork, cheese, and 

 butter. 



A considerable proportion of the produce of the east- 

 ern parts of the state, is disposed of at Boston, Provi- 

 dence, and Norwich. The value of the whole export- 

 ed produce and commodities from the state of Connec- 

 ticut before the year 1774, was then estimated at about 

 L. 200,000 annually. In the year ending September 

 SO. 1791> the amount of foreign exports was 710,340 

 dollars, independently of articles to a great value car- 

 ried to different parts of the United States. In 1792, 

 it was 749,925 dollars; in 1793, 770,239 dollars; in 

 1794. 806,746 dollars-; and in 1804, 1,516,110, of 

 widen 1,486,882 are to be included under the head of - 

 domestic, and 29,228 of foreign trade. This state em- 

 ploys in tlie two branches of its business, the foreign 



Y 



