R H O 
tween the town of Pitiusa and the promontory of Athenae. 
Ptolemy . 
RHO, a small, populous, and salubrious town; 8 miles 
west of Milan. 
RHOARA, a town of Asia, in Parthia, between Casipraca 
and Semina. Ptolemy. 
RHOAS, a river of the Colchide, according to Pliny. 
RHOBASCI, a people of Sycthia, on this side of the 
Imaus, placed by Ptolemy near the most easterly sources of 
the river Rha. 
RHOBODUNUM, a town of Germany, upon the banks 
of the Danube, between Phelicia and Andupedum. Pto¬ 
lemy. 
RHOBOGDIUM, a promontory placed by Ptolemy in the 
northern part of Hibernia. 
RHOBOND A, a town of Africa, in Mauritania Caesariensis, 
between Tupusuptus and Ausum. Ptolemy. 
RHOCAS, an old term for fistula lacrymalis. See Sur¬ 
gery. 
RHODA, or Rhode, a town of Hispania Anterior, 
belonging to the Indigetes, and north of a small gulf. It is 
said to have been built by the Rhodians on the banks of a 
small river which flowed from the Pyrenees, and called by 
Pomponious Mela “■ Thicis.” But Cellarius conjectures 
that it was founded by the inhabitants of Ejnporiae, who 
came thither from the town of Rhodes, in the island of that 
name.—Also, a town of Gallia Narbonnensis, at the mouth 
and on the banks of the Rhone, according to Pliny ; who 
adds, that it was built by the Rhodians. St. Jerome inti¬ 
mates that the Rhone took its namefrom this town. 
RHODE ISLAND, one of the United States, which is si¬ 
tuated between41.22. and 42. O.N. lat. and between 5. O.and 
5. 50. E. long. It is bounded north and east by Massachusetts, 
south by the Atlantic, and west by the Connecticut. It ex¬ 
tends 49 miles from the Atlantic on the south, to the Massa¬ 
chusetts line of boundary on the north, and the greatest 
width is 37 miles. It stretches along the west coast of the 
bay 22 miles, and 5 along the eastern coast, containing 
about 1580 square miles, of which 190 are covered with 
water, and 90 consist of islands. 
The following table exhibits the population, and the num¬ 
ber of towns. 
Counties. 
Towns. 
Population. 
Bristol. 
. 3..,. 
Kent ...... 
.. 9,834 
Newport.... 
Providence . . 
... 10.... 
. .30,769 
Washington , 
.... 7.... 
..14,962 
31 
77,831 
The tribe of Indians who inhabited Rhode island at the 
time of its settlement, was the Narragansetts, who were a 
brave and powerful people. The first settlement in this 
state was made by Roger Williams, and a party of mal¬ 
contents from Massachusetts, in 1635; and in 1643 a 
charter was obtained for the whole colony by Sir Henry Vane. 
The charter, on which the present constitution is founded, was 
obtained of Charles II. in 1663. In May 1789, Rhode 
island adopted the federal constitution. The inhabitants of 
this state are chiefly of English descent. Agreeably to the 
charter just mentioned, the legislature is composed of a 
council of 12, including the governor, and deputy governor, 
all chosen annually, and a house of representatives consisting 
of deputiesfrom the several towns, chosen twice a-year. There 
is one supreme court, which sits twice a-year in each 
county, and an inferior court of common pleas and general 
sessions of the peace for each county, sitting also twice 
a-year. The militia of this state amount to between 7000 and 
8000 men, organized and disciplined in a manner similar to 
the rest of the New England militia. The settlement of 
Rhode island is said to have originated in a religious dispute; 
and some of its first settlers were exiles from the Massa¬ 
chusetts, on account of their religious opinions. The pre¬ 
judice and animosity thus excited were never thoroughly 
RHO 5<J 
removed; but were long cherished by the descendants of 
the first occupiers. 
The face of the country is mostly level, except in the 
north-west part, which is hilly and rocky. The soil is 
generally better adapted to grazing than tillage. A large 
proportion of the western and north-western part of the state 
has a barren soil; but the islands and the country bordering 
on Narraganset bay, are of great fertility, and are celebrated 
for their fine cattle, their numerous flocks of sheep, and the 
abundance and excellence of their butter and cheese. Cyder 
is made for exportation. Corn, rye, barley, oats, and in 
some places wheat, are produced in sufficient quantities for 
home consumption; and the various kinds of grasses, fruits, 
culinary roots and plants in great abundance and perfection. 
Iron ore is found here, both rich and abundant. Some of 
it not far from the town of Providence, gave 50 per cent, at 
the first fusion. Copper ore is also found; and there is 
abundance of limestone, particularly in the county of Pro¬ 
vidence. Coal has also lately been discovered. The ma¬ 
nufactures of Rhode Island are extensive. They consist 
chiefly of iron, cotton, woollen, paper, oils, spirits, and straw- 
bonnets. The whole amount of the manufactures may be 
estimated at above three millions of dollars. In 1809, 
in the town and vicinity of Providence, there were 17 
cotton mills, with 14,296 spindles, yielding 520,000 pounds 
of yarn, from 640,000 pounds of cotton; and seven addi¬ 
tional mills were then erecting. The weaving looms amount¬ 
ed to 1100. The cloths manufactured, consisting of bed¬ 
ticking, shirting, counterpanes, stripes, checks, and ging¬ 
hams, were considered equal to any imported goods of the same 
kind. There are woollen manufactures at Warwick and 
Portsmouth. The number of hats manufactured are estimated 
at 50,000. The rivers and bays abound in fish, and the fishery 
gives employment to a number of hands. The exports con¬ 
sist chiefly of flax-seed, lumber, horses, cattle, beef, pork, 
fish, poultry, onions, butter, cheese, barley, grain, spirits, and 
cotton and linen goods. 
The following is the amount of the exports from the year 
1791, at different periods:— 
1791.. 470,131 dollars. 
1797.. . 975,530 
1800. 1,322,945 
1802.2,433,363 
1805.2,572,094 
1808.242,034 
1810.. .... 1,331,576 
1816. 612,794 
The imports are West India produce, logwood from Hon¬ 
duras bay, and the manufactures of Europe and of India. 
The climate of this state, extending on the south along 
the shore of the ocean, and comprehending towards the east 
considerable islands, is somewhat milder than that of Mas¬ 
sachusetts, the cold of winter being less intense, and the heat 
of summer less oppressive. This is more particularly the 
case on the islands, where the breezes from the sea have 
the effect not only to mitigate the heat in summer, but to 
moderate the cold, in winter. The summers are delightful, 
especial 1 y on Rhode Island, strictly so called. The month of 
April is generally cold and rainy; May is temperate, regular, 
and favourable to rapid vegetation. The heat generally pre¬ 
vails during three months, June, July, and August. The winter 
is cold and rigorous during four months, from the 1st of No¬ 
vember to the 1st of March. . The snow falls from the 1st to 
the middle of December, and sometimes at an earlier period, 
The air, throughout the year, is pure and wholesome, es¬ 
pecially in the Narraganset track, where no destructive 
disease has ever been known to prevail. 
Though the soil be light, it produces considerable crops 
of Indian corn, rye, barley, and oats. Wheat is also culti¬ 
vated, but not in sufficient quantity for the wants of the in¬ 
habitants. Culinary plants are in great abundance. The 
pasture, owing to the maritime situation and mildness of the 
winter, is of an excellent quality, especially in Hancock 
and Washington counties, • where neat cattle have grown to 
the 
