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Show - / A N N A P 0 L I S. Ann:1polis is the capital of Maryland; it is a fmall neat town, COnr.l lflll'l ng 0 f a bout a hundred and fifty. houf.e s, fituated on a peninfula upon Severn river. The pemnfula IS formed by the river, and two fmall creeks; and although the river is .not above a mile broad; yet as it falls into Cbefapeak bay a ltttle below, there is from this town the finefi water-profpeCl: imaginable. The bay is twelve miles over, and beyond it you may difcern the eafiern !hore; fo that the fcene is diverfified with fields wood, and water. The tide rifes here about two feet, and the water is fait, though the diil:ance of the Capes is more than 200 miles~ The town is not laid out regularly, but is tolerably well built, and ha;; feveral good b:-ick houfes in it. None of the fireets are paved, and the few pu )lie buildings here are not worth mentioning. The church is a very poor one, the il:adt-houfe but indifferent, and the governor's palace is not fini!hed. This lail: mentioned building was begun a few years ago; it is fituated very finely upon an eminence, and ccmmands a beautiful view of the town and environs. It has four large rooms on the lower floor, be6des a magnificent hall, a fl:air-cafe, and a veil:ibule. On each fide of the entrance are four windows, and nine upon the firfi fl:ory ; the offices are under ground. It was to have had a fine portico the whole range of the building; but unluckily the governor and affembly difagreeing about ways and means, the execution of the deugn was fufpended; and only the lhell of the houfe has been finiilied, which is now going to ruin. The houfe, which the prefent governor inhabits, is hired by the province at 8o l. currency per annum. There is very little trade carried on from this place, and the chief of the inhabitants are fiorekeepers or public offi•cers. They build two or three fbi ps annually, but feldom more. There M A R Y L A N D. There are no fortifications, except a miferable battery of fifteen fix-pounders. Maryland is fituated between the 38th and 4oth degrees of r:orth latitude, and 75th and 8oth of wefl: longitude from London. It is bounded on the eafl: by the Atlantic ocean, and the three lower counties of Delaware; on the fvuth and weil: by Virginia; and by Pennfylvania on the north. The climate foil, and natural prodnetions of it are nearly the fame as thofe' of Virginia. It is watered by many fine rivers, and alcnofi: innumerable creeks; but is far from being well cultivated, and is capable of much improvement. It is divided into fourteen counties, and between forty and fifty pariilies; and there are feveral little towns in it which are neatly built. The inhabitants, exclufive of flaves, are fuppofed to be about ninety thou .. {and: of which the militia, including all white males between £xteen and fixty, amounts to eighteen. The flaves are about thirty-two thoufand. The fiaple of the country is tobacco; and, communibus annis, they export near 3 o,ooo hogilieads : lafl: year their exports amounted to so,ooo. Their manufactures are very trifling. The government is a proprietary one; and confi11:s of the proprietor (viz. lord Baltimore); his governor; the council, compofed of twelve perfons nominated by himfelf; and a houfe of reprefentatives, elected by the people; four for each county, and two for Annapolis. The power of the proprietor is next to regal; of the other parts of the Jegiflat. ure, much the fame as in Virginia. The lower hou[e has been at vari :.111ce fome years with the council and governor, concerning ways and means; chiefly j n regard to taxing the merchants book-debts : which has been the reafon of its havjng done nothing for the defence of the colonies during the war. The houfe has confi:antly voted troops, but as confiantly laid the fame tax for the maintennnce of them : fo the counQ • 39 |
