Specimens of the Ignorance and Blunders of English Geographers, Tourists, &c. &c. with respect to America.
THE Rev. R. Turner, who has publiſhed a book called Claſſical Geography, gives the following account of the cities of Philadelphia and Newyork. "Philadelphia, (ſays he) is the finest and beſt ſituated city in America, containing thirty thouſand houſes and one hundred and twenty thouſand inhabitants, who are moſtly quakers!!!"—"Newyork contains three thouſand houſes and twelve thouſand inhabitants!"
Another book, intitled Guthrie's improved Geography, after ſetting forth in the preface that their (the Editors) relation of America, will be found both ſatisfactory and complete, as they have not only carefully examined the works of the celebrated Morſe, but likewiſe applied to ſeveral other authentic ſources, which have enabled them to give the beſt information in the most ſatisfactory manner, ſtates that "the city of Newyork contains five thouſand inhabitants, chiefly of Dutch extraction." Here is pretty ſtrong evidence of the diligence of theſe London bookmakers, as to applying to the moſt authentic ſources of information, as they profeſs to have done. An impoſition of this kind in any American publication, would afford a fine opportunity for an English Reviewer to rail againſt our national honeſty.
The very laſt edition of Guthrie's original work, deſcribing the river Hudſon, ſtates that this river is navigable to Albany, which is "ſix hundred miles from Newyork."
An Engliſh Touriſt, whoſe name is not juſt now recollected, has publiſhed a volume of his travels through the United States, in which he ſpeaks particularly of the orderly manner in which Elections are conducted in the city of Newyork. "On the appointed day, ſays he, all the citizens take care to be at home at a certain hour, at which time the inſpectors of the election go through the city with ballot boxes in their hands, and call at every door for votes, whereupon the citizens ſtep to their doors and depoſit their ballots in theſe ſame ſmall boxes, which are ſtraightway carried to the City Hall; the votes are there examined, and thus the election is determined in a few hours, without uproar or inconvenience!!!"
An Engliſh Editor of a work, called the German Muſeum, in his tranſlation of ſome memoirs of Major André, records, that this unfortunate officer was taken and hanged "at the weſt point of America."
A London paper ſome time ago made mention of certain improvements which were taking place in Newyork, with a view to promote the health of the city, and obſerved that our corporation were erecting a range of permanent wharves on one ſide of the city, which were to extend from Corlear's Hook to the Battery along the Delaware River!
Some notice ſhall be taken hereafter of the miſrepresentations and falſehoods of Laincourt, Weld, Bulow, and a number of others, relative to the United States.
An AMERICAN.
Worcester Spy.