NEW ORLEANS (ante), in magnitude and population, is the ninth city in the United States, and in the value of its exports and foreign commerce ranks next to New York. It comprises about 40 sq. m., one-half of which is closely inhabited, while the rest. is barely redeemed from being a swamp. In general appearance it is a melange of French and American taste, most of the streets running parallel with the Mississippi' river pre sent an unbroken line front the lower to the upper limits of the city, a distance of 12 in.; and those at right angles to these extend from the river to the lake. Those in the newer portions of the city are wide, bordered with trees, and have an attractive appearance; and Canal street, the chief thoroughfare, has many handsome stores and private resi. deuces. There are 11 public parks and squares, 3 canals for commercial 10 ea 12 for drainage, and 16 markets. Though the city is not notable as a whole for either the beauty or grandeur of its architecture, it has several public buildings that are con spicuous exceptions—the custom-house, the branch mint, the post-office, the city hall, and the St. Charles hotel. Besides these, mention should be made also of the state• house, the university buildings, the charity hospital, the marine hospital, and the Mittel Dien. as well as several churches, of which there are 142 in all. In 1861, when the city had attained its greatest commercial prosperity, it received and handled 2,255,448 bales of cot' ton and 460,000 hhds. of sugar. Since the war its business and prosperity have been much disturbed by political agitation, and by two or three severe visitations of the yellow fever. Nevertheless, during the years 1878-80 its export trade showed: a fair increase, and its imports held a steady bulk, though showing a decline in valuation. The imports in 1877 were $11,340,900; in 1878, $8.725,751; in showing $8,259,606. The exports for the same years were $70,270,593; $74,366,388; $81,105,822. In consequence of recent naviga tion improvements, allowing ships of greater burden to come to its wharves, it is believed that the future commerce of New Orleans is to be greatly increased. In the line of manufactures the city can make little claim. Although in 1870 it contained 911 " manu
facturing establishments," many of them were scarcely worthy of designation, being principally small manufactories of cotton-seed oil, syrup, and oil, soap, sugar refineries, disiille•ies, and breweries. Of the other business corporations at that time, there were 5 dry-dock companies and 42 insurance companies, 23 banking institutions, 5 tow-boat companies, and 24 custom-house warehouses. The administrative officers of the city are a mayor and 7 officers known as administrators, who hold their offices two years, together, with a board of health, a city surveyor, city attorney, and school superintendent. The police are sort of a mounted state militia, rather than a metropolitan organization, and are under the control of the governor of the state. According to the census of 1870 the assessed value of the real and personal estate was $146,718,888; its true value, $1S5,625. 187. The total taxation not national was $4,191,417. The public debt of the city was $26,500,000. The public schools, of which there were about 80, are under state control, although the city provides for their support. Other educational institutions are the uni versity of Louisiana, the mechanical and agricultural college, the dental college, and the Jesuit college. Most of the French, Italian, Spanish, and Irish population is Roman Catholic; the American and German residents are chiefly Protestants. here aye Catholic churches; 25 Baptist-; 11•Protestant Episcopal; 5 Evangelical Protestant; 1 Greek; 3 Lutheran ; 19 Methodist Episcopal; 11 Methodist ; 12 Presbyterian; 1 Swe denborgian; and I 6 Holovew synagogues. In it-may be said that, although New Orleans iS usuallybelieVed be an unhealthy eity td reside in, a care ful comparison of its vital statistics with those of other cities, not only in the Unitel States but throughout the world, shows that on the whole it is not exceptionally unhealthy. Since the epidemic of 1878 vigorous sanitary improvements have been in progress. Too temperature is rarely in the extreme, the average maximum for the year being 83.7' Eahr., the average minimum 51.8', and the general average about or.