SAN FRANCISCO, the principal sea-port on the western coasts of North America, and the chief city of California, U. S. stands on the w. shore of San Francisco bay. 6 in. s. of the Golden Gate, the outlet leading w., and connecting the bay with the Pacific ocean. Lat. 37° 46' n., long. 122° 23' west, It has a fine deep harbor, well-built streets, hand some shops, gas and water works, and elegant public buildings, among which are the custom-house, mint, city ball, marine hospital, city hospital, theaters, orphan asylums, a convent. etc. There are about 75 churches, 11 daily and 46 other newspapers, numer ous schools and charitable institutions, and several fire insurance companies. Of the population attracted by the discovery of gold to San Francisco. a great number are Irish, German, British, French, and Chinese. There arc newspapers in English, French, Ger man, Spanish.;.Italian, and Chinese. The Chinese have a church, Roman Catholic, with a Chinese priest educated at Borne; and a school. Among the manufacturing establish ments are flour-mills. saw-mills, woolen factories, and iron foundries. In 1874 4,204 sea vessels, with an aggregate burden of 1,553,000 tons, entered the harbor. In t869 the receipts of precious metals amounted to £9,857,295; but this sum does not nearly represent all the receipts, as much treasure comes by private hands, and passes through no channel by rqcans of which the amounts can he noted by the authorities. The treasure
exported in 1876 amounted to near £10.000.000. The other exports were chiefly wheat, barley, wool. quicksilver,' bides, furs, flour, gunpowder, and copper-ore. Their value was about £6,263,000. The imports (valued at £3,200.000 in 1876) included sugar, coal, rice, coffee, tea, wines and spirits, iron, cotton, silk, and various manufactured goods. About 50 ocean-steamers run regularly to Japan, Australia, Mexico, Panama, Victoria, and domestic ports in California and Oregon. The Union Pacific railroad, completed in 1870, makes San Francisco an important point as the commercial highway from Europe and the eastern United States to Asia. In 1776 the mission of St. Francis was com menced here by two Spanish monks. In 1825 the mission had under its care 1800 Indians, and possessed 76,000 cattle and 79,000 sheep. In 1834 the property of the mission was secularized, and it rapidly decayed. In 1846 it was taken by the United States, and in 1847 had a population of 450. 'The discovery of gold in 1848 caused it to be at first nearly deserted; but soon commenced a rapid growth, which, in spite of sev eral destructive fires, has continued to increase. Pop. '60, 55,626; '70, 149,473; '77, 290,000.