CHARLESTON, the chief city of a district of its own name in South Carolina, and the commercial capital of the state, is situated in lat. 32° 46' n., and long. 79' 57' west. With straight and regular streets, it occupies the fork of the Cooper and the Ashley, which, as deep tideways of the respective widths of 1400 and 2.100 yards, here unite with their common estuary of 7 m. iu length to form Charleston harbor. This haven is beset to seaward by a sand-bar, which has its uses, however, as a' breakwater and a bulwark. The more practicable of its two passages—showing 16 ft. at ebb and 22 at flood—is commanded by fort Moultrie and fort Sumter. The city is built upon ground raised but a few feet above the water. In 1860, the pop. of C. was 40,522; (1870) 48,956; (1873) 56,540. The exports, which are always of much greater value than the imports, amounted iu 1858 to $16,924,436; in the year ending Mar. 31, 1875, $19,532,393. Cotton and rice are the chief exports. In 1878, the taxable property of C. was worth $26,591, 778. The public debt was $4,716,754. There are about 40 churches, the state medical college, a large orphan asylum, etc. C. was founded in 1672, receiving from France,
about 1685, a considerable influx of Protestant refugees. It was prominent for zeal and gallantry in the revolutionary war. Up to the time of the civil war, the city was remarkable for its suburban character and verdant surroundings. and its inhabitants were mainly opulent planters, distinguished for hospitality and refinement. It was in C., however, that the first open movement was made in favor of secession; and the city and its inhabitants have changed since then. In 1860 and 1861, the harbor was the scene of several conflicts; and in 1863, fort Sumter was reduced to ruins. The harbor was blockaded in 1S61, and several dismantled hulks of vessels were filled with stones and sunk, in order to prevent passage. In spite of these precautions, however, more British blockade-runners entered this than any other southern port. In Aug., 1863, the city was bombarded, and in Feb., 1865, was occupied by the United States troops.