SAVANNAH, a city in Georgia, and formerly the seat of the state government.—It is situated on the south west side of Savannah river, in Chatham county, about 15 miles from the ocean. It is built on a bluff in a bend of the river and elevated considerably above the surrounding plantations.
Vessels of large burden can moor close to the town, but from its vicinity to the ocean they are often ex posed to tremendous floods.
The principal articles of export are tobacco, rice, and cotton; of the latter there was exported for the year ending 30th September, 1828, 152,776 bales, and for the three months ending January 1st, 1829, 57,429 bales.
The greater part of the buildings were original ly frame. The inhabitants have, at several periods, suffered great loss by fire : in 1796 it is supposed nearly four-fifths of the town was destroyed ; and on the morn ing of the llth January, 1820, a fire originated in the western part of the town, which spread with such ra pidity, that in a few hours 463 houses and stores, be sides a number of public buildings, were consumed; the estimated loss exceeded S4,000,000; many worthy citi zens were reduced from affluence to indigence. The buildings since erected are generally of brick.
There are three banks, two chartered by the state, and a branch of the United States bank.—The Ma
rine Insurance Company is also chartered with bank ing privileges, and is now in operation.
Savannah contains seven places for public worship, viz. Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic, a Jewish Synagogue, and an African Methodist meeting-house.
The public buildings are an exchanp.e,custom-house, hospital, alms-house, court-house and jail; there is also a small library, and a theatre at present unoccupied.
The overflowing of the lands in the vicinity of this city, for the cultivation of Rice, was supposed in former years to have contributed much to the un healthiness of the summer and autumn seasons in Sa vannah; in consequence of which, the corporation, in the year 1817, contracted with the owners of the Rice Farms for a relinquishment of the right to the culti vation of this article, for which the city paid them S70.000. It is now considered healthy for so warm a climate.
Savannah is by the post road 658 miles nearly south west from Washington City, 189 south-east by east from Milledgeville, the present seat of government, and 100 south-west from Charleston, South Carolina. Lat. 32° 3' N., Long. 81° 4', West from London.