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!!!"