CAROLINA

CAROLINA, South, one of the United States of North America, is situated between N. Lat. 32. 4. and 35. 12., and W. Long. 78. 25. and 83. 19. It is of an irregularly triangular form, and is bounded N. by North Carolina, S.E. by

the ocean, and S.W. by Georgia, from which it is separated by the river Savannah. Area 28,000 square miles. Its coast is upwards of 200 miles in length, and is lined towards the south by a chain of fine islands, between which and the shore the navigation is convenient. The land is naturally divided into an upper, middle, and lower country. The lower country extends for about 100 miles from the coast, and is covered with pine forests, interspersed by swamps and marshes, and permeated by sluggish streams. The middle country is an undulating district chiefly of sand, which extends about 50 or 60 miles westward. This tract occasionally presents an oasis of verdure or a field of maize, but otherwise offers little to attract the agriculturist. Westward of this is the "Ridge," where the country rises suddenly and somewhat precipitously, and afterwards continues gradually to ascend. Its surface is beautifully diversified with hills and dales, interspersed with extensive forests, and watered by fine streams. This part of the country gradually ascends to the mountainous region in the west, where the Blue Ridge passes through the state. One of the most conspicuous of the peaks here is the Table Mountain, which rises to the height of 4000 feet above the sea.

South Carolina is abundantly watered. One of its triangular sides is washed by the ocean, and another is watered by the river Savannah, accessible to vessels for more than half its length, and to small boats for 100 miles farther. Its principal rivers have their sources in the Blue Ridge. The great Pedee, 450 miles long, rises in North Carolina, where it has the name of Yadkin; and, after receiving the waters of Lynch's Creek and Black River from the right, and Little Pedee and Waccamaw from the left, it falls into Winyaw Bay. It is navigable for sloops for 130 miles. The Santee is formed by the junction of the Catawba and the Congaree. Steamboats ascend to Camden and Columbia; and by the aid of canals there is navigation for boats to the mountains. The Congaree is itself formed by the junction of two considerable navigable streams, the Saluda and Broad rivers. The Edisto, Cambahee, Ashley, Cooper, and Coosawatchie, are smaller streams in the southern part of the state, navigable for some distance by small vessels. The lower part of the courses of these rivers are generally shallow, and obstructed by bars. The coast presents no good harbour, but has numerous entrances, accessible to small vessels, and very advantageous to an extensive and active coasting trade. The harbour of Charleston, the largest and most commercial place in the state, is obstructed at its entrance by a dangerous sand-bar; and that of Georgetown—at the head of Winyaw Bay, 13 miles from the ocean—will admit only small vessels. The harbour of Beaufort, on the island of Port Royal, is the best in the state, but little frequented. St Helena Sound is the most spacious opening for a great distance along the coast; but, although about 3 miles wide and 10 miles long, it is too much beset by shoals to be of any great commercial value. The range of islands on the southern coast are separated from the mainland by narrow channels. These islands are low and flat, covered with forests of live oak, pine, and palmettoes, and yield the black seed or Sea Island cotton. Formerly these were the haunts of alligators, but they are now well peopled and cultivated.

Its geological character much resembles that of North Carolina. The western part of the state belongs to the auriferous belt of the Atlantic slope, and for a number of years the production of gold has been such as to induce the miner to continue his pursuit. The washings are the most productive; but in several cases large nuggets have been dug up. Iron of a very superior quality is abundant, but coal is not found. Granite, sienite, gneiss, mica, slate, soapstone, porcelain-clay, limestone, chalk, red and yellow ochre, and precious stones, are found in various parts of the state.

A great similarity of surface and soil is observable in the

Carolina, upper regions; and this is also true of the lower districts. Oak is the natural growth of the one, and pine of the other. Clay forms the soil of by far the largest portion of the state, and except in the immediate vicinity of the ocean is almost the universal substratum. The high lands above the falls of the rivers are naturally much superior to those of the pine-covered region; but the alluvial bottoms of the former are greatly surpassed in richness by the river swamps of the latter. The swamps, covering about 2000 square miles, are capable of thorough and economical draining, and may thus be converted into tracts of great fertility. The pine forests cover about 6,000,000 acres.

South Carolina is remarkable for the richness, variety, and abundance of its productions. Of articles of food it produces rice, wheat, Indian corn, oats, rye, beans, potatoes, &c., besides cotton, hemp, flax, indigo, tobacco, sugar-cane, olives, oranges and other fruits, and a variety of culinary and medicinal plants. Its woods abound in game, and the shores and rivers present almost every variety of fish.

The manufactures are chiefly such as are required in an agricultural country. The number of manufacturing establishments in operation in June 1850, and producing to the value of $500 and upwards annually, was 1473. Of these 18 were cotton factories, 91 tanneries, and 6 iron works. The value of exports for the year ending 3d June 1852, was $11,670,021, the whole being the produce of the state; imports $2,177,614. The number of ships which entered during the year ending 30th June 1850 was 305 vessels of 96,916 tons; the number that cleared was 375 vessels of 125,052 tons. The total amount of shipping owned in the state was 36,072 tons, of which 17,126 tons were registered, 18,926 enrolled and licensed, and 69 licensed (under 20 tons). Of the registered tonnage 1116, and of the enrolled and licensed 6339 were propelled by steam. South Carolina is said to have 2400 miles of inland navigation; and in 1852 had 447 miles of railway in operation, 203 in progress, and 98 projected.

The decennial population since 1790 was as follows:—

The births during the year ending 1st June 1850, and surviving at that date, were, of whites and free coloured 6607, and of slaves 9194; deaths—2879 of the former, and 5167 of the latter.

The number of public schools in the state in 1850 was 724, with 739 teachers, and 17,838 pupils; of academies and other schools, 202, with 333 teachers, and 7467 pupils; and of colleges 8, with 43 teachers, and 720 pupils. The number attending school during the year, as returned by families, was 40,293 whites, and 80 free coloured persons—being in the former 6-8 of the white population. Adults unable to read and write—whites 15,684, free coloured 880. There were 16 public, 3 school, and 7 college libraries, having in all 107,472 volumes. The number of places of worship was 1182, with 460,530 sittings; of these, 484 were Methodist, 413 Baptist, 136 Presbyterian, 72 Episcopal, 41 Lutheran, and 17 Roman Catholic.

South Carolina, according to last census, sends 6 representatives (formerly 7) to congress. The legislature consists of a house of representatives and senate. The representatives, 124 in number, are elected for two years, and must be free white men, 21 years of age, and citizens of the state for 3 years, with certain property qualifications. The senators, 45 in number, are chosen for 4 years, one-half going out every two years; they must be free white men of at least 30 years of age, citizens of the state for 5 years, and possessed of a certain value of property. The legislature assembles annually at Columbia. The governor is elected by the senate and house of representatives jointly for two years, and is not re-eligible until the expiry of 4 years. The judiciary consists of a law and

an equity court of appeals, courts for correction of errors, of common pleas, and general sessions, &c. Courts of common pleas and general sessions are held in each district twice a-year.

The militia force in 1850 consisted of 55,299 men, of whom 2591 Carpathians were commissioned officers. The revenue for year ending 30th Mountain, Sept. 1852 was $739,696, and the expenditure $359,913: the absolute debt was $1,914,438, and the contingent $1,051,422: total property of the state $5,240,467. (De Bows' Industrial Resources of the South and West; Gazetteer of the United States; Statistics of the United States; American Almanac, &c.)