NEW BEDFORD, a town of the United States of North America, in the state of Massachusetts, is situated on the estuary of the Acushnet, an arm of Buzzard's Bay, 55 miles S. of Boston. It stands on the slope of a hill, and is for the most part built of wood. The streets, which are straight and regular, are generally lined with trees, and many of the houses are surrounded by gardens. The town-hall is a very handsome building of granite, 100 feet long, 60 wide, and three storeys high. There is also a fine granite custom-house. New Bedford contains about 20 places of worship belonging to various denominations, and numerous public schools. The manufactures are considerable, but principally in connection with the whaling trade, in which the town is extensively engaged. Ship-building and coopering are largely carried on. In the year ending June 30, 1852, 18 vessels were admeasured, having a tonnage of 5626. There are more than twenty manufactories of oil of various kinds, and several planing-mills, rope-works, iron-works, &c. The shipping of New Bedford is chiefly employed in whaling; and the total amount registered and enrolled had in 1852 a tonnage of 149,208, of which 125,530 tons were employed in the whale fishery. The number of ships that entered in that year was 113, with a tonnage of 27,940; those that cleared 174, with a tonnage of 55,347. Pop. (1850) 16,443; (1853) about 17,500.