SAN FRANCISCO

SAN FRANCISCO, the capital of a county of the same name, and chief commercial city of California, in the United States of North America, at the mouth of the splendid bay of San Francisco, through which the river Sacramento issues into the sea, N. Lat. 37. 48., W. Long. 122. 26. It occupies the northern extremity of a tongue of land that encloses the bay on the west; and its site consists of a sandy plain, gently sloping from the hills behind down to the bay. The city was originally built round a semi-circular cove facing the north-east, but this is now covered with warehouses erected on piles, and the rapidly increasing buildings are extending backwards from the water and climbing the hills behind, which are only about half a mile from the shore. From Telegraph Hill to the north, a magnificent view is obtained over the city and surrounding country. To the west lies the ocean and the entrance of the bay; to the north its northern arm, leading up the Sacramento river, and ever studded with steamers; to the east, beyond the broad sheet of water, a panorama of wooded hills, with the cone of Monte Diablo in the distance; and to the south the city itself, with its perpetual bustle and activity, its wharves crowded with shipping from all parts of the world. The streets are all regularly laid out, crossing one another at right angles; but the buildings exhibit the utmost variety in the form and materials of their construction, though brick is now beginning to be most generally used. Some of the public buildings, such as the churches, schools, hospitals, theatres, &c., are equal to any in the United States; and many of the hotels and shops are large and splendid. But the rapidity of the changes that come over the appearance of San Francisco renders it vain to give any detailed description. Many important manufactures are carried on in the town. There are two sugar-houses, a paper mill, two steam barrel factories, oil-works, and shipbuilding yards; while agricultural implements, furniture, carriages, tubs, pails, musical instruments, &c., are also made here.

The history of the place, especially its recent rapid rise, is not a little remarkable. Its original name was Yerba Buena, and it first rose in connection with one of the Spanish mission settlements, called San Francisco, founded in 1776. From that period till 1831 the settlement continued to flourish under the Spanish, and latterly under the Mexican, government; but the disturbances which then agitated the country drove away the Indians, and reduced the settlement to ruins. A new city was founded in 1839, but the population in 1845 did not exceed 150. Numerous settlers from the United States began to flock hither, even before California was ceded to that country in 1848. But in the December of the previous year a new era opened for San Francisco with the discovery of gold. No sooner was the fact generally known, in the next spring, than the city was almost deserted for the diggings; trade was at an end, and all business seemed to have ceased. But this did not last long, for in the month of August eager crowds of emigrants began to arrive, the harbour was thronged with ships, and the city far more than before alive with bustle and din. Building was soon commenced with vigour, the value of property rose rapidly, and in little more than a year the population had risen to more than 15,000. De-

San Fran-structive fires broke out on several occasions, and laid large
elco. portions of the city in ashes; but these injuries were
speedily repaired. By these calamities, as well as by a
reckless expenditure, the financial affairs of the city were
reduced to a very low state; but by the imposition of
heavy taxes the credit was restored from a state of almost
hopeless bankruptcy. So much gold poured into the town
as to render it necessary in 1853 to establish a mint in San
Francisco. Its operations since it commenced in 1854
have been as follows:—

There are, however, other articles besides gold received
from the interior of California, as is exhibited in the follow-
ing table:—

The number of the vessels that entered the port in 1855
was 1520; tonnage, 517,919; in 1856, number 1455; ton-
nage, 444,015; in 1857, number 1583; tonnage, 427,566;
and in 1858, number 1441; tonnage, 467,529. The total
for the last year was made up as follows:—

The imports from different countries vary considerably
in different years: those from the whale fishery have regu-
larly fallen off for the last four years; those from Aus-
tralia have remained stationary; those from Mexico, China,
the East Indies, and South America have increased; and

those from Vancouver's Island have been almost entirely
created since the discovery of gold there. The imports
from foreign countries to San Francisco were in 1856
valued at L.1,520,795; in 1857 at L.1,903,624; and in
1858 at L.1,872,856. The most important articles of im-
port are rice, coffee, sugar, wine and spirits, timber, and
coal. The following table exhibits the tonnage of vessels
that left San Francisco in the last three years for various
ports, exclusive of the Pacific states of the Union.

The value of the exports for the same year is exhibited
in the following table:—

In these numbers the quantity of gold exported is not
included, but the principal articles are timber, hides, wool,
quicksilver, and marble. The value of gold exported in
these years from San Francisco is as follows:—

San Francisco is now rapidly rising above its former con-
dition of being a mere landing-place for the gold-diggers; the
population is becoming more settled; the turbulence and
reckless speculation of the first miners have given place to
order and security; the agricultural wealth of the country
is being developed, and the trade in gold is every year
forming a smaller proportion of the whole trade of the
place. The population of San Francisco, which according
to the State census of 1852 was 34,776, was estimated in
1853 to be from 50,000 to 60,000.