a seaport-town of the United States of North America, capital of a cognominal county in the state of Alabama, is situated on the right bank of Mobile River, Mobile, immediately above its entrance into the bay of the same name, 165 miles E. by N. of New Orleans; N. Lat. 30° 41', W. Long. 88° 1'. The site of the town is a sandy plain, slightly elevated above the river, and affording a sufficient fall for the purposes of drainage; while in its vicinity are extensive pine hills, resorted to in summer for their healthy exposure. The city itself is laid out in streets, crossing each other at right angles, but which, excepting in the mercantile quarter near the wharves, are rather incompactly built. Most of the wider streets have been tastefully planted with trees; and the houses are copiously supplied with excellent spring water. For many years, however, it had the unenviable notoriety of being one of the most unhealthy places on the Mexican Gulf; and indeed the devastating epidemics of 1819, 1825, 1829, and 1843, gave melancholy evidence of the fact. But subsequently there has been a marked improvement in this respect, owing to the filling up of the neighbouring marshes, and to the introduction of a system of drainage, as well as to greater attention being paid to the sanitary affairs of the town. The public edifices of Mobile are numerous: the chief are the Springhill college, founded in 1830, and possessing a library of 7000 volumes; the U.S. marine hospital; and a large new custom-house; besides many charitable and literary institutions. A battery, named Fort Morgan, defends the entrance of the bay, and a lighthouse stands in the same situation. Mobile is by far the most considerable town in Alabama, in regard both to population and commerce, and, after New Orleans, is the greatest cotton market in the United States. Communicating with the interior by the rivers Alabama and Tombigby, its harbour is supplied with the produce of the great cotton plantations of the state with ease, and at a trifling expense; while by railroads it will in a short time be united with the Ohio and the great lakes in the N., and with Georgia in the E. Its harbour may be considered to be the entire Bay of Mobile, which forms an inlet of great extent, and affords secure anchorage. On account, however, of some obstructions of a removable character, ships drawing more than 11 feet cannot reach the city. During the year ending June 30, 1856, the arrivals of shipping at this port amounted to 473,678 tons, of which 301,498 tons were engaged in the coasting trade. The clearances in the same year numbered 312,973 tons only, 98,264 tons of which went eastward. Of this amount of tonnage about a fourth part belonged to Britain. The imports of Mobile chiefly consist of salt, oats, flour, corn, bacon, whisky, bagging, and railroad iron; but come considerably short in value of the exports, which comprise cotton, timber (rough and manufactured), hides, oysters, rosin, bricks, tar, and pitch. In the following table the total values are given for the years 1853, 1854, and 1856:

| Year | Imports (foreign) | Exports | |------|------------------|---------| | 1853 | Ls. 163,992 | Ls. 4,903,419 | | 1854 | Ls. 183,854 | Ls. 3,296,792 | | 1855 | Ls. 162,381 | Ls. 2,943,862 |

Of the latter, cotton is the most important, 557,243 bales having been shipped, coastwise as well as to foreign ports, during 1856=Ls.5,389,432. More than the half of this was exported to Britain, and that chiefly in British ships. The next articles in point of value were masts and spars, amounting to Ls.35,678, and which were exported chiefly to France for naval purposes. Ordinary rough and hewn timber was exported in the same year to the value of Ls.18,889, hides to that of Ls.12,208, oysters to Ls.11,573, and rosin to that of Ls.8331. The manufactures of Mobile are inconsiderable compared with its general trade; and, with the exception of a cotton-mill, employing 180 hands, the factories are all of small dimensions. The prosperity of the city, however, can be better judged of by the valuation of the merchandise and real estate belonging to its inhabitants: in 1840 the total value of these amounted to Ls.3,888,985, and in 1850 to Ls.651,860.

The history of the place commences with the French possession of Louisiana. In 1702 Bienville founded the original town of Mobile at the mouth of Dog River, but in consequence of inundations it was removed, nine years afterwards, to its present site at the mouth of the Mobile River. An extensive fortress was built here, and the seat of government permanently fixed. At the peace of 1763 the town passed into the possession of the English. Under the latter its exports comprised indigo, raw hides, tobacco, timber, pecan nuts, and a small amount of cotton. In 1777 Bertram describes Mobile as extending back half a mile from the river, with a few good buildings occupied by the French or emigrants from England, Scotland, Ireland, and the North American colonies. At the close of the American revolution, the Spaniards again came into possession under the general treaty of peace; but on the cession of Louisiana to the United States, the Americans took final possession of Mobile without striking a blow. Pop. (1788) 1468, (1820) 1500, (1840) 12,672, and in 1850, 20,515; of which 12,997 were whites, 715 free coloured, and 6803 slaves; 752 were English and Scotch, 2009 Irish, 552 German, and 303 French. Total pop. in 1855, about 24,000.