a district of British India, in the presidency of Madras, bounded on the N. by the Rajah of Mysore's dominions and the northern division of Arcot, E. by the southern division of Arcot, S.E. and S. by Trichinopoly, S.W. and W. by Coimbatore and Mysore; and lying between N. Lat. 11. 2. and 12. 54., E. Long. 77. 32. and 79.; area, 7499 square miles. The western part of the district is mountainous, being occupied by several ranges, some of which rise to a height between 5000 and 6000 feet above the sea. The principal river is the Cauvery, which flows along the western and south-western frontiers of Salem for 140 miles. Another river is the Tyromany, which, like the former, flows into the Bay of Bengal. There are no lakes, but numerous tanks and ponds in the district. The climate is various in different parts of the country, but in general it is salubrious. Iron is the most important mineral production; and cotton, coffee, indigo, sugar, and tobacco are cultivated. Pop. 1,195,377.

the capital of the above district, in a valley formed by the Sheeveroy Hills on the N., and a smaller ridge to the S., on the Tyromany, 170 miles S.W. of Madras. The valley is studded with tanks, as well as with a great number of wells; and being thus plentifully irrigated, the soil is highly cultivated. Salem itself is a fine specimen of a native Indian town, having broad streets planted with rows of cocoa-nut trees, and some of them lined with handsome houses two storeys in height. Here is an old fort, a jail, and many handsome inns. Salem is the principal seat of the Indian steel manufactory, which is carried on by a process of great ingenuity, proceeding upon a very recondite theory. It appears to have been practised from a remote antiquity; and probably the hieroglyphic carvings on the ancient Egyptian monuments were executed with Indian steel, as no other nation at that period was acquainted with the article. Pop. of the town (1843), 19,021.

a city and seaport of the United States of North America, Massachusetts, on a projecting tongue of land, 14 miles N. by E. of Boston. The peninsula on which it stands is about 2 miles in length and three-quarters of a mile across; and its position is somewhat low. The streets are irregular, but many of the buildings very handsome. Chestnut Street, which is the finest, has a beautiful row of shady elms; and Washington Square, a large public park, is also planted with trees. The principal buildings of the place, which are in general very handsome, are the city-hall, court-house, custom-house, market-house, mechanic hall, atheneum, almshouse, and jail. There are many excellent public schools in the town; and in 1852 the total number was 27. The manufactures of the place are very important, and include a large cotton factory, and manufactories of chemical substances, machinery, black and white lead, sperm oil, candles, cordage, leather, and other articles. There are many banks, insurance offices, and newspaper offices in the town. The trade and navigation of the place are still important, though not so extensive as they were at a former period of its history. In December 1852 the shipping of the port had an aggregate tonnage of 50,455. The number of vessels that entered from foreign ports in the year ending June 30, 1852, was 448, tonnage 40,721; of those that cleared for foreign ports the number was 437, tonnage 40,084. Much of the trade of Salem has been absorbed by the ports of Boston and New York. Next to Plymouth, Salem is the oldest town in New England. It was founded in 1626, and soon embarked in the fisheries and coasting trade. Before the American revolution it had acquired a high place among the commercial towns of America; and it opened up the trade with many different countries in all quarters of the globe. On the breaking out of the war with the mother country, Salem eagerly embraced the cause of liberty; and in the course of seven years (1776-83) fitted out no fewer than 158 privateers, many of which became the terror of the seas. After the close of the war most of these vessels were turned into Indiamen. Pop. (1850) 20,263; (1853) about 22,500.