Statement of Canadian produce imported into the district of Buffalo Creek, New York, for warehouse and for transportation in bond to the port of New York, for exportation to foreign countries, during the year in ling December 31, 1851.

Statement of Canadian producc imported into the district of Buffalo Creek, New York, during the year ending December 31, 1851, (being free of duty.)

TOTAL.

ENTERED.

Total of American vessels in foreign and coasting trade.....

3,932

1,463, 877

61, 602

3,924

1,480, 200 62, 576

7,856

2,944, 077

124, 178

Total of foreign and coasting trade..

4, 533

1,536, 089 66,932

4,517

1,551, 441 67,860

9, 050

3,087, 530 134,792

Total..

WILLIAM KETCHUM, Collector.

No. 10.-DISTRICT OF PRESQUE ISLE.

Port of entry, Erie, Pennsylvania; latitude 42° 08', longitude 80° 06'; population in 1830, 1,465; in 1840, 3,412; in 1850, 5,858.

This district embraces the whole coast-line of the State of Pennsylvania on Lake Erie; it contains about forty miles of shore, and has three shipping points-Erie, the port of entry, North East, and Elk Creek; the two latter being principally engaged in the shipment of staves and lumber. Erie is a beautiful town of three thousand inhabitants or upward, finely situated on Presque Isle bay, on the southern shore of Lake Erie. It is distant from Buffalo 80 miles, SSW.; from Cleveland 100, E.; from Harrisburg 270, NW.; from Washington, D. C., 343 NW. The town stands on a bluff command'ng the harbor, formed by the projection of the peninsula of Presque Isle, the mouth of which was formerly closed by a difficult sand-bar. This has been, however, partially removed, and piers constructed by the United States government, by which means the channel has been so far deepened that most of the larger steamboats and vessels, which navigate the lake, now readily enter it.

The peninsula of Presque Isle has been gradually converted into an island, the wash of the lake currents having severed the isthmus; and, the harbor having two entrances, it is expected that it will be permanently deepened, and the bar at its mouth by degrees swept away. The depth of water on it, at present, is from eight to ten feet, and within the harbor much more.

It was in this harbor that Perry's fleet was built, within seventy days from the time when the trees, of which it was constructed, were yet standing in the forest. Thence he sailed to give battle, and thither he brought back the prizes of Lake Erie, the relics of which may be yet seen rotting and half submerged, near the navy yard.

The naval depôt is still kept up at this place, and here the one or two small vessels which represent that arm of our service on the lakes are accustomed to go into winter quarters. But the commerce of the port is very limited.

A canal from Erie to Beaver connects it with one of the finest coal regions of the State, Pennsylvania, and this coal, being bituminous and of fine quality, is used by nearly all the lake steamers. This causes. many of them to put in here, when they would otherwise continue on the direct route; for Erie is ninety-seven miles, more or less, from Buffalo, and, lying at the southern end of Presque Isle bay, is from fifteen to twenty miles off the direct course from Buffalo to Cleveland. The agricultural resources of the country circumjacent and inland are not yet fully developed, and of consequence contribute but little to the commerce of the place. It will be seen that last year the supplies of flour for consumption here were received from other lake districts; but it is certain that this state of things cannot long continue in such form, inasmuch as the mineral and manufacturing resources of the district are in rapid progress of development; and the agricultural productions must rapidly mature under such stimulus as that given by liberal prices and a constant home demand. It cannot be doubted that, before long-the demand for agricultural produce in the mining and manufacturing dis