earth, throws the water into such various directions, as affords the most agreeable assemblage. The rising hills, on each side of the Potomac, are truly picturesque; and as the river admits the passage of vessels of various sizes, their sails are seen gliding through the charming landscape, and complete the delightful scene.

The city extends from northwest to southeast, about four miles and a half, and from east to southwest, about two miles and a half. The public buildings occupy the most elevated and convenient situations. The waters of Smith's Spring have been conveyed to the capitol in iron pipes, a distance of about two and a half miles; and the waters of certain springs lying to the north of the public offices and President's house, have also been conveyed there.

There has been a great oversight in placing the reservoir on the east front of the capitol, so near to the buildings: it ought to have been placed on the east side of the square to have enjoyed all its benefits. The water could then have been used for watering the grounds by means of hose.-It could have been carried into the capitol; and would serve to protect this and the neighboring buildings against the progress of fire. There would be no difficulty in effecting this; for the source of the spring is thirty feet above the base of the capitol; and the east side of the square is only nine and a half feet above the base; of course there remains twenty and a half feet, in altitude, to spare.

The streets run from north to south, and from east to west, crossing each other at right angles,

with the exception of fifteen, that point to the states of which each bears the name.-The capitol commands the streets called the Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania Avenues; the President's house, those of Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York, and Connecticut; and all these different intersections form eleven hundred and seventy squares. The Pennsylvania Avenue, which stretches in a direct line from Georgetown to the Eastern Branch, passing the President's house to the capitol, is four miles in length, and one hundred and sixty in breadth, between the President's house and the capitol, and one hundred and thirty feet wide east of the President's house and west of the capitol. The streets, which are seventy to one hundred and ten feet wide, will give a fine appearance to the city; but in a region where the summer sun is so intensely hot, and the winter wind so severely cold, narrower streets, affording shade and shelter, would be of greater utility.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN WASHINGTON.

First Ward.-President's House, State Office, Treasury Office, War Office, Navy Office, Episcopal Church, Baptist Church, Friends' Meeting, Market House, and Branch Bank.

Second Ward.-Presbyterian Church, ditto, Methodist ditto, Metropolis Bank, United States Assembly Rooms, Catholic Church, and General Post Office.

Third Ward.-Unitarian Church, First Presbyterian Church, Methodist Episcopal Church,

Methodist Reformed Church, Episcopalian Church, Theatre, City Post Office, Patent Office, City Hall, Jail, Orphan's Assylum, Centre Market, Patriotic Bank, Bank of Washington, and Masonic Hall.

Fourth Ward.-Catholic Church, Presbyterian Church, Capitol, and Market.

Fifth Ward.-Catholic Church, Fort, &c., Tobacco Warehouse, Arsenal, and Penitentiary.

Sixth Ward.-Episcopal Church, Methodist Church, Baptist Church, Navy Yard, &c., Barracks, Magazine, Market, and Masonic Hall.

THE CAPITOL,

Was commenced in 1793 by Mr. Hallet as architect, who was succeeded by Mr. G. Hadfield and Mr. Hoban, who finished the north wing. The charge of the work was then given to Mr. Henry B. Latrobe, (architect) who directed the building of the south wing, and prepared the halls for the reception of Congress. Such portions of the building having been completed as were indispensably necessary for public use, further proceedings were suspended during the embargo, nonintercourse and war; at which time the interior of both wings was destroyed, in an incursion of the enemy. After the close of the war, congress assembled, for several sessions, in a building patriotically raised by the citizens of Washington, for their accommodation. In 1815, Government determined to restore the capitol. The work was commenced under B. H. Latrobe, who super