Galveston, a port of entry, the seat of justice of Galveston county, and the most populous and commercial city of Texas, is situated on an island at the mouth of a bay of its own name, about 450 miles W. by S. from New Orleans, and 230 miles S. E. from Austin City. Lat. 29° 17' N. ; Lon. 94° 60' W. The island of Galveston, which separates the bay from the Gulf of Mexico, is about 30 miles in length and 3 miles in breadth. The surface is nearly level, and has a mean elevation of only 4 or 6 feet above the water. The bay extends northward from the city to the mouth of Trinity river, a distance of 35 miles, and varies in breadth from 12 to 18 miles. The harbour of Galveston, which is the best in the state, has 12 or 14 feet of water over the bar at low tide. Galveston is one of the most flourishing ports on the Gulf of Mexico, and carries on an active trade. Its shipping, June 30th, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 1488 tons registered, and 4003 tons enrolled and licensed. Of the latter, 3646 tons were employed in the coast trade, and 1807 tons in steam navigation. The foreign arrivals for the year were 21, (tons, 6974,) of which 19 (tons, 5480) were by foreign vessels. The clearances for foreign ports were 21, (tons, 6287,) of which 1461 tons were in American bottoms. Steamboats make regular passages to New Orleans, and to the towns in the interior of Texas. Three or four newspapers are published here. The city contains a fine market house, a town hall, about 8 churches, and several large hotels. The private houses are mostly of wood, and painted white. The streets are wide, straight, and rectangular, and bordered by numerous flower gardens. Railroads are projected from Galveston to Houston, and to Red river. First settled in 1837. Population in 1853, estimated at 7000.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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