THE AMERICAN ALMANACX.*
This exceedingly valuable publication contains just such prac- tical information respecting the United States of America as every intelligent Englishman requires. The title does not exactly des- cribe the work. It is truly a "Repository of Useful Know- ledge " ; but that knowledge is particularly. American. The pre- sent is the thirtieth volume, and as the publication is annual it has been continued for thirty years. That portion of the work which gives its first title is devoted to a Calendar adapted to the principal cities of the Union, north, south and west, together with a vast amount of astronomical information relating to the con- tinent of North America.
The second part is confined more specifically to a record of the principal events of the year 1858 in the United. States, and is a carefully prepared resume of the history of that period. It con- tains a brief account of the executive government, cabinet, officers of departments, postmasters, collectors of customs, registrars of land, naval military, marine and judicial officers, foreign ministers, consuls, &o. with their salaries, and an account of the army and navy, with a statement of the militia force of the country. To this is added titles and abstract of all public laws and resolutions passed by Congress in 1858, the appropriations for 1858 and 1859, a succinct account of the national revenue, debt, expenditure, com- merce, tonnage, post office, mint, and of congress, with informa- tion as to education finance, population, elections, railroads, and telegraphs. A portion of the work consists of a reliable, political, financial, educational, criminal, and progressive history of each individual state and territory- which is extremely valuable. To this is affixed the names of the Governors of the States, the various judges' and those of the principal officers of each com- monwealth. The work concludes with a carefully prepared American Obituary for 1858; and as the information 'throughout the volume is mainly derived from official sources, accuracy has been secured, and a manual for reference on American progress compiled useful to every person interested in the advancement of free government.
• The American Almanack and Repository of Useful Knowledge, for the year 1859. Boston: Crosby, Nichols, and Company. London : Trnbner and Company, 60, Paternoster Row. Paris : Hector Bossange. 1859. pp. 384.
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