marauding and rapacious age of Henry VIII.
which led to the demolition of this magnificent
establishment, of which the gateway only
remains, now used as the borough prison; ex-
cept the abbey church, which was rescued from
impending destruction by the inhabitants, who
purchased it of the succeeding monarch, Edward

VI. for xc2xa3400. when it was made parochial ; but
was again doomed to a reverse, in being exposed
to the plunder and fanaticism of Cromwell, dur-
ing the period of his predominance. It has since
been repaired, and many vestiges of its former
grandeur still remain. It is one of the largest ec-
clesiastical edifices in Europe. There are three
other churches, in one of which (St. Michael) is
a monument to the memory of the illustrious
Francis Bacon, whose analysis and organization
of the laws of nature will immortalize his name. St.
Albans is governed by a mayor and 12 aldermen,
and returns two members to parliament. Its mar-
ket on Saturdays is considerable in grain, &c. and
especially for straw-plait, which is brought in by
the country people, and bought up for manufac-
turing into bonnets in London. The town is sit-
uate on the banks of the little river Ver, on
which there are two mills for throwing silk. It is
21 m. N. of London.

Albans, St. p.t. capital of Franklin Co. Vt. 23 m.
N. Burlington.

Albans, Tit. p.t. Somerset Co. Me. 30 m. E. N. E.
Norridgewock. Pop. 911.

Albans, St. t. Licking Co. Ohio. Pop. 935.

Albany, capital of the state of New York, stands
on the AV. bank of the Hudson, at nearly the head
of tide water, 160 m. above New York city, and
184 W.of Boston. It is a place of much business and
wealth, being situated at the point where the great
Erie canal joins the Hudson, and commanding
in a manner the whole interior trade of the State.
The prosperity of the city has been wonderful
*ince the opening of this great channel of in-
ternal navigation, and its population has increased
one half within six years. Its first appearance is
not prepossessing to a stranger, hut the bustle and
activity of its business give it an air of great liveli-
ness ; while many public and private buildings
with which it is adorned, display much taste and
elegance. There are many good specimens of the
old Dutch architecture in various parts of the city,
but its general appearance has been greatly mod-
ernized within a few years. The capital is a fine
stone edifice upon the. brow of a hill ^overlooking
the city, and immediately at the head of State
street, a wide and handsome avenue. It is 115
feet long and has in front an Ionic portico of 4
magnificent columns, 33 feet in height. The
public square adjoining the capitol, is laid out into
walks and avenues. North of this building
stands the Academy, the most elegant structure
in the city. It is built of freestone and has a
front of 90 feet. The Slate Hall is an ancient
building. The Albany, Farmers and Mechanics
Banks are handsome edifices of white marble. The
City Hall has a gilded dome. The Museum is one
of the most splendid structures in the State, and
contains a large and valuable collection of curios-
ities. The basin where the canal joins the river
is formed by a pier 4,300 f. in length and includes
an area of 32 acres. Here are stored immense
quantities of gcods of evety description. The city
has a library of 8,000 vols , a theatre and 16
churches. A mineral spring has been recently dis-
covered here. The neighbourhood is pleasant and
the facilities for travelling in everv direction very
great. Steamboats constantly pass between A1
bany and New-York. A railroad extends 15
m. to Schenectady ; the Northern Canal brings
the waters of Lake Champlain with those of Erie
into the bosom of the city, and lines of stages
pass to Boston, Saratoga, Utica and many other
parts. Albany was founded in 1612, and next to
Jamestown is the oldest settlement in the United
States. It is governed by a Mayor and a Board
of Aldermen and Assistants. Pop. 24,238.

Albany, t. Oxford Co. Me. 18 m. N. AA⁷ Paris.
Pop. 387.

Albany, t. Orleans Co. Vt. 34 m. N. Montpelier.
Pop. 683.

Albany, a County of New York. Pop. 53,560;
its capital is the city of this name.

Albany, t. Berks Co. Pa. on the S. side of Blue
Mountains.

Albany, New, p.t. Clarke Co. Ind. 642 m. AVash.

Albany, a river of Upper Canada, which flow's
E. through several small lakes into James’s Bay,
there is a fort of the same name at its mouth.
Long. 82. W. lat. 52. 14. N.

Albarazin, a town of Spain, in Arragon, and a
bishop’s see. Its wool is thebest in Arragon. It
is seated on the Guadalaviar, 100 m. E. of Madrid.

Albacete, a towin of Spain, in Murcia, with
manufactures in iron and steel; seated in a fertile
country on the post road from Madrid (dis. 40 lea.)
to Carthagena, dis. 33 1-2 leag.

Albazin, a town of Chinese Tartary, with a for-
tress, on the N. side of the Saghalien. Lon. 123.
30. E. lat. 53. 0. N.

Albeek, a town and castle of Suabia, on the river
Alb, 5 m. N. by E. of Ulm.

Albemarle, or Aumale, a town of France, in the
department of Lower Seine, with a manufacture
of serges and other stuffs, 20 m. S. W. of Dieppe
and 32 N. N. AV. of Rouen.

Albemarle, a central Co. of the state of Adrginia.
Pop. 22,6(8. Charlottesville is the chief town.

Albemarle Sound, an inlet of the Atlantic ocean,
in N. Carolina, 60 m. long, and from 8 to 12 broad.
It is 30 m. N. of Pamlico Sound ; and is unit-
ed with Chesapeake bay at Norfolk, by a canal
cut through the Dismal Swamp.

Albenga, a strong seaport on the coast of Genoa,
surrounded by olive-trees, 37 m. S. W. of Genoa.
Long. 8. 7. E. lat. 44.6. N.

Albion, p.t. Kennebeck Co. Me. 91 m. N. E.
Portland. Pop. 1,393. _v

Albion, p.v. Edwards Co. Illinois. 88 m. S. E.
Vandalia.

Albion,New, a name given by Sir Francis Drake,
who explored the coast in 1578, to a country on
the AV. coast of N. America, extending from the
35 to the 48th. degree of N. lat.; but the northern
part is now comprehended in the Missouri territo-
ry, and the southern in New California.

Albona, a town of Italy, in Istria, near the gulf
of Carnero, 16 m. E. by S. of Rovigno.

Albret, a town of France, in the department of
Gironde, 37 m. S. ofaBourdeaux.

Albvfeira, a town on the S. coast of Algarva,
Portugal; pop. about 2,000. Also a town of Va-
lencia, Spain, on the’ sea coast.

Albuquerque, a town of Spain, in Estremaduia,
with a strong castle. It has a considerable trade in
wool and cloth, and is 18 m. N. N. W. of Badajoz.
Also a town on the Rio del Norte, a few miles S.
of Santa Fe, Mexico. There is also a village of
the same name in the province of Puebla, Mex-
ico.

Alburgh, p.t. Grand Isle Co. A^Tt. in the S. AV