NEW ENGLAND GAZETTEER.

Succession of Governors*

Nicholas Cooke, 1776—1778. William Greene, 1778—1786. John
Collins, 1786—1789. Arthur Fenner, 1789-^-1805.    Henry Smith,

(Act. Gov.) 1S05; Isaac Wilborn, (Lieut. Gov.) 1806. James Fenner,
1807—1811. William Jones, 1811—1817.    Nehemiah R. Knight,

1817—1821. William C. Gibbs, 1821—1824.    James Fenner, 1824—

1831. Lemuel H. Arnold, 1831—1833.    John Brown Francis,

1833—

The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Judicial Court and Court
of Common Pleas.

The Judges of all the Courts, Sheriffs, Notaries, Justices of the Peace,
and Clerks of the Courts are chosen annually.by the Legislature in
Grand Committee. In all the towns (except Providence) the town coun-
cils are, ex officio, Courts of Probate, and the^ town Clerks, Registers of
Deeds and Probate. The Municipal Courtin the city'of Providence ex-
ercise probate jurisdiction, and the Clerk is Register of Probate. The
city Clerk is Register of Deeds.

This state annually appropriates $10,000, to be divided among the
towns for the support of free schools.

Rhode Island comprises five counties : Providence, Newport, Bristol,
Kent and Washington. It is bounded N. and E. by the state'of Massa-
chusetts, S. hy the Atlantic ocean, and W; by the state of Connecticut.
It lies between 41° and 42° N. lat., and between 71° and 72° W. long.;
and comprises an area of 1350 square miles. Population, 1755, 40,414 ;
1774,59,673; 1790, 68,825; 1800, 69,122; 1310, 75,188; 1320,33,059;
1830,97,196. Population to square a mile, 71.

The natural features of this state are somewhat peculiar. About a
tenth part of it is water, and of the residue of land a considerable portion
iajsland territory. The interior of the state, with the exception of the in-
tervales along the streams, is generally rough and hilly.

The most considerable, eminences are Mount Hope, in Bristol, Hop-
kins’ Hill, in West Greenwich, and Woonsocket Hill, in Smithfield.
There are also some hills of considerable elevation in Exeter. Rhode
Island, and most of the other islands in Narraganset bay, disclose a
geological structure, of the transition character, and present a surface
generally undulating, and often highly picturesque and beautiful.

The mineral treasures of the State have not been explored: hut so far
as they are known, they are not extensive or valuable. Iron ore is
the most important mineral. Mineral coal is found upon Rhode Island.
Limestone abounds in the northeastern section of the state ; and in these
calcareous strata there are some excellent-quarries of marble. Serpen-