kilog., or more than 4,000 lbs., of nutritive substance. What a difference between this product and that of the cereal grasses in most parts of Europe! The same extent of land planted with wheat would not produce above 30 lbs.; and not more than 90 lbs. of potatoes. Hence the product of the banana is to that of wheat as 133 to 1, and to that of potatoes as 44 to 1."-(Essai sur la Nouvelle Espagne, tom. ii. p. 388. 2d ed.)

The banana forms a principal part of the food of the people of Mexico; and the apathy and indolence of the natives in the tierras calientes, or hot regions, has been ascribed, and probably with good reason, to the facility with which it supplies them with subsistence. It is by no means in such exten sive use in tropical Asia; and comes nowhere in it into competition with corn as an article of food. PLATE, the denomination usually given to gold and silver wrought into articles of household furniture.

In order partly to prevent fraud, and partly for the purpose of collecting a revenue, the manufacture of plate is placed under certain regulations. Those who carry it on are obliged to take out a licence, renewable annually on the 31st of July.—(See ante, p. 137.) Assay offices are established in different places; and any one selling any article previously to its having been assayed and marked, forfeit 50%.-(24 Geo. 3. c. 53.) No plate is passed at the assay offices, unless it be of the fineness of the old standard, or 11 oz. and 2 dwts., or of the new standard of 11 oz. and 10 dwts. Gold plate, with the exception of gold watch-cases, is to pay a duty of 17s. an oz., and silver plate a duty of 1s. 6d.; but watch-cases, chains, tippings, mountings, collars, bottle tickets, teaspoons, &c. are exempted. The 52 Geo. 3. c. 143. made the counterfeiting, or the transference from one piece of plate to another, of the marks, stamps, &c. impressed on plate by the assayers, felony without the benefit of clergy. But the offence is now punishable by transportation or imprisonment only.-(1 Will. 4. c. 66.) In his able speech on the state of the country, 18th of March, 1830, Mr. Huskisson said, "The rate of duty upon silver wrought plate, in 1801, was Is. 3d., upon gold 16s. an ounce; it was afterwards raised to Is. 6d. upon silver, and 17s. on gold. But what has been the increase in the nett produce of the duty? It has risen from less than 5,000l. in 1804, to 105,000l. in 1826; a rise of more than twenty-fold notwithstanding the greatly diminished supply from the mines, and the consequent increasing value of the precious metals. It may be further remarked, that this augmentation shows how large a portion of gold and silver is annually diverted from the purposes of coin to those of ornament and luxury." A Return, showing the Annual Nett Produce of the Duty levied on wrought Gold and Silver Plate, in each Year from 1806 to 1833, both inclusive; distinguishing, as far as possible, Gold from Silver and also the Rate of Duty in each Year.-(Parl. Paper, No. 216. Sess. 1833.)

Note. The produce of the duties on gold and silver plate cannot be distinguished for the country prior to the year ended 5th of January, 1819, the same not having been distinguished in the accounts of the distributors.

We endeavoured to show, in the former edition of this work, that Mr. Huskisson had been deceived by trusting to false or defective information; and that, instead of the increase of the duties, and, con-sequently, of the consumption of plate, being nearly so great as he had represented, it fell far short of what might have been fairly expected from the increasing wealth and population of the country. The preceding Table shows that our criticism was well founded. The stationary amount of duty may, perhaps, be accounted for by the facility with which the duties are evaded. The increase of duty in 1826 is a curious phenomenon.

PLATINA, a metal which, in respect of scarcity, beauty, ductility, and indestructibility is hardly inferior to gold, was unknown in Europe till about the middle of last century, when it began to be imported in small quantities from South America. It has since been discovered in Estremadura in Spain, and, more recently, in the Ural Mountains in Asiatic Russia, where it is now raised in very considerable quantities.

Platina is of a white colour, like silver, but not so bright, and has no taste or smell. Its hardness is intermediate between copper and iron. Its specific gravity is about 215, that of gold being 193; so that it is the heaviest body with which we are acquainted. It is exceedingly ductile and malleable; it may be hammered out into very thin plates, and drawn into wires not exceeding 1-1940th of an inch in diameter. In these properties it is probably inferior to gold, but it seems to surpass all the other metals. Its tenacity is such, that a wire of platina 0·078 inch in diameter is capable of supporting a

weight of 274-31 lbs. avoirdupois without breaking. It is one of the most infusible of all metals; but pieces of it may be welded together without difficulty when heated to whiteness. It is not in the smallest degree altered by the action of air or water.-Thomson's Chemistry.)

The late Dr. Wollaston discovered a method of fusing platina, and, consequently, of rendering it easily available in the arts. The Russians have, within these few years, issued platina coins of the value of 3, 6, and 20 silver roubles. Platina first began to be an object of attention in Russia in 1824, when 1 pood 33 lbs. were collected. In 1830, the produce amounted to 303 poods 14 lbs. In 1831, a piece of native platina was discovered at Demidoff's gold mines, weighing 20 lbs. 2 zolt.—(Official Statements published by the Russian Government.)

PLATTING, slips of bast, cane, straw, &c. woven or plaited for making into hats, &c.— (See HATS, STRAW.)

PLUMS, the fruit of the Prunus domestica, are too well known to require any description. They were introduced into England in the 15th century, and are cultivated in all parts of the country. There are said to be nearly 300 varieties of plums.

PLUMBAGO. See BLACK LEAD.

POMEGRANATE, POMEGRANATES (Ger. Granatäpfel; Fr. Grenades; It. Granati, Melagrani; Sp. Granadas), the fruit of the pomegranate tree (Punica granatum). This tree, which grows to the height of 15 or 20 feet, appears to be a native of Persia, whence it has been conveyed, on the one side, to Southern Europe, and on the other, to the tropical parts of Asia, and eventually to the New World. The fruit is a pulpy, many-seeded berry, the size of an orange, covered with a thick, brown, coriaceous rind. The pulp has a reddish colour, and a pleasant subacid taste. The value of the fruit depends on the smallness of the seed and the largeness of the pulp. The finest, called by the Persians, budana, or seedless, is imported into India from Caubul and Candahar, where the pomegranate grows in perfection. The tree thrives all the way to the equator; but, within the tropics, the fruit is hardly fit for use. The pomegranates brought to England from the south of Europe and the West Indies are very inferior to those of Persia.—(Private information.)

POPLAR (Ger. Pappel, Pappelhaum; Du. Popelier; Fr. Peuplier; It. Pioppa, Sp. Alamo, Lat. Populus). Of the poplar (Populus of botanists), there are about 15 species described; of these, 5 are common in England; viz. the common or White, the Black, the Aspen or trembling poplar, the Abele or great white poplar, and the Lombardy poplar. In most favourable situations, the white poplar grows with great rapidity, sometimes sending forth shoots 16 feet long in a single season. The wood is soft, and not very durable, unless kept dry; but it is light, not apt either to swell or shrink, and easily wrought. The Lombardy poplar grows rapidly, and shoots in a complete spire to a great height; its timber does not differ materially from that of the white poplar. It is very light; and is, therefore, well adapted for the manufacture of packing-cases. None of the species is fit for large timbers.— (Tredgold's Principles of Carpentry; Veget. Sub., Lib. of Entert. Knowledge.)

POPULATION. To attempt giving in this place any explanation of the laws which regulate the progress of population, would be quite inconsistent with the objects and limits of this work. It may, indeed, be thought that the word has no business here. However, as it is frequently of importance in commercial questions, and in others materially affecting commercial interests, to be able to compare the consumption of an article with the population, we believe we shall gratify our readers by laying before them the following Tables, showing the results of the different censuses that have been taken of the population of Great Britain and Ireland, [and of the United States.

I. Population of Great Britain in 1901, 1811, 1821, and 1331, showing its Amount at each Period in each County of England and Scotland, and in the entire Principality of Wales; with the Ratio of Increase.

II. Population of Ireland, as determined by the Censuses taken in 1813, 1821, and 1931, s. owing its Amount at each Period in each County, with the Rates of Increase.

PORCELAIN, OR CHINA WARE, a very fine species of earthenware. The first specimens of this fabric were brought to Europe from China and Japan. The best Chinese porcelain is of a very fine texture, white, semi-transparent, and sometimes beautifully coloured and gilt; is infusible, and not subject to break by the sudden application of heat or cold. The Chinese term for the article is tse-ki. But the Portuguese, by whom it was first brought in considerable quantities into Europe, bestowed on it the name of porcelain, from porcella, a cup.

Common earthenware, sometimes of a very good quality, is manufactured in Canton, Fokien, and several other provinces of China. But it is a curious fact, that the beautiful porcelain imported into Europe is made only in the town of Kingtesing, in the province of Kyangsi. Its manufacture is fully described by Duhalde, in his account of China, under the head "Porcelain and China ware." porcelain of Japan is decidedly inferior to that of China; very little is imported, and it is valued only as a curiosity.

The

After porcelain began to be imported, its beauty soon brought it into great request, notwithstanding its high price, as an ornament for the houses and tables of the rich and the great. The emulation of European artists was in consequence excited. Very little information was, however, chtained as to the mode of manufacturing porcelain till the early part of list century, when the process was developed in a letter from a French Jesuit in China, who had found means to make himself pretty well acquainted with the subject. The knowledge that thus transpired, and the investigations of Reaumur and other chemists, prepared the way for the establishment of the manufacture in Europe. It was first commenced at Dresden, which has been fainous ever since for the beauty of its productions; but the finest and most magnificent specimens of European china have been produced at Sevres, in France, in the factory carried on at the expense of the French government.

British Porcelain Manufacture.-This, though unable to boast of such fine specimens of costly workmanship as have been produced at Sèvres and Dresden, is of much greater national importance

*N. B.-Not enumerated in 1813.

Instead of exclusively applying themselves to the manufacture of articles fitted only for the consumption of the rich, the artists of England have exerted themselves in preference to produce China ware suitable for the middle classes; and have succeeded in producing articles at once excellent in quality, elegant in form, and cheap. We are principally indebted for the improvements made in this important manufacture, to the genius and enterprise of the late Mr. Josiah Wedgwood. This extraordinary man owed none of his success to fortuitous circumstances. Devoting his mind to patient investigation, and sparing neither pains nor expense in accomplishing his aims, he gathered round him artists of talent from different countries, and drew upon the stores of science for aid in pursuing the objects of his praiseworthy ambition. The early and signal prosperity that attended his efforts served only as an incentive to urge him forward to new exertions, and as means for calling forth and encouraging talent in others, in a manner calculated to promote the welfare of his country. Previously to his time, the potteries of Staffordshire produced only inferior fabrics, flimsy as to their materials, and void of taste in their forms and ornaments; the best among them being only wretched imitations of the grotesque and unmeaning scenes and figures portrayed on the porcelain of China. But such have been the effects resulting from the exertions and example of this one individual, that the wares of that district are now not only brought into general use in this country, to the exclusion of all foreign goods, which had been largely imported, but English pottery has since been sought for and celebrated throughout the civilised world, and adopted even in places where the art was previously practised. An intelligent foreigner, M. Faujas de St. Fond, writing on this subject, says,-"Its excellent workmanship, its solidity, the advantage which it possesses of sustaining the action of fire, its fine glaze impenetrable to acids, the beauty and convenience of its form, and the cheapness of its price, have given rise to a commerce so active and so universal, that in travelling from Paris to Petersburgh, from Amsterdam to the farthest part of Sweden, and from Dunkirk to the extremity of the south of France, one is served at every inn upon English ware. Spain, Portugal, and Italy are supplied with it; and vessels are loaded with it for both the Indies and the continent of America."-(See the quotation in the Account of the Porcelain Manufacture, p. 16., in Dr. Lurdner's Cyclopædia; for the statistical details with respect to the manufacture, see the article EARTHENWARE, in this work.)

The British porcelain manufacture is principally carried on at the potteries in Staffordshire, and at Worcester, Derby, Colebrook Dale, and other places.

Murrhine Cups.-It was long a prevalent opinion among modern critics, that the vasa murrhina, so famous in Roman history, were formed of porcelain. Fompey was the first who brought them to Rome from the East, about 64 years before the Christian era. They were used as drinking cups, and fetched enormous prices; Nero having given, according to the common method of interpreting, 58,000. for a single cup! The extravagance of the purchaser may, in this instance, be supposed to have increased the price; so that the degree of estimation in which these cups were held may be more accurately inferred from the fact, that, of all the rich spoils of Alexandria, Augustus was content to select one for his share.-(Sueton. lib. ii. c. 71.) Pliny (lib. xxxvii. c. 2.) says they were made in Persia, particularly in Karamania. But those who contend they were China ware, chiefly found on the following line of Propertius:

Murrheaque in Parthis pocula COCTA FOCIS.-(Lib. iv. Eleg. 5. lin. 26.)

In despite, however, of this apparently decisive authority, M. Le Bland and M. Larcher have, in two very learned dissertations (Mémoires de Littérat. tom. xliii.), which Dr. Robertson has declared are quite satisfactory, endeavoured to prove that the vasa murrhina were formed of transparent stone, dug out of the earth in some Eastern provinces, and that they were imitated in vessels of coloured glass. (Robertson's Disquisition on India, note 39.) Dr. Vincent (Commerce and Navigation of the Ancients, vol. ii. p. 723.) inclines to the opposite opinion; but the weight of authority is evidently on the other side. At all events, it is plain that if the murrhine cups were really porcelain, it had been exceedingly scarce at Rome, as their price would otherwise have been comparatively moderate. But it is most probable that the ancients were wholly unacquainted with this article; which, indeed, was but little known in Europe till after the discovery of the route to India by the Cape of Good Hope.(For some further details on this question, see Kippingii Antiq. Rom. lib. iv. c. 3.)

PORK, the flesh of the hog. Salted and pickled pork forms a considerable article of export from Ireland to the West Indies and other places.

Pork and Bacon exported from Ireland in the under-mentioned Years.
Pork.

Bacon.

Pork.

Bacon.

Crot. 236,349 1816 103,585 143,425 227,668 1817 133,095 181,285 191,025 1818 118,315 163,862 214,956 1819 120,331 166,616 224,134 1820 142,431 197,212

L. 214,226

Cut. L. Crt. L. 327,252 1821 141,211 195,559 366,209 507,059 315,205 1822 115,936 160,527 241,865 334,890 264,496 1823 120,046 166,218 343,675 475,358 297,631 1824 106,543 147,521 313,768 434,475 310,340 1825 108,141 149,731 362,278 501,615 262,736 363,797

Most part of the bacon is exported to England-(See BACON),-and also a good deal of the pork. The account cannot be brought further down than 1825, the trade between Great Britain and Ireland having since then been placed on the footing of a coasting trade.

PORT. See WINE.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, the capital of Hayti, or St. Domingo, in lat. 18° 33′ 42′′ N., lon. 72° 27' 11" W. Population variously estimated, probably from 18,000 to 20,000. It is situated on the west coast of the island, at the bottom of a large and deep gulf. It was founded in 1749; since which, with few intervals, it has been the capital of French St. Do mingo, as it is now of the entire island. It is partially fortified; the harbour being protected by a battery on a small island at a little distance from the shore. The country round is low and marshy; and the heat in the summer months being excessive, the climate is then exceedingly unhealthy. The buildings are principally of wood, and seldom exceed 2 stories in height.

Harbour.-The entrance to the harbour is between White Island and the southern shore. The depth of water varies from about 18 feet at ebb to about 21 do. at full tide. It is customary, but not compulsory, to employ a pilot in entering the harbour. They are always on the 'look-out. Ships moor head and stern, at from 100 to 500 yards from shore; loading and unloading by means of boats, as there are