Long Island

Long Island, an island which forms three counties of the state of New York, bounded N. by Long Island Sound, E. and S. by the Atlantic Ocean, and W. by the East River (spanned by the Brooklyn suspension bridge). It is 115 miles long, and from 12 to 24 in width, with an area of 1682 sq. m. On its south shore is a series of lagoons, the largest 40 miles long and 5 or 6 wide. A line of low hills rises in the interior to 384 feet. There are numerous small lakes and watercourses, and market-gardening especially is carried on with success—for the most part by Germans. But much of the island is waste land or forest, and such popular watering-places as Coney Island (q.v.) are planted among deserts of sand. There is still a good deal of game, and the fisheries and oyster-beds are very valuable. The island has nearly 100 miles of railway. The principal towns are Brooklyn, Long Island City, and Flushing. Creedmoor (q.v.) is the principal American rifle-range. Long Island was the scene of a campaign in 1776, in which Sir Henry Clinton finally compelled Washington to evacuate the island. Pop. (1870) 540,648; (1890) 1,029,097. See NEW YORK.