The best ground for estimating the number of seamen of the US. to be enrolled under the act for establishing a Naval militia, is the tonnage of our vessels. the latest return of tonnage, states it to have been on the 31st. of Dec. 1803. as follows

			tons
Registered tonnage employed	in foreign trade		585,909
	in the whale fisheries	12,389
	Cod fisheries	50,969	63,358
	in the coasting trade		267,787
			917,054
we are supposed to employ usually in navigating our vessels about 6. men for every 100. tons. but allowing for those who are not free, white, citizens, within the military age, we may estimate 5. to the 100. tons			5
			45,852
to these should be added the seamen then in our navy, and those employed on the tidewaters within the US. which we may safely state as making the whole number amount to			50,000.

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An Estimate of the land-militia of the US.

The Census of 1800. gave us of free white males	of 16. and under 26.	384,554.
	of 26. and under 45.	423,836
Our military age excluding those under 18. we must from the number			384,554
deduct those in their 17th. & 18th. years, which by Buffon’s tables will be			80,405
remain of the age of 18. & under 45. to wit the Minor & Junior classes			304,149
Our censuses of 1790. & 1800. having shewed our increase to be in a geometrical ratio of 3⅓ pr. ct. pr. annum, the increase from 1800. to 1805 is			54,184
leaving our whole number of free white males from 18. to 26. in 1805			358,333
from these are to be deducted the naval-militia men. but for the greater part of those employed in the foreign trade & whale fisheries being always absent, it is believed that not half of them were included in the Census. those supposed included then are. 35,000, of which according to Buffon those of 18. and under 26. will be only			11,711
leaving of free, white, landsmen from 18. to 26. in 1805			346,622
from these are still to be deducted those not able bodied. suppose them 1. in 10.			34662
leaving of free, white, able-bodied landsmen of 18. & under 26.			311,960

To find what proportion of these will be of the Minor & what of the Junior class we are to enquire, Of 311,960. persons of 18. & under 26. years of age, how many will there be of each different year of age? Buffon’s tables resolve them as follows

As 84,589 in Buffon from 18. to 26: to 311,960 in the US. of the same age:

So are 11,014 in Buffon in their 19th. year: to x the number in the US. in their 19th. year. then x = ^{311,960/84,589} × 11,014 = 3.69 × 11,014 consequently

			Buffon’s nos	in US.
those in their	19th.	year will be 3.69 ×	11,014 =	40,619		=	120,598	of the Minor Class
	20th.		10,919 =	40,267
	21st.		10,768 =	39,712
	22d.		10,675 =	39,368		=		of the Junior class
	23d.		10,514 =	38,775
	24th.		10,380 =	38,281			191,358.
	25th.		10,259 =	37,834			311,956
	26th.		10,060 =	37,100
				311,956

To obtain the respective numbers of the Middle and Senior classes,
The Census of 1800. gave for both		423,836
Add the increase from 1800. to 1805		75,506
		499,342
from which are to be deducted, seamen from 26. to 45.		23,289
		476,053
deduct also those not able bodied, suppose 1. in 10.		47,605
leaves free, white, able bodied landsmen from 26. to 45.		428,448
Buffon’s tables make the numbers of 26. & under 35 = 84,182 & those of 35 & under 45 = 84,018
these are so nearly equal that we may consider the Middle class one half, to wit		214,224
and the Senior class one half, to wit		214,224

Recapitulation.
	Naval-militia.				50,000
	Land-militia.	Minor class	120,598
		Junior	191,358
		Middle	214,224
		Senior	214,224		740,404
					790,404