New York

The second city of the Kingdom, with a population now approaching 85,000, New York is one of New Britain’s primary trading ports and manufacturing cities. It acts as a warehouse and exporter for grain, meat, timber, iron ore and furs from the interior while it imports rum, brandy, molasses, cotton and spices from the Southern Shires and Caribbean for itself and for re-sale inland. The city also has a large industrial heart, with shipyards, iron-works, textile mills and tanners in abundance. The city is also the primary yard for Skyships and Sky-barges.

New York is like Philadelphia made smaller in many ways. The pollution is bad, just not so bad as in New Smokey. The city is highly cosmopolitan, with a riotous mixture of creeds and ethnic groups co-existing grudgingly rather than happily. It has the highest black population outside Charleston and the highest Irish population in the nation. Low-life bars and brothels cater to the many workers, sailors and soldiers who live in the city – for New York is also an important Royal port and Army garrison.

Because it contains so many tradesmen, artisans and artificers, New York has become the home of most of the Guilds in New Britain, which administrate the apprentice system and work for the rights and privileges of their members. It is perhaps the most likely place to hear people speaking out against the nobility and rich industrial barons.