PENSACOLA, a city of the United States, capital of Escambia county, Florida, on the north-west coast of Pensacola Bay. The harbour has recently been improved so as to secure a uniform depth of 24 feet. Pensacola is the terminus of three railway lines which connect it with Mobile, Montgomery, Jacksonville, and Millview, the starting-place of steamers plying to Cedar Keys, Ac., and the seat of a large trade in lumber (mainly pitch pine), early vegetables, and winter fruits. About 7 miles west of Pensacola lies a United States navy-yard. The value of the exports to Great Britain and the British colonies in 1882 was $1,481,702, t° other foreign countries $1,091,113, and to the United States $535,225. The total imports were only $169,082. In 1850 the population was 2164, in 1870 3347, and in 1880 6845; and it has since increased to upwards of 8000.

Pensacola Bay is said to have been discovered by Narvaez in 1528. French, and afterwards Spanish, colonists settled on the site of the town in the close of the 17th century. In 1719 it was captured by Bienville, in 1723 restored to the Spaniards, in 1763 occupied by the British, in 1781 captured by General Galvez, in 1814 taken from the British by the United States general Jackson, and again in 1818 taken by the same general from the Spaniards. In 1821, according to the treaty of 1819, it became, with the rest of Florida, part of the United States territory.