manufactures, but its commerce is very insignificant, being confined almost exclusively to rags, staves, corn, and tobacco. It is connected with Karlstadt, in Croatia, by the Louisenstrasse, or Via Ludovica, a superb road 89 miles long, passing over mountains and ravines. and formed by a joint-stock company of five individuals, at a cost of about $1,000,000. The neighborhood of Fiume is delightful. Overhanging the town are the remains of an ancient castle, and near it is the spot, marked by a column, where the holy house of Lorretto, borne hither by angels from Nazareth, remained for three years and seven months! It is still a great resort of deluded pilgrims. Buccari and Porto Re may be considered as appendages to Fiume, from which the former is distant about five miles, and the latter two or three more to the south-east. Buccari is an oval, land-locked basin, surrounded by precipitous hills, with a depth of 20 to 24 fathoms in the middle, and 12 at its entrance, which faces S. S. W. On its eastern side, at a few yards distant from the shore, fountains of fresh water bubble up with great force, and form a series of little fresh-water whirlpools in the midst of the salt-water. Porto Re is also a land-locked basin, with a depth of 14 fathoms at its narrow entrance, which faces west, and is only half a mile from the entrance of Buccari. It affords a perfect shelter from every wind. The Hungarians have a strong desire to make it their national naval arsenal, but it is too small for such a purpose, and is absolutely without fresh-water. The Magyars made their first appearance in Hungary A. D. 894, under a leader named Almus; and by the year 900, the people who then possessed it were extirpated or subdued by him or his son Arphad. This chief and his descendants assumed the title of duke, and in the year 973 Duke Geysa, and some thousands of his chief people, embraced the Christian faith. Waik, the son of Geysa, assumed at his baptism the name of Stephen, and for his success in converting his subjects, and extirpating heathenism, was canonized after his death. He sent an embassy to the Pope, Sylvester II., from whom he obtained a crown, the one so carefully preserved, with the royal title; and thus commenced the Kingdom of Hungary, in A. D. 1000. Stephen founded numerous churches, convents, and schools. He is said likewise to have given the Magyars a political constitution, but his laws are all lost or forgotten. The crown remained with the family of Arphad till the 14th century. At length, in 1527, the Archduke Ferdinand, of Austria, was elected king, and his descendants have possessed the kingdom ever since. TRANSYLVANIA, (Siebenbergen, Germ-Erdely-Orszag, Magyar,) lies to the south-east of Hungary, adjoining Wallachia and Moldavia, and has an area exceeding 20,000 square miles. Its surface is very diversified, consisting alternately of mountains and valleys, intermixed with numerous small hills. The climate is unstable, and the seasons extreme. The soil is generally poor, badly cultivated, but it is well watered and finely adapted for the cultivation of the vine. The forests are very extensive, and occupy more than one-third part of the country. Minerals are abundant, and as various in character. The gold mines are in the south-west, and are particularly interesting as being the richest in tellurium of any in Europe. The people consist of four principal races, besides Jews, Gipsies, Greeks, and Bulgarians. These are the Magyars, in the north-west; Szeklers, (Sicules,) along the castern frontier; Sachsens, in the south; and Wallacks or Wallachians, who, though they form one-half the population, have no fixed allotment of territory, but are most numerous in the central and eastern districts. The first three races only are represented in the Diet. Transyl vania has four established religions, but the prevailing one is that of the Greek Church, the tenets of which are professed by three-fourths of the population, while the Protestants amount to only 400,000, and the Catholics to half that number. It is only among the mountains of Szeklerland that Unitarianism prevails; their total number in Transylvania is reckoned at 47,000. The political constitution is very similar to that of Hungary, but the emperor may be said to wield in this country more absolute power than in any other portion of his dominions. The annual revenue is estimated at about $2,500,000; the produce of the gold mines at 2,500 marcs, equal to $450,000, and of the silver mines at 5,000 marcs, or $60,000. Transylvania contains twenty-five sedes or counties, and four districts, arranged into three general divisions, namely: MAGYARLAND, (Magyarok-resze,) divided into 11 counties and 2 districts. 66 5 9 66 2 66 SZEKLERLAND, (Szekelyek-resze,) SACHSENLAND, (Szaszok-resze,) Klausenburg, (Koloswar, Magy--Klus, Wall,) situated near a gorge of the Little Szamos river, is a small city, but of some importance as the seat of the general government of Transylvania, and of the Magyar portion of Transylvanians. It contains several colleges and a Catholic lyceum. Population, 21,000. Szamos-Ujvar is inhabited by Armenians, from which circumstance it has obtained its German name of Armenienstadt; and Maros-Ujvar is noted for its salt mines, the most extensive in the country. In the district around Karlsburg are the richest gold mines of the empire. Maros-Vasarhely, (Neumarkt,) is the capital of the Szeklerland, and seat of the highest legal tribunal of Transylvania. It is noted chiefly for its fine library. Population, 10,000. Hermannstadt is the chief town of the Sachsenland, and in a financial point of view of all Transylvania, and the head quarters of the commanderin-chief of the Transylvanian portion of the Military Frontier. It is also the see of the Greek bishop, and contains many fine buildings, devoted to scientific and literary purposes. Its overland trade was, until of late years, very extensive. Population, 18,000. Kronstadt, in the south-east corner of the country, is the largest, most populous, and most industrious town in Transylvania. It is the seat of a Chamber of Commerce, composed of the wealthiest Greek merchants. Its inhabitants number 36,000. To the south by east of Hermannstadt is the mountain pass of Rotherthurm, (Redtower,) through which the river Aluta rushes down to the plains of Wallachia, and which is one of the most romantic valleys connecting Transylvania with that country. THE MILITARY FRONTIER. The Military Frontier is a long and narrow tract of country, extending from the Bukowine, in the east, to the shores of the Adriatic, on the west. When the successes of Prince Eugene had obliged the Turks to cede the country to Austria, a constitution adapted to a frontier country was framed for it, and has ever since continued in force. The inhabitants, instead of paying taxes, are obliged to give personal service in the field. Every man is liable to military duty, and has assigned to him a certain portion of land, which is cultivated by his family, but the ground belongs to the government, and the occupants are merely tenants in common. They form in short a great military colony, and are governed by military officers. The whole is under a Commander-in-chief, whose head-quarters are at the fortress of Peterwaradein; but the fortresses and castles along the frontier, such as Peterwaradein, Hermannstadt, Semlin, Brodt, Gradisca, &c. are garrisoned by imperial troops, each with a distinct commandant and peculiar jurisdiction The government is divided into counties, each of which is required, even in time of peace, to keep under arms two batallions of 1,200 men, while in time of war the levy is increased to four battalions, and in case of emergency the emperor has the right to order out the whole male population. If these troops are marched off to Italy, or elsewhere, the old men and boys perform the frontier duty. Every man in his turn is obliged to take the out-post upon the frontier, along the military cordon, established to protect the country against the predatory incursions of the Turks, and the entrance of persons suspected of the plague. Along the whole line guard-houses have been built, sufficiently near to communicate with each other, and when a river intervenes they are built on pontoons. Each guard-house is large enough to domicile twelve men, who keep a sharp lookout during the day from its top, and at night push forward their sentries, and so dispose them that each shall be within easy hail of those to the right and left. Behind this chain are the guard-houses of the officers, furnished with bells and other means of alarm, whereby, in case of extreme danger, the inhabitants of the whole line might be under arms in less than four hours. No traveller can pass the line without presenting himself at the nearest station. The consequence of this extreme vigilance is that no commercial intercourse takes place between Austria and Turkey, but at certain points fixed upon for the purpose; and that smugglers and plague infected persons can only pass by eluding the notice of the guards or forcing the sentries. The government is divided into four generalates, viz. :-1. The "United Generalate of Karlstadt-Warasdin, and the Bannat of Croatia," divided into eight regiments, and including the towns of Agram, Segnaor, Zeng, Carlopago, Belovar, Plasky, Petrinia, and Hoetainizea;-2. The "Generalate of Sclavonia," divided into three regiments, and one batallion of "Tschaikistes," and including the towns of Peterwaradein, Semlin, Karlowitz, Brodt, Old Gradisca, New Gradisca, Tittel;-3. The "Generalate of the Bannat of Temeswar," divided into two regiments, and including the towns of Temeswar, Pancsova, Karansebes, Weisskirchen, and Mehadia;-and 4. The "Generalate of Transylvania," divided into five regiments, and including the towns of Hermannstadt, Kesdi-Vasarhely, &c. Peterwaradein, the capital, is a strong fortress, built on an isolated hill, on the south bank of the Danube, 170 miles S. by E. of Buda. It is a most formidable military position, its batteries sweeping every approach by land and water, and is so extensive as to be capable of receiving a garrison of 10,000 men. It communicates with Neusatz, on the opposite bank, by a bridge of boats, and both towns contain together 20,000 inhabitants. Semlin occupies the angle formed by the junction of the Danube and the Save, and is one of those localities which nature herself has marked out for a town. It is a mean and dirty looking place, however, situated in the midst of a marsh. It is no longer fortified, but contains a quarantine establishment, as a protection from the plague. The increase of steam navigation on both the rivers, will, in all probability, soon make Semlin one of the principal commercial towns of Hungary. Karlowitz, 7 or 8 miles south of Peterwaradein, is a considerable town of 6,000 inhabitants. Tittel, on the Theiss, not far from its confluence with the Danube, has several ship-yards, and was for merly a Roman station. Orsova, on the border of Wallachia, is a steam boat and quarantine station at the head of the navigable channel of the VOL. II. 19 Danube. Mehadia has mineral springs. Pancsova, on the left bank of the Danube, not far from Semlin, is a considerable trading town of 9,000 inhabitants. Karansebes is a small market town, to the east of which is the "Irongate Pass" into Transylvania, and through which a Roman military road formerly led into Dacia. Ruskburg, 7 miles north of the pass, is the seat of a great iron foundry and of rich mines of silver, lead and copper, which have been recently discovered. Brodt is on the Save. New-Gradisca is a town of 3,000 inhabitants, in an extremely picturesque situation, within a mile of the frontier. DALMATIA. The KINGDOM OF DALMATIA consists of a long narrow tract of mountainous country and a number of large islands along the north-eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. The mountains are covered with forests, and there are also beautiful and fertile valleys. The agricultural products, maize, vines, olives and silks, are proofs of a genial climate. The country is rich in iron mines and marble quarries, but as yet they have been little wrought. No part of Europe abounds more in good harbors. The Kingdom is divided into four circles. Circles. ZARA... SPALATRO.. RAGUSA. Towns. Zara, Nona, &c.... Islands. Arbe, Pago, Grossa, Coronata, Mortero, Zuri. Ragusa, Stagno, &c. ...... . Curzola, Meleda,* Lagosta, Giupana, Mezzo. .Cattaro, Perasto, &c. Zara, the capital of the kingdom, is situated on a strait formed by the island Ugliano and the mainland. It is important for its industry, commerce, fortifications and harbor. It possesses a central seminary for the ecclesiastics of Dalmatia, a lyceum, a gymnasium, a college, a school of midwifery, and about 5,000 inhabitants. Sabenico is a small seaport with extensive fisheries, and is noted from several grand buildings and its ancient civilization. Spalatro is the most populous and commercial town in Dalmatia, and has a good harbor. Population, 8,000. The circuit of the town corresponds with the walls of the palace built by the Emperor Dioclesian, when he took up his residence after his abdication, at Salona, the ruins of which are close by Spalatro. A museum has been formed in which to preserve the antiquities dug up from the ruins. The fort of Clyssa defends the passage of the mountains and forms the principal land defence of this town, which is the entrepôt of the trade between Bosnia and Dalmatia. Ragusa, (Dubrownik,) lately the capital of a democratic republic, is a seaport town in the Adriatic. It has considerable trade, and a population of 6,000 inhabitants, who are chiefly employed in shipbuilding and soap works. In its neighborhood is the fine harbor of Gravosa, surrounded with villages and the villas of the rich merchants of Ragusa. Cattaro, with 3,000 inhabitants, has a fine natural harbor and is well fortified. It enjoys considerable maritime trade, and is noted in the history of the French Empire as the "Bocche de Cattaro." Dalmatia formed, from the commencement of the 12th century down to 1419, a portion of the Kingdom of Hungary. It now passed under the sway of the Venetians. During the 16th and 17th centuries this country was the seat of constant warfare between the Turks and Venetians, until it Meleda is by some antiquarians believed to be the Melita of St. Paul. It is noted for its precipices and funnels, from which sounds proceed that sometimes alarm the inhabitants was finally conquered by the former, who held it till 1797, when it was ceded to Austria. In 1805 Austria gave up Dalmatia to the French, who incorporated it into the Kingdom of Italy. Napoleon made it a duchy, and conferred the title of Duke of Dalmatia on Marshal Soult. On the downfall of Napoleon it reverted to Austria. CRACOW. This last remnant of the ancient Kingdom of Poland, as before stated, has at length been seized upon by Austria, but whether it has been annexed to Galicia or still remains a separate territory, is not well understood. The city of Cracow is situated on the left bank of the Vistula, in a beautiful valley. It has a number of fine buildings, but the streets are narrow, irregular and ill-paved. Its cathedral, regarded as the finest and most interesting church of Poland, contains the tombs of the kings and great statesmen of the kingdom, from Boleslaus the Frisian, and Casimir the Just, to Joseph Poniatowski and Thaddeus Kosciusko. The ancient royal castle was for some time occupied as barracks, and is now possessed in part by a benevolent society; and the bishop's palace is at the present the finest in the city. The university is one of the most ancient in Europe, and possesses a rich library and botanic garden. Population about 25,000. Cracow communicates with its suburb Podgorza, in Galicia, by a bridge across the Vistula. As a republic, Cracow was governed by a senate of twelve members, with a president elected every two years, and a legislature or assembly of deputies chosen by the communes. The former exercised the executive power. The area of the territory of Cracow is 493 square miles, and its population about 120,000. The inhabitants have always been jealous of their liberties, and it was owing to their abetting sedition among their brethren of Galicia, that their guaranteed independence was seized upon in 1846. THE KINGDOM OF PRUSSIA. THIS kingdom, lying between 49° and 56° north latitude, and 69 and 23° east longitude, consists of several detached portions, separated at wide intervals by other states. No exact estimate can be formed of its length and breadth; but a line drawn between the eastern and western extremities, measures about 790 miles, and the greatest breadth measures 420 miles, in which limits is comprised an area of 107,855 square miles. The boundaries are:-the Baltic Sea, Mechlenburg and Hanover, on the north; Russia on the east; the Austrian Empire, the Saxon States, the Hessian States, Bavaria and France, on the south; and France, Belgium and Holland, on the west. The German portion of Prussia having been already described, it is unnecessary to repeat what has been stated in respect to the general aspect of that division of the country. The western, or detached portion, extends along both sides of the Lower Rhine; the eastern portion comprises a portion of that vast plain which extends from the North Sea to the Ural Mountains. There are, however, considerable inequalities in the soil and surface. The greater part of the soil is sandy, generally level, and often covered with heaths; and there are many sandy plains, which, on account of the expense it |