GALICIA

From Agepedia

GALICIA and LODOMIRIA, a kingdom of the Austrian monarchy, is bounded on the W. by Austrian Silesia, on the N. and £. by Poland, and on the S. by Hungary. These two countries were duchies, at first dependent on Hungary, and afterwards belonging to Poland, until they fell to Austria, on the infamous partition of Poland, in 1772, and, with other provinces, formerly belonging to Little Poland, were erected into a kingdom. In 1786, the Bukowina, which had belonged to Austria since 1777, was added. By the peace of Vienna, in 1809, Austria ceded to Saxony all Western or New GALICIA, a district round the city of Cracow, and the circle of Zamoski, in East Galicia (20,000 square miles, with 1,470,024 inhabitants); to Russia she ceded 3500 square miles of Old Galicia, with 400,000 inhabitants. The peace of Paris of 1814 restored things, for the most part, to their former state. At present, the country comprises 32,500 30* square miles, with 4,075,000 inhabitants. The capital is Lemberg. The soil is mostly fertile, and produces grain for export, though agriculture is in a rude state. Honey and wax constitute articles of trade. Black cattle are raised in great numbers, and the horses are valued for their swiftness and hardiness. The horses of the Bukowina are particularly excellent for light cavalry. Buffaloes, wolves, bears, game of all kinds, particularly hares, are the wild animals of the country; there are also beavers, which here live a wandering life. The cochineal insect is found, and used for dyeing scarlet. Salt is the most important mineral. It is found in all the mountainous tracts, and is obtained from mines and salt springs. Iron is also found in most of the mountains, but the ore is not very rich. The river Bistricza contains gold. Flints of a fine quality and mineral waters are found in different parts of the country. The country is divided into 19 circles. The government is administered by the " Galician chancery." Leraberg is the seat of the provincial govern ment and of a court of appeal. Estates have existed in Galicia since 1775, composed of nobles and deputies of the largest cities. The clergy does not form a separate estate, bishops and abbots being comprised in the noble estate. The estates have the right of imposing the taxes demanded by the emperor, and of making representations to the government. 17 archoffices have been erected for the higher nobility. The manufactures are not important. The established religion is the Catholic. An archbishop resides at Lemberg. There are great numbers of Greeks and Armenians, and Jews, who have a highrabbi. The Lutherans, who have here been called Dissidents (q. v.), from the time when the country belonged to Poland, have a superintendent at Lemberg. There is a university in Lemberg, a lyceum in Zamoski, and six gymnasiums in the principal cities.