WIELICZKA, a city of the Austrian kingdom of Galicia, in the circle of Bochnia. It is distant from the independent city of Krakow about seven miles. It contains 360 houses, with 3700 inhabitants, who are chiefly employed or connected with the celebrated rock-salt mines which exist at this place, and which have been extensively worked for many ages. The mine is in a vast mountain, and the extent of the salt is not ascertained. On the top of the mountain is a shaft, and at the bottom an arched passage, both of which lead through numerous arched galleries, formed by removing blocks of salt. In the mine is an excavated lofty chapel, in which mass is celebrated, and an extensive saloon, with other apartments, all cut out of the solid mass of salt. The mine is quite dry, but within it is a clear subterranean lake, with a hat upon it. Though, ever since the year 1276, the salt has been drawn forth in copious quantities, there is abundance to be taken away without any additional labour. It belongs to the government, which derives a revenue from it. The expense of hewing it with the pick-axe, and of drawing it out of the mine, is calculated to be from 12s. to 14s. per ton, and the price at which it is sold is about 20s., the leaving a profit to the government. The demand is retained on the side of Prussia, because the English salt comes in competition with it. It is however extensively sold in the crude state in the Russian and Polish provinces, where it is dissolved, and refined for domestic use. That which is in the Austrian states is refined at Wieliczka. This rock-salt is mostly of a gray colour, but some of it is of a greenish hue: both kinds are very hard and very dry.