POLAND

POLAND (Pol. Polska, Germ. Polen, Fr. Pologne), a kingdom or czarat of European Russia, forming the most westerly portion of the empire, and bounded on the N.E. and E. by Western or Polish Russia, S. by the Austrian empire, and W. and N. by the kingdom of Prussia. It is in the form of an irregular square, with a long and narrow strip of territory extending from its N.E. angle; and it lies between N. Lat. 50. 4. and 55. 5., and E. Long. 17. 30. and 24. 18. The length and breadth, exclusive of the projecting tract (which is about 120 miles long, and from 20 to 50 broad), are each about 200 miles; and the area of the whole is 49,408 square miles. Though Poland derives its name from the flatness of its surface, and is in general a very level country, yet there are some hills and undulations to break the uniformity of this extensive region. A branch of the Carpathian chain, not exceeding 2000 feet in height, extends northwards between the Vistula and its affluent the Pilica. The rest of the country slopes very gradually towards the N., being in the highest parts only 300 or 500 feet above the sea. In the more elevated regions there are numerous small lakes and morasses, and extensive portions of the country are occupied with forests and heaths. The largest river in Poland is the Vistula, which, rising at the foot of the Carpathians in Austrian Silesia, flows N.E., forming the boundary between Poland and Galicia, and then flows northwards through the kingdom. After receiving the Bug, it turns to the west, and enters the kingdom of Prussia a short distance above Thorn. It then takes a northerly course, and falls into the Baltic at Dantzic. It receives from the right the Bug and its affluent the Narow, both of which constitute, the former for a considerable, and the latter for a very short distance, the boundary of Poland towards the E. The Vistula also receives from the right the Wieprz; and from the left its chief affluent is the Pilica. The other rivers of Poland are the Warta in the west, flowing westwards to the Oder; and the Niemen, which forms the N.E. boundary, and flows into the Baltic. The Vistula and Niemen are both navigable as far as they flow through Poland or along its borders, and the Bug, Narow, and Warta, for a considerable portion of their course. In the hilly parts of the country various kinds of minerals are obtained, chiefly iron, copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, and sulphur. In 1849 the governments of Warsaw and Radom contained seventy-two private iron mines, producing ore to the value of L.47,305; and ten imperial mines producing ore to the value of L.3399. The copper obtained and worked in the same year amounted in value to L.31,127, the lead to L.437, the cadmium to L.28,311, and the sulphur from one mine alone to L.2265. The soil of Poland is fertile, producing more grain, hemp,

flax, tobacco, &c., than is necessary for home consumption. Wheat is grown only among the hilly regions; in other parts, rye, oats, and buck-wheat are the crops chiefly raised. The forests supply large quantities of timber. The country contains many horses, cattle, and pigs; fewer sheep; but immense swarms of bees, which produce excellent honey. Game abounds in the forests; and there are also bears, wolves, and lynxes. The climate is warm in summer, but very cold in winter, when the country is frozen and covered with snow for four or five months of the year. Manufactures, which were formerly little attended to, and almost unknown in Poland, have recently made great advances. At the close of 1849 the country contained 82 wool-spinning factories, with 1175 machines, and 48,606 spindles; 2405 woollen cloth factories, employing 8200 hands, and producing in the course of the year 2688 cwt. of goods, valued at L.277,965; 5 cotton-spinning factories, with 460 machines, and 52,197 spindles; 9317 establishments for cotton-weaving, employing 14,156 hands, and producing L.413,785 worth of goods; 4242 linen-weaving factories, employing 7288 hands, and producing in all about 11,518,500 yards of cloth; 16 silk-mills, with 109 looms, employing 152 hands, and producing goods to the value of L.19,709; 24 manufactories of liquors, 47 of oil, and 20 of vinegar, producing L.26,694 worth of liquors, L.17,659 worth of oil, and L.10,029 worth of vinegar; and 12 breweries, producing beer and porter to the value of L.15,144. Poland also produced in the same year L.4116 worth of surgical and other instruments, L.2331 of arms, L.27,761 of glass and crystal ware, and L.48,660 of paper, &c. The trade of the country is considerable: corn, wool, oil, timber, and zinc, the chief articles of export, are conveyed down the Vistula to Dantzic; and many goods are also carried into Austria. The value of the exports to Prussia in 1851 was L.627,480, to Austria L.214,615; that of the imports was L.1,496,342. The commerce of Poland is for the most part in the hands of the Jews. The capital is Warsaw, and the kingdom is divided into five governments as follows:—

The kingdom contained in 1855, 3,714,016 Roman Catholics, 572,052 Jews, and 270,412 Protestants; and the capital had 156,072 inhabitants.