a circle in the government of Coblenz, and the Prussian province of the Lower Rhine. Its extent is 208 square miles, or 133,120 acres. It contains two cities, two market-towns, 596 villages, and 26,654 inhabitants, of whom 12,709 are Catholics, 12,191 Lutherans, 1604 reformed, and 150 Jews. The whole of the circle is on the Westerwalde, and from its lofty position the soil is unproductive. Its mines of iron, lead, and copper give the chief employment to the population, who are industrious, and the females spin much linen yarn. The circle is watered by the rivers Sieg, Niester, and Wiedbach, on whose borders some cattle are depastured. The whole district suffered severely from being the seat of war in 1796.