one of the provinces into which the kingdom of Prussia is divided. It is bounded on the north by the duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz, on the north-east by Pomerania, on the east by Frankfort, on the south by Saxony, on the south-west by the duchy of Anhalt-Dessau, on the west by Prussian Saxony, and on the north-west by the kingdom of Hanover. It extends over 8272 square miles, and comprehends 67 cities, or places once fortified, 16 market-towns, and 1319 villages, besides scattered houses, and distinct agricultural es- It is divided into thirteen circles. The population, which in 1817 consisted of 696,878 individuals, had increased in 1826 to 812,138, and has gone on augmenting up to the present time. With the exception of about 3000 Catholics, and about 2000 Jews, the whole of the inhabitants profess the Protestant religion. The land is generally level, and though tolerably cultivated, is by no means productive, though there are some local exceptions. It is provided with great natural means of access to the sea by the navigable river Havel, which falls into the Elbe, and which affords a communication between the different portions of the province. The capital of this province is the city of the same name, the first in exterior beauty in the Prussian dominions. It is situated twenty-one miles from Berlin, on an island about eighteen miles in circumference, formed by some lakes and canals, and by the river Nuthe, which here joins the Havel. Potsdam contains seven Protestant and one Catholic church, and a synagogue for the Jews. The inhabitants are about 26,000, the dwellings 1640. The civil population does not exceed 16,000 persons. The others are either military, or those employed in the fabrication of arms. The muskets for the troops are made at Spandau, but are fitted with locks and finished at Potsdam. There are manufactories carried on of silk and cotton, of leather, of cloth, of snuff, of musical and mathematical instruments, and some large breweries and distilleries.

POTTON, a market-town of Bedfordshire, in the hundred of Biggleswade, forty-nine miles from London. It is well built now, having been burned down in 1785, after which for some time the inhabitants lived under tents. It is in a fertile district, and has a good market on Saturday. The population amounted in 1801 to 1103, in 1811 to 1154, in 1821 to 1498, and in 1831 to 1768.