the capital of the government of that name, is situated on the River Angara (here 330 yards broad), opposite the mouth of its tributary the Irkut, in N. Lat. 52° 17', and E. Long. 104° 20', and 4000 miles E. of St Petersburg. The town stands on a plain 1270 feet above the sea level, and has a dry climate although exposed to the extremes of temperature. During the 15 years from 1830 to 1845, the mean temperature of the place was—in spring 33° 34', in summer 61° 28', in autumn 30° 29', and in winter 1° 18' below zero; the mean temperature of the year being 31° 3'. Irkutsk is well laid out, and its streets, although not paved, are kept very clean. The houses, about 2000 in number, are mostly of wood. The public offices are, however, all stone buildings. They consist of the governor-general's palace, the American Company's hall, the public library (containing 5000 volumes), the museum, and the medical, military, and naval schools. There are also a handsome cathedral, 9 churches, and a large bazaar. Irkutsk is the see of an archbishop, as well as the chief residence of the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia. The commerce of Irkutsk is considerable, as it forms one of the principal stations on the great Chinese caravan route. At the yearly market, which commences on the 13th of December and lasts for a month, the finer goods of the west are exchanged for the raw materials of the East. Tea from China, and furs from the Pacific settlements, are exchanged for European manufactures from St Petersburg and Moscow. There is also a considerable trade in grain, wool, and minerals, from the surrounding country. Manufacture is here confined to woollen stuffs, glass, leather, and iron. There are here 7 public government schools, in one of which the sons of exiles are trained. After going through the usual course of study, they are drafted into the army. Of the other schools two are for girls, one is allotted to the clergy, a third to the merchants, and the remaining two form a gymnasium and college. The average number of students in the latter is 150, with 1 rector and 14 professors, who also teach in the gymnasium. Pop. (1853) 14,454.

IRON CROWN is the name by which is known the celebrated diadem used at the coronation of the Lombard kings. Though called the iron crown, it consisted of a broad band of gold set with jewels, and only a thin circlet of iron inside the band. But to this iron circlet great interest was attached, for it was considered to be one of the nails used at the crucifixion of our Saviour, brought from Palestine by the Empress Helena, and beaten out into a narrow ring. It was thus that the name originated by which the crown has for centuries been known. It has been used at the coronation of 34 different monarchs, including Charlemagne, Charles V., and Napoleon. It was worn by the last of these at his second coronation i.e., in 1805, as King of Lombardy. When placing it on his own head he exclaimed, "God has given it to me, woe to him who touches it!" This curious relic of antiquity is preserved in the Cathedral of St John at Monza, in the north of Italy. It is kept in a chapel on the right-hand side of the high altar.