Home1860 Edition

TUY

Volume 21 · 679 words · 1860 Edition

(the ancient Ludal ad Fines), a fortified town of Spain, Galicia, province and 28 miles S. of Pontevedra, on the right bank of the Minho, which here forms the Portuguese boundary, and about 18 miles from its mouth in the Atlantic. The town occupies a height, and is regularly laid out and clean. It has a cathedral, town-hall, prison, barracks, and manufactures of table-linen, leather and hats. The vicinity is highly fertile; but the climate is unhealthy from marshes, and the town is decaying. Pop. about 5000.

TVER, a government of European Russia, lying between N. Lat. 56. and 58. 47., E. Long. 32. and 38. 20.; bounded on the N. by the government of Novgorod, E. by that of Yaroslav, S. by those of Vladimir, Moscow, and Smolensk, and W. by that of Pakov. Area 25,988 square miles. It consists of an elevated table-land; but contains no mountains, although the north-west part is traversed by the Wolkonsky Forest, a chain of hills in which the Volga and other rivers take their rise. These hills are entirely covered with dense forests, in which there are some large morasses. The rest of the country is generally flat. The Volga is the principal river, flowing first in a south-east and then in a north-east direction, and becoming navigable before it leaves the government. It receives here the Tvertza, Medveditz, and Mologa, which all have their sources in the government. The Southern Dwina, which falls into the Baltic, and the Masta, which joins the Volkhover, and falls into Lake Ladoga, also take their rise in the Wolkonski hills. The Volga is joined by the Vyschnei Volotschok Canal with the Neva, and by another canal with the Dwina. Tver also contains several lakes, the largest of which, Lake Seliger, has an area of 76 square miles. The soil is in general poor, producing hardly more than enough for home consumption. The country, however, enjoys a temperate and healthy climate, although from December to March the rivers are generally frozen. Most of the inhabitants are employed in agriculture or pastoral pursuits. Rye, barley, and oats, with a small quantity of wheat, are the crops chiefly raised. Flax and hemp are also grown to some extent. In 1849, the government contained 4,504,885 acres of arable land, 3,444,240 of meadow, 4,551,961 of wood, and 3,446,187 of waste land. In the same year the live stock amounted to 504,851 horses, 659,636 horned cattle, 474,080 sheep, 63,009 swine, and 5557 goats. Abundance of excellent timber is obtained from the forests. Bears, wolves, and foxes are the chief wild animals of the country; and fish are abundant in the lakes and rivers. Except in the towns, there are few manufactures; but even in the country many hands are employed in saw-mills, brick-kilns, and boat-building. The whole number of manufactories in 1849 was 273, employing 4458 hands. An important transit trade is here carried on between the southern parts of Russia and the ports on the Baltic. The population consists almost exclusively of Russians. The government is divided into 12 circles. Pop. (1856) 1,466,194.

TVER, the capital of the above government, on the right bank of the Volga, at its confluence with the Tvertza and the Tmaka, 96 miles N.W. of Moscow. The Volga is here somewhat broader than the Thames at London, and is crossed by a bridge of boats. The Kremlin, or citadel, of Tver is enclosed by an earthen wall, and thus separated from the rest of the town, which consists of four quarters and a suburb. It is regularly laid out, and built for the most part of wood; but its spacious streets have a dull and desolate appearance. There are here a large Gothic cathedral and twenty-eight other churches, two convents, an imperial and an episcopal palace, a town-hall, court-house, theatre, bazaar, gymnasium and other schools, infirmary, and various hospitals. Linen, cordage, leather, hats, earthenware, and candles are manufactured here; and an extensive transit trade is carried on, favoured by the position of the town on the railway between Moscow and St Petersburg. Pop. 19,000.