The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

254 RUSSIA IN EUEOPE.Few cities of modern times have bad a more chequered history ;yet Warsawlias never ceased to grow in size and population. Were it freed from the lines offortifications and semicircle of custom-houses by which its development is hampered,there is no doubt that, lying nearest as it does to the geometrical centre of thecontinent, it would soon rank amongst the first cities in Europe.Although crossedby one of the main continental lines of railway, its local railway system is stillinadequate to the requirements of its trade. It is also frequently threatened bythe floating ice on the Vistula, and the suburb of Praga, the gardens and villas onthe river, often present a scene of ruin and desolation.Built in crescent shape on the western slope of the stream whose waters andwooded islets it commands from a height of about 100 feet, Warsaw has at itscentral point the old royal palace, surrounded by terraced gardens, rising immediatelyabove the river bank. From this palace, now containing a library and anart collection, the main avenues, flanked by palatial residences and public buildings,radiate in various directions. The old town, with its narrow streets, stretchesnorthwards, encircled, so to say, by the numerous barracks adjoining the castle andcitadel. On the south are the new quarters, pierced by broad thoroughfares. Arailway viaduct and a magnificent bridge of seven arches cross the yellow watersof the Vistula, connecting the city with the suburb of Praga, which has becomeso memorable from the sanguinary assaults of Suvarov in 1794, and Paskievitchin 1831.The University, founded in 1816, and closed after the insurrection of 1830 and1S31 till1861, contains, besides a library of 313,000 volumes, extensive collectionsof all sorts, an observatory, and a botanic garden. Russian is the medium ofinstruction, and it lacks many privileges enjoyed by other imperial Universities.Other educational establishments are the School of Arts and a conservatoire ofmusic. The chief museum is that of the Society of Fine Arts, and the finerquarters are adorned by statues, amongst which is that of Copernicus, erected in oneof the handsome squares " by his fellow-citizens."Warsaw is distinguished for its industrial and commercial activity.Numerousspinning and weaving mills, tobacco factories, distilleries, breweries, tanneries,soap works, foundries, hardware, furniture, and piano factories yield an annualproduce estimated at nearly £3,000,000 in 1877, and employing about 10,000hands. The neighbouring factory of Zyrardowska, so named in honour of Philippede Girard, almost monopolizes the manufacture of table-linen in Poland, producingabout £160,000 worth yearly.The trade of Warsaw is chiefly in the hands of the Jews, who are here morenumerous and increase more rapidly than in any other city in the world.* One ofthe staples of trade is wool, the sale of which amounted in 1879 to £112,000. But,with all its wealth, many quarters of the city are very unhealthy, and inhabited bya squalid and sickly population, though even these are surrounded by pleasure* Relative number of Jews and Christians in Warsaw :1860 .... 118,000 Christians; 43,000 Jews, or 38 per cent.1869 .... 121,500 ., 69,600 „ 36 „1877 .... 206,300 „ 102,250 „ 33 ,,