VOLTRI. 



VOSQES. 



10U 



A roort interesting public Etruscan mnnom, ooniiiting of cinerary 

 . K~l gold ornament*, gam*, weight*, broniw, coin*, and object* 

 in tam-cotta, h*a lone been formed in Volterra. Some fragment* of 

 wall* nd column* and n arched gateway of Etruscan workmanship 

 are all that now remain of the ancient constructions. The huge blocks 

 of (tone in the*e remain* are unoemonted. The Ktrurean arch is deco- 

 rated with three aculptured human head*; one adorns the key-stone, 

 and two arc carved on the springing stone* of the arch above the impost ; 

 the tuipoet iUelf retain* iti moulding* in excellent preservation. 



The modern city is walled, and poweaae* a fortrea* partly con- 

 traded on the site of the ancient Etruscan walla. Within the 

 fortress U a circular tower called the Mastio, which has served a* a 

 ,t t t. prison. Volterra contains a cathedral, several churches, a 

 tbratre. several palaces, a Monte-di-Picta, and nn antiquated town-hull, 

 begun in 1203 and finished in 1257. In this buildinir, on the ground- 

 floor, it the museum of sarcophagi found in the tombs, and above is 

 placed the public library. A gloomy palace, constructed in the 10th 

 century, was the residence of the Capitino di Giu-ti/.ia, when Volterra 

 was a free and independent city : it afterward* became the residence 

 of the podento, or mayor. Thi* building ha* been tho theatre of 

 many scene* of violence. The street* are narrow, and, except the 

 main streets, badly paved ; the houses are often of great antiquity, 

 OMUUting in many instances of tower* modernised. The population 

 may be about 5000. 



The chief business of the Volterrani i* the carving of alabaster; 

 they supply vant quantities of carved ware to the markets of Florence, 

 Leghorn, and PUa. 



VOLTKI. [GENOA.] 



VOI.UUAY. [INDRK-ET-LOIRE.] 

 VOl.VH 1 . fPUT-DE-Dolll.] 



Vni'KX. [BRIKL; MEOSB; HOLLAXD.] 

 VOUEITR [IsfcRB.] 



Yoi;. <NKTZ, or WORONBSCH, a government of Russia in 



Europe, U situated between 48 35' and 62 50' N. lat., 37 45' and 



: L long. It is bounded N. by Tambov, N.E. by Saratov, K. and 



y the country of the Don Cossaks, S.W. by Ekaterinoslav, and 



\\'. by Charkuw. It* area U 25,591 square miles, and it is divided 



into twelve circles. 



The face of the country i* an undulating plain traversed by low 

 ridge* and chalk-hills. The soil consists partly of clay, partly of sand, 

 for the most part covered with a pretty thick layer of vegetable mould, 

 which i* so fertile that it requires only a periodical fallow. 



The principal river is the DON, which comes from Tambov, and, 

 traversing the government from north to south, receives most of the 

 other rivers, such as the Voronetz, which is navigable by large barges, 

 the Sosna, the Ikoretz, the Donez, and some others. The climate is 

 temperate and healthy. The inhabitants live to a great age, and 

 the productions of temperate climates flourish. Melons are raised in 

 large numbers, and are sent to Moscow and St. Petersburg. The 

 rivers freeze about December, and thaw in the beginning of March. 



Vorouetz is one of the great corn provinces of the empire. The 

 farmers grow wheat of different kinds, barley, oats, buckwheat, millet, 

 and maize the last only in gardens ; poppies, lentils, peas, flax, and 

 hemp are grown in the fields. Horticulture is very carefully attended 

 to ; the gardens produce all the kinds of vegetables that are grown in 

 Germany. Hop* arc grown in small quantities. The most common 

 fruits are cherries and plums. Vines grow in sheltered situations, 

 and the grape ripens in warm seasons. The forests are very nearly 

 thinned. Pines are rare ; but there are remarkably fine oaks. The 

 rich pastures on the banks of the rivers and tho extensive commons 

 are favourable to the breeding of cattle, which is a very general occu- 

 pation of the inhabitants. There are numerous flocks of sheep and 

 hard* of swine ; oxen suffice only for the home consumption. There 

 are many small studs of horses of the Russian race. The most com- 

 mon domestic poultry are geese and barn-door fowls ; bees are very 

 generally kept. The minerals are iron (but no other metal), chalk, 

 limestone, freestone, and saltpetre. 



The manufacture* of the province are not of great importance. 

 The export* are the natural productions of the country corn, cattle, 

 hide*, timber, bristle*, some coarse cloth, saltpetre, honey, and wax. 

 The chief commercial cities are Voronetz and Ostrogohsk ; but there 

 U great want of good water-carriage, the Don being navigable only in 

 the spring, when the water is high. The Donez merely touches the 

 frontier, and ha* not one town on its bank*. 



The population of this government was 1,657,900 in 1846. The 

 inhabitant* are in the northern part Great Russians, and in the 

 outhrrn Little Russians. Among the latter are included the Cossaks, 

 or 'fsoherkasi*D, as they are here called, after their ancient capital ; 

 there are also some gipsies and Germans. 



KoroiMte, the capital of the government, the residence of the 

 governor and of the Duhop of Voronetz, i* situated in 51 40' N. lat, 

 i. long., on the river Voronetz, which falls into the Don two 

 milrs below the city. Voronetz is built on a very steep rock, and 

 pomtmm strong natural defences. It is one of the oldest cities in the 

 empire, and is mentioned in 1 177. Peter the Great had a dockyard 

 here for building ihip*, with which he intended to descend the "Don 

 to the M*. He often resided here, and built himself a palace, no 

 vestige of which now remains. The city consist* of three parts, the 



upper town, the lower town, and the suburbs. The upper town con- 

 tains the residence of the governor and the public offices, the bishop's 

 palace, the cathedral, the bazaar, and the town-hall. In the city are 

 18 stone churches, 2 convents, a poor-house, a gymnasium, an eccle- 

 siastical seminary, an arsenal, and several schools. The population is 

 probably over 20,000. The streets are very broad, but not paved. 

 The manufactures are cloth for the army, leather, soap, and vitriol. 

 There arc some breweries and brandy-distilleries. The merchants of 

 Voronetz trade with all parts of the empire. 



Ottrogohtk, about 60 miles S. from Voronetz, is a small commercial 

 town with several churches. The population is about 4500, who 

 carry on an extensive trade. The three annual fairs are visited by 

 merchants from the most distant parts, and even by Greeks, whu 

 bring many Turkish goods. At a distance of about 10 miles there is 

 a small colony of Germans, whose chief occupation is agriculture. 



VOSGE.S, a department in the eastern part of France, is bounded 

 N. by the department of Meurthe, N.E. by that of Bas-Rhio, I 

 S.E. by that of Haut-Rhin, S. by Haute-Saone, W. by Haute-Maiuf, 

 and N.W. by the department of Meuso. IU form is that of uu 

 irregular quadrangle, of which the northern side measures 85 miles, 

 the southern 45 miles, the eastern 53 miles, and the western 41 miles. 

 The department is comprehended between 47 48' and 48 33' N. lat., 

 5 27' and 7 20' E. long. Its area is 2347 square miles. The popu- 

 lation in 1851 was 427,409. 



The surface is mountainous in the east, in the other parts (which 

 constitute what is called the Plain) hilly. The Vosges Mountains, 

 from which the department takes its name, extend along the eastern 

 boundary ; and the Faucilles traverse the department from west to 

 east, and unite with the branches of the Vosges about Plombierus, in 

 the south-eastern part of the department. The Vosges Mountains 

 present a great variety of picturesque and delightful scenery. Tho 

 Ballon-d'Alsace, one of their highest summits, at the point where the 

 branch which joins the Faucilles diverges from tho uriin chain, is 

 4124 feet high; Le-Bressoir, a neighbouring summit, is 4049 feet; 

 and Le-Grand-Donnon, farther north, is 3314 feet. 



The Vosges, and that part of the Faucilles which is nearest to the 

 Vosges, are composed chiefly of granitic rjcks. Upon the granite 

 rests the red and the variegated sandstone; upon these sandstones 

 lie fossilliferous limestone and variegated marl ; and above these lias 

 and the lower oolitic rocks. [VOSGES MOUNTAINS.] These formations 

 cover the whole of the department ; the upper formation, the oolitic, 

 occupying the western side, and the others successively cropping out 

 as we advance eastward. The mineral treasures of the department 

 are considerable, Granite, porphyry, freestone of a black colour, 

 millstones, slates, coal, gypsum, and agates are found. Iron-stone is 

 procured. There is a great number of iron-works for the manufacture 

 of pig-iron, wrought-iron, and steel. Copper, silver, and manganese, 

 are also found among the minerals, but no mines are now worked. 



The department belongs chiefly to the basin of the Rhine. A small 

 portion, which extends in the north-eastern corner, across the ridge 

 of the Vosges, is drained by the Bruche, which rises in those moun- 

 tains and flows down into the 111 ne ir Strasbourg. The central p.-irts 

 are drained by the MOSELLE [vol. iii. col. 874], one of the largest 

 affluents of the Rhine, and its tributaries. It receives the Vologne 

 and Durbion on the right bank. The Meurthe rises in the slopes of 

 the Vosges, on the eastern side of the department, and flows north- 

 west into the adjacent department of Meurthe, where it joins the 

 Moselle. The Mortague, a feeder of the Meurthe, and the Madon, a 

 feeder of the Moselle, rise in the department of Vosges, but do not 

 join their principal streams till they reach the department of Meurthe. 

 The Plaiue and the Rabodot, feeders of the Meurthe, rise in other 

 departments, but join their principal stream in this. The north-west 

 of the department is drained by the Meuse, which crosses it from 

 south to north, and by its feeders. A very small district in the north- 

 west is drained by the Ornain, which belongs to the system of the 

 Seine. 



The southern border of the department belongs to the basin of the 

 Rhone, and is drained by the Saone, which rises on the southern slopes 

 of the Faucilles, and by the Coney, the Angronne, and the Combaute, 

 which flow directly or ultimately into the Sadue. 



None of these rivers is navigable in the department of Vosges. 

 Irrigation is well managed ; and the streams of the department are 

 skilfully applied as a moving-power to the purposes of manufacture. 

 There are several chalybeate, and also warm saline mineral-springs. 

 There are also several small lakes in the east of the department. The 

 department is traversed by 6 imperial, 22 departmental, and several 

 communal roads. 



The area of the department is about 1,450,000 acres, of which 

 about 600,000 acres are under the plough. The soil of the Plain is 

 tolerably fertile ; but the produce in corn is inadequate to the supply 

 of the dense population. The principal crop is of oata ; barley, 

 wheat, rye, and maslin (wheat and rye mixed), are also grown, and 

 hemp and hops. The grass-lands amount to 180,000 acres, and the 

 heaths and open pastures to about 90,000 acres. The number of 

 horned cattle is very considerable. The dairy is well attended to, 

 and cheese and butter are made in large quantities. Horned cattle 

 are small. Horses too are of inferior size but numerous. A great 

 number of pigs is reared. 



