OREL ___^_ 



Orel. Govt. of Central Russia. 

 It is bounded N., by the govts. of 

 Kaluga and Tula, on the E. by 

 Tambov and Voronezh, S.by Kursk, 

 and W. by Smolensk and Cher- 

 nigov. Its soil is very fertile and 

 the rearing of livestock, especially 

 horses, is extensive. Grain, hemp, 

 oil, and leather are the chief ex- 

 ports. The district is watered by the 

 rivers Don, Oka, and Desna. Area 

 18,042 sq. m. Pop. 2,816,000. 



Orel. Town of Central Russia, 

 and capital of the govt. of the same 

 name. It stands at the junction of 

 the rivers Oka and Orlik, 170 m. 

 N.W. of Voronezh. A commercial 

 centre, it owes its importance to its 

 position where four lines of rly. 

 meet, and to the facilities for trans- 

 port on the Oka. Pop. 91,000. 



O'Rell, MAX. Pen-name of Paul 

 Blouet( 1848-1903). French author. 

 Born in Brittany, March 2, 1848, he 

 took part in 

 the Franco- 

 Prussian War, 

 settled in 

 England as a 

 newspaper 

 correspondent, 

 and was 

 French master 

 at S. P a u 1's 

 School, Lon- 

 don, 1876-84. 

 H e made a 



name with John Bull and His 

 Island, followed by similar books 

 on Scotland, America, and France. 

 He died in Paris, May 24, 1903. 



Orenburg. Govt. of Russia. 

 Situated partly in Europe, partly 

 in Asia, its area is 73,254 sq. m. 

 It is divided into E. and W. dists.by 

 the Ural Mts. The soil is generally 

 fertile, and the mineral wealth con- 

 siderable. The chief industries are 



Orenburg. The main street of the Russian town 



distilling, tanning, and tallow-boil- 

 ing. The most important article of 

 commerce is salt. Pop. 2,272,000. 

 Orenburg. Town of Russia and 

 capital of the govt. of the same 

 name. It stands on the right bank 

 of the river Ural, and on the Oren- 

 burg-Tashkent railway. It has 

 manufactures of soap, candles, and 



587O 



hardware, and is a centre for the 

 wares of Asia and Northern 

 Europe. Pop. 94,000. 



Orense. Inland prov. of N.W;~ 

 Spain, bounded S.andW. by Portu- 

 gal. It is traversed by the Mino, 

 and watered by the Limia and 

 smaller streams. Almost wholly 

 mountainous, its climate is gener- 

 ally mild, but cold and damp in the 

 hills. In the valleys fruits, in- 

 cluding figs, oranges, almonds, and 

 olives, are grown. In the uplands 

 timber trees abound, walnut and 

 chestnut predominating. Some iron 

 is mined, and fine cattle are reared 

 on the pastures. Orense formed 

 part of the old kingdom of Galicia. 

 Area, 2,694 sq. m. Pop. 416,000. 



Orense (anc. Aurium). City of 

 Spain, capital of the prov. of 

 Orense. It stands on the Mino 

 river, 45 m. N.E. of Vigo on the 

 Monforte-Tuy Rly. The river, is 

 here spanned by a bridge, 1,320 ft. 

 long and 135 ft. high, built by 

 Bishop Lorenzo in 1230. The 

 Gothic cathedral, dating from 1220, 

 has been damaged by earthquake. 

 At the foot of the hill on which 

 Orense stands are the warm sulphur 

 springs of Las Burgas, and in the 

 vicinity are the baths of Caldas de 

 Orense, known to the Romans. Its 

 bishopric was founded in the 5th 

 century. The place is noted for its 

 hams, and it manufactures choco- 

 late, textiles, and leather. Iron 

 founding and flour and saw milling 

 are other industries. Pop. 16,000. 

 Orestes, In Greek legend, son 

 of Agamemnon and Clytaemnestra. 

 When his father was murdered, 

 Orestes was saved from a like fate 

 by his sister, Electra, who sent him 

 to Phocis, where he became an 

 intimate friend of the king's son, 

 Pylades. Having slain his father's 

 murderers, he was 

 pursued by the 

 Furies, until his 

 acquittal by the 

 court of the Areo- 

 pagus, at Athens. 

 According to an- 

 other legend, he 

 went for purifica- 

 tion accompanied 

 by his friend, 

 Pylades, to the 

 country of the 

 Tauri (Crimea) to 

 fetch from there a 

 statue of the 

 goddess Artemis, 

 returning with his sister, Iphi- 

 genia to Argos, where Orestes 

 reigned over his father's kingdom 

 at Mycenae. See Agamemnon ; 

 Areopagus ; Choephori ; Electra ; 

 Eumenides ; Iphigenia. 



Oxford, EARL OF. British title 

 born in turn by the families of 

 Russell and Walpole. In 1697 the 



ORFORD 



Orense, Spain. Portico of the main 

 entrance to the cathedral of S. Martin 



seaman, Edward Russell, was 

 created earl of Orford, but the title 

 became extinct on his death in 

 1727. In 1742 the statesman, Sir 

 Robert Walpole, was made earl of 

 Orford. The title passed to his 

 son and grandson, and, when the 

 latter died without sons in 1791, to 

 Sir Robert's youngest son, the 

 famous Horace. It became ex- 

 tinct on his death in 1797. In 1806 

 his cousin Horatio, Baron Walpole, 

 was created earl of Orford, and 

 the title is still held by his 

 descendant. Houghton Hail and 

 the estates in Norfolk passed 

 away from the title when Horace 

 Walpole died. The earl's seat 

 is Wolterton Park, Norwich. 

 See Walpole, Horace ; Walpole, 

 Sir R. 



Orford, EDWARD RUSSELL, 

 EARL OF (1653-1727). Nephew of 

 William, 1st duke of Bedford, he 

 entered the 

 navy and ac- 

 tively support- 

 ed William of 

 Orange, who 

 made him ad- 

 miral and 

 treasurer of the 

 navy, 1689. 

 Although in- 

 triguing with 

 James Stuart, 

 he engaged the French fleet and 

 gained a signal victory at the battle 

 of La Hogue (q.v.), May 19, 1692. 

 Suspicions of his loyalty led to his 

 dismissal, but, reinstated in 1693, 

 he commanded the Mediterranean 

 fleet, 1694-95, and was first lord 

 of the admiralty, 1694-99, 1709- 

 10, and 1714-17. He was made 

 earl of Orford, 1697 ; the title 

 lapsed on his death, Nov. 26, 1727. 



Earl of Orford, 

 British sailor 



