524 



THE STANDARD DICTIONARY OF FACTS 



railway tunnel, which, after nearly fourteen 



labor, was finished in 1S71. The Mount 



bove tlie level of tlie 



sra. \vhereas tlie elevation of the eiitiance to the 

 tunnel on the side of Savoy is only 3,801 feet, 

 and that on the side of Piedmont 1,24 



;al length of the tunnel is nearly eight 

 miles. The total cost amounted to about $12,- 

 000,000. 



(Vvt'iuies i mountain chain in 



the south of France, running northward between 

 the basins of the Rhone and the Loire, as tar as 

 the Plateau of Lances, in tlie department of 



Marne. The height of the (Vvennes 



averages from 2,000 to 3,000 feet, but Mont 



iroe of the Loin-, readies a 



of 5,800 feet. The mountains are rich in 



minerals. The ('.venues are famous as the re- 



of the AlbkeiiM-s. \Valdenses. and Camis- 



durini^ the religious wars of France. 



Ceylon >-/,.//. an island belonging to 



I'.ritain in the Indian Ocean, about sixty 



of the southern extremity of 



Hindustan, from which it is separated by fhe 



(lull of Manaar ami Palk's Strait. Length, 



about 270 miles, north to south; average breadth 



100 miles; area. 25,364 square miles. 



Where the jungle has been cleared away and 

 the land drained and cultivated, the country is 

 perfectly healthy; where low wooded tracts, 

 and flat marshy lands abound, covered with a 

 rank, luxuriant vegetation, the climate is emi- 

 nently insalubrious. 



of the animals found on the opposite 

 continent are native to this island, excepting 

 the royal tiger, which does not exist here. Ele- 

 phants are numerous and are esteemed for their 

 superior strength and docility. Bears, buffaloes, 

 leopards, jackals, monkeys, and wild hogs are 

 numerous. Crocodiles, serpents, and reptiles 

 of all sorts abound. Of the snake tribe, con- 

 sisting of about twenty-six different species, six 

 only are venomous. Among the insects are the 

 leaf and stick insects, the ant-lion, the white ant, 



In the luxuriance of its vegetable productions, 

 Ceylon rivals the islands of the Indian Archi- 

 pelago, and in some respects bears a strong re- 

 semblance to them; its most valuable products 

 are tea, rice, coffee, cinnamon, and the cocoanut. 

 Tea is being widely cultivated. Tobacco is 

 raised principally in the north district, and is 

 of excellent quality. Indigo grows wild, but is 

 not sought after. 



Ceylon is one of the British crown colonies, 

 its government being conducted by a governor 

 and two councils, executive and legislative, of 

 both of which the governor is president. The 

 composed of six members, the other of 

 seventeen members. The powers of the councils 

 are limited, being wholly subservient to the 

 governor, who can carry into effect any law 

 without their concurrence. All laws must be 

 approved by the Secretary of State for the Colo- 

 nies before they can take effect. Any individual 

 properly qualified may be appointed to the most 

 responsible situation, without reference to serv- 

 ice, nation, or religion, and native Singhalese 

 have occupied some of the highest posts. 



Chartreuse, La Grande, a famous 



monastery of France, in the department of Isere, 

 fourteen miles north of Grenoble among lofty 

 mountains, at an elevation of :J.2S1 feet above 

 sea-level. The access to it is very difficult. It 

 \va> built in 10X1, but having been several times 

 pillaged and burnt down, the present building 

 W*8 erected after K'.TC). 



Cherbourg (shair'boorg), a fortified sea- 

 port and naval arsenal of France, department 

 Blanche, at the head of a bay of same name, l,s.~> 

 miles west-northwest of Paris. The fortifica- 

 tions here are of the most formidable character, 

 and as a naval stronghold it may almost be con- 

 sidered impregnable. Cherbourg possesses a 

 magnificent harbor for ships of war, constructed 

 by Napoleon I., at an immense cost, besides 

 dockyards, dry-docks, etc. The roads afford 

 secure anchorage to 400 sail at a time, and are 

 protected by a magnificent breakwater began in 

 17S4, and completed by Napoleon III., in INtil. 

 Population, 42,952. 



Chicago, second largest city of the United 

 States, embraces all Cook County, on the south- 

 west shore of Lake Michigan, and on both sides 



| of Chicago River. It stands on a level plain, 

 and is surrounded by a beautiful and fertile 

 country. The Chicago River and its two 

 branches separate the city into three unequal 

 divisions, known as the North, the South, and 

 the West, connected by numerous bridges and 

 two tunnels under the river. The streets are 

 wide and are laid out at right angles, many of 

 them being adorned by rows of fine forest trees. 

 The site of the city was originally unhealthy 

 from its lowness, but a large portion of it has 



I been artifically heightened (even while occupied 

 by buildings), by eight or ten feet. The public 



1 parks have an area of 2,000 acres. Among the 

 chief buildings are the new city hall, and court- 

 house, the custom-house and post-office, and the 

 chamber of commerce. There is a university 

 and a large number of higher-class colleges and 

 seminaries. To supply the town with water 

 two tunnels have been constructed under Lake 

 Michigan, and convey the pure water of that 

 lake into the town, where it is pumped up to a 

 height of 160 feet and distributed. There are 

 also a number of artesian wells. From its po- 

 sition at the head of the great chain of the Amer- 

 ican lakes, and at the center of a net-work of 

 railroads communicating with all parts of the 

 Union, Chicago has always been more a com- 

 mercial than a manufacturing city. There are 

 extensive docks, basins, and other accommoda- 

 dation for shipping. The industries embrace 

 iron-founding, brewing, distilling, leather, hats, 

 sugar, tobacco, agricultural implements, steam- 

 engines, boots and shoes. In commerce Chicago 

 is only second to New York. It has an enormous 

 trade in pork-packing, and is the greatest market 

 for grain and timber in America. Other articles 

 for which it is a center of trade are flour, pro- 

 visions, wool, hides, soft goods, clothing. Be- 

 fore 1831 Chicago was a mere trading station. 

 Its charter is dated March 4, 1837, its population 

 being then 4,170, but since then it has advanced 

 at an altogether extraordinary rate. On Octo- 

 ber 9, 1871, a great fire occurred which burned 

 down a vast number of houses and rendered 

 about 150,000 persons homeless and destitute. 



