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MADEIRA. 



MADRID. 



668 



MADEIRA, an island belonging to Portugal, is situated in the 

 Atlantic Ocean, between 32° 30' and 32° 50' N. lat.,16° 40' and 17° 20' 

 W. long., and about 400 miles from the north-western coast of Africa. 

 It is 45 miles long, with a breadth of 10 to IG miles, but towards the 

 east the island terminates in a narrow projection about 9 miles long 

 and 3 miles wide, opposite the isle of Fora. The area is about 360 

 square miles. Tlie population is about 100,000. 



This island is one mass of basalt, rising with a rather steep ascent 

 from the south and from the north towards the interior, where the 

 highest part of the mass runs from south of east to the north 

 of west, between Cape de St. Lauren90 on the cast to Cape de 

 Paigo on the west. Pico Ruivo, the highest summit, attains 6165 

 feet above the sea-level. Both declivities of the mountain-mass 

 are furrowed by deep and generally narrow valleys and depressions, 

 traversed by streams of clear water. These valleys contain gardens 

 and vineyards. The vineyards are formed on the declivities of the 

 rocks and on artificial terraces on the mountain sides, to the height of 

 2300 feet above the sea. The rocks in most places come down to the 

 very shore, along which however soundings are found at a depth of 

 35 to 50 fathoms on a rocky and unequal ground. 



The climate of Madeira is very equable and mild. The mean 

 temperature of the year does not exceed 68°. In the months of 

 December and January the thermometer rarely sinks below 60° ; the 

 mean temperature of that season being 63°. The mean temperature 

 of the hottest months (August and September) is between 73° and 74°; 

 but when the winds blow from the African desert, the thermometer 

 sometimes rises as high as 90°. Madeira Buffers occasionally from 

 hnrricanes. The climate is considered very healthy, and many consump- 

 tive persons withdraw to it from Elngland for the purpose of prolonging 

 their lives. 



In the lowest region of the island to about 750 feet above the sea- 

 level many tropical plants are cultivated, as the date palm-tree, the 

 plantain, two lunds of cactus, the sweet potato, Indian com, arrow- 

 root, coQee, and the American agave, as well as the sugar-cane, the 

 olive-tree, the pomegranate, and the fig. Above this region, to a 

 height of from 750 to 2500 or 2800 feet above the sea-level, the fruits 

 and grains of Europe, especially wheat and maize, are raised ; and in this 

 region are also the extensive vineyards, which furnish the most important 

 article of exportation. Then follows a tract covered with high trees, 

 which rises to 3200 feet and higher, where many plants and trees are 

 found which do not occur in Europe. This region contains also 

 extensive chestnut forests, the fruit of which is the common food of 

 the inhabitonta Its surface is extremely broken, and bare rocks 

 appear in many places. The highest portion of the rocks is covered 

 with heath, fern, and in some places with 6ne grass, which preserves 

 its verdure through the greater part of the year, this region being 

 frequently enveloped by dense fogs, and subject to heavy dews. 



Few horses are kept, and most of them are imported. Cattle are 

 more numerous, and of a large size. Asses are the most common 

 domestic animals, and best adapted to the roads of the country as 

 beasts of burden. Hogs are rather numerous, as well as fowla In 

 the interior there are many wild swine and rabbits. Birds are not 

 numerous, and fish is rare, on account of the great depth of the sea 

 which surrounds the island. Salt cod and herring are important 

 articles of import. 



Funchal, the capital, and the only town of the island, is on the 

 aonthem coast in 32° 51' 7" N. lat, 16° 54' 7" "W. long. It has only 

 an open roadstead, with a rocky and very uneven anchorage, in 

 which vessels are exposed to great danger from November to February, 

 when gales from the south-east and south-west prevaiL It is frequently 

 visited by ships bound to South America, the Cape of Qood Hope, or 

 the East Indies, as a place of refreshment, and from it all the produce 

 of the island is exported. The town consists of a pretty wide street 

 along the sea-shore, where there nre several good buildings, and 

 numerous narrow lanes, which extend to a considerable distance up the 

 slope of the hilL The number of houses amounts to about 2000, and 

 that of the inhabitants to 20,000. The town is defended by four 

 forts, and has a cathedral, eight churches, several convents, a theatre, 

 and an hospital. In the midst of the town is an open square, planted 

 with exotic trees. The environs are studded with numerous villas. 

 Foreign consuls reside in Funchah 



The commerce of Madeira with England is considerable. The 

 priifcipal export is wine, which is of two kinds, Madeira wine and 

 Malvasia de Madeira The former is cultivated on the southern slopes 

 of the island, the latter on the north-eastern coast, near the village of 

 Machico. Minor articles of export are, fruits, dragon's-blood, honey, 

 wax, orchil, and tobacco, besides provisions for the vessels bound to 

 more remote places. The imports consist of manufactured goods, com, 

 fish (herring and cod), oil, salt-beef, salt, and some tropical productions. 



Madeira was discovered about 1420 by Qonzalves Zarco. It was 

 then covered with forests, whence its name is derived, Madera in 

 Spanish signifying wood. The forest was set on fire, and it is 

 said that the conflagration lasted seven years. Soon afterwards it 

 was settled by the Portuguese, and the culture of sugar and wine 

 was introduced. Sugar was grown to a considerable extent before the 

 islands in the West Indies were settled ; but upon that event the 

 culture decreased, and was replaced by that of wine, which now seems 

 to be giving way to coffee, 

 oioa. Div. vol. m. 



About 40 miles N^.E. from Madeira lies the small island of Porlo 

 Santo. It is a basaltic rock, which does not exceed 500 feet iu height. 

 Indian corn and vegetables are cultivated for consumption, aud a 

 little wine for exportation. The population amounts to about 1400, of 

 whom 600 live in the small town of Porto Santo, the roadstead of 

 which is much exposed to southerly wiuds. The island is destitute 

 of trees and has only one spring. It has a bleak aiid barren look. 

 There are several small rocky islets near Porto Santo. 



To the south-south-east of Cape St. Laurengo are three small basaltic 

 rocks, lying in a row from north to south. They are called IUm3 

 Dezertai, and are only inhabited by sea-fowl, but they are visited from 

 Madeira for the purpose of collecting the orchil, with which the 

 greatest part of their sui-face is covered. 



MADEIRA, RIO. [Brazil.] 



MADELEY, Shropshire, a market-town and the seat of a Poor-Law 

 Union, in the parish of Madeley, is situated iu 52° 38' N. lat,, 2° 26' 

 W. long,, distant 14 miles E.S.E. from Shrewsbury, and 140 miles 

 N.W. from London. The population of the parish in 1851 was 8525. 

 The living is a vicarage in the archdeaconry of Salop and diocese of 

 Hereford. Madeley Poor-Law Union contains 12 parishes and town- 

 ships, with an area of 27,951 acres, and a population in 1851 of 

 27,627. 



Madeley is situated about a mile from the left bank of the Severn. 

 The streets are lighted with gas. Tlie parish church is a Grecian 

 structure, erected in 1796. A second church has just been erected. 

 In Madeley are National and British schools ; and at Ironbridge are 

 a dispensaiy aud savings bank. The extensive coal- and iron-works of 

 C'oalbrookdalo are in Madeley parish. The products of this vast 

 manufacturing district are exported and distributed by the Severn 

 and by several canals. An iron bridge, the first erected in the country, 

 here crosses the Severn, and consists of one arch with a span of 100 

 feet. In the neighbourhood of Madeley is a manufacture of coal-tar. 

 China-ware is manufactured at Coalport. The market-day is Frid:iy. 

 Two fairs are held annually at Ironbridge. 



MADISON. [Indiana.] 



MADLEY. [Hkrefobdshire.] 



MADRAS, Presidency of. The presidency of Madras comprises 

 the southern part of the peninsula of Hindustan, including part 

 of the Circars and the whole of the Caraatic on the eastern side, 

 and extending across so as to include Canara, Malabar, &c,, on the 

 western side. The distribution of the presidency into Regulation 

 Districts and Non-Regulation Districts, and also the total area and 

 population, are stated in the article Hindustan. The government of 

 the presidency is conducted by a Governor, who is subordinate to the 

 Govemor-Oeneral of India, a council of three members, and secretaries 

 of the political, civil, and military departmenta The total net revenue 

 of the presidency for the year 1851-52 was 3,704, 048i, ; thetotal expen- 

 diture for the same year amounted to 3,204,273/. 



MADRAS, the capital city of the presidency of Madras, is situated 

 on the eastern coast of Hindustan, in 13° 4' N. lat., 80° 16' E. long. 

 In 1639 a factory was established here, and a fortress was built to 

 protect it, which was named Fort St. George. This name was formerly 

 given to the presidency and the city, and is still occasionally used, as 

 Fort William is for Calcutta. The entire population of Madras pro- 

 bably amounts to 300,000, and there arc several populou.'i suburban 

 villages. 



The largest -portion of Madras is called the Black Town, from its 

 being inhabited by the native population. The Black Town is north 

 of Fort St. George, and both are situated close to the shore, on level 

 ground, with a large open space called the Esplanade between them. 

 The Black Town contains many good streets, especially one very hand- 

 some street in which Europeans reside ; but the houses of most of 

 the Europeans occupy a space of several miles in the rear of Black 

 Town and the fortress. These houses are placed without any airange- 

 ment into streets ; they are generally one story in height, and are 

 shaded with trees, and inclosed by hedges of bamboo and prickly 

 pear. St George's church is a lai;ge and hand.some structure ; aud at 

 Vepery is one of the finest modem gothic churches in Hindustan. The 

 Government House, which adjoins the Esplanade, is a handsome 

 structure ; detached from it is a large banqueting-house. Madras 

 gives title to a bishop of the English Church, and is the principal 

 station in South India of the Church Missionary Society. In the city 

 are several endowed public schools and charitable institutions. 



The coast has no indentation, nor has Madras any harbour or pier. 

 A heavy swell rolls in shore throughout the year, and vessels anchor 

 in the open roads at the distance of a mile or two. Considerable 

 difficulty is frequently experienced in landing passengers and goods. 



MADRID, the capital of the kingdom of Spain, of the ancient 

 province of Castilla la Nueva, and of the modern province of Madrid 

 [Castilla lA Nueva], is situated near the centre of the extensive 

 table-land of Castilla la Nuava, in the middle of Spain, in 40° 25' 

 N. kt, 3° 42' W. long. Though it is the residence of the court and 

 of the chief civil and military anthoriticH, it is only designated a villa 

 (town), not a ciudad (city) ; it is not tho see of a biahop, and has no 

 cathedral. The circumference is about five miles, and it has no 

 suburbs. The population in 1845 was 216,745. 



Madrid is about 2000 feet above the level of the sea, and has the 

 i-ange of the Guadarrama Mountains at a distance of about 30 miles to 



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