GEOGRAPHY. 83 



predominant races are the German, Slavic (Poles, Wendes, Lithuanians, 

 &c.), Walloons, and Jews. The inhabitants, in respect to their religious 

 belief, may be divided into Evangelical (1846, 9,835,000), Roman Catholics 

 (over six millions), 215,000 Jews, 14,500 Mennonites, 1675 adherents to the 

 Greek Church (Philippones). There are also Moravian Brethren, Hussites, 

 Unitarians, and Herrnhuters. In intellectual culture, as well as in 

 mechanical skill, the people take high rank. At the head of the seminaries 

 of instruction, stand the universities of Berlin, Konigsberg, Halle, Greifs- 

 wald (all protestant), those of Bonn and Breslau (mixed), and the Roman 

 Catholic academy at Miinster. 



The Prussian form of government is a constitutional monarchy, ruled, 

 since 1840, by King Frederick William IV. (born 1795), of the House of 

 Hohenzollern. After the national convention called together in May 22, 

 1848, had been dissolved in December, 1848, without having agreed with 

 the king upon a constitution, a chartered constitution was given to Prussia, 

 with the proviso of a revision in the proper mode of legislation. According 

 to this, the law-making power is exercised in common b}" two chambers, 

 one consisting of 180, and the other of 350 members, all of them elected. 

 According to official publications, the revenues for 1849 amounted to 

 eighty-eight millions and a half of thalers (fifty-nine millions of dollars), and 

 the state debt to 162,861,444 thalers (108,574,296 dollars). The standing 

 army on the peace establishment amounts to 121,100 men, the 

 Landwehr of the first summons to 96,100, that of the second to 62,600. 

 The war footing amounts to 325,300 field troops, and 167,500 

 garrison soldiers (without counting the officers, commissioned and non- 

 commissioned). 



Prussia is divided into the following eight provinces : I. Prussia, 

 consisting of: a, East Prussia, area 11,296 square geographical miles, pop. 

 1,480,000; circles, Konigsberg and Gumbinnen ; b, West Prussia, 7552 

 square geographical miles, pop. 1,019,000 : circles, Dantzig and Marien- 

 werder. The capital of the province is Konigsberg, with 75,000 inhabit- 

 ants. II. Posen, 8576 square geographical miles, pop. 1,364,000; circles, 

 Posen and Bromberg. The capital, Posen, has 40,000 inhabitants. III. 

 Pomerania, area 9184 square geographical miles, and 1,165,000 inhabitants, 

 including the largest island of Germany, Riigen (pop. 3700) ; circles, 

 Stettin, Coslin, and Stralsund. The capital is Stettin, with 41,500 inhabit- 

 ants. IV. Silesia, area 11,872 square geographical miles, pop. 3,066,000 ; 

 circles, Breslau, Oppeln, and Liegnitz, capital Breslau, with 112,000 inhabit- 

 ants. V. Brandenburg, area 1 1,744 square geographical miles, pop. 2,067,000; 

 circles, Potsdam (with Berlin) and Frankfort. Berlin, with 300,000 inhabit- 

 ants, is the capital of the province, and at the same time of the monarchy. 

 VI. Saxoni/, Sirea 7376 square geographical miles, pop. 1,742,000; circles, 

 Magdeburg, Merseburg, and Erfurt, capital Magdeburg, with 55,80C 

 inhabitants. VII. Westphalia, 5588 square geographical miles, pop. 

 1,446,000 ; circles, Miinster, Minden, and Arnsberg, capital Miinster, with 

 23,000 inhabitants. VIII. Province of the Rhine, area 7792 square 

 geographical miles, pop. 2,763,000 ; circles, Cologne, Dusseldor^ Coblentz, 



83 



