668 



SARDINIA. 



Genoa stands on the shore of a broad gulf to which it gives its name. This city spreads 

 over a wide semicircular tract of rocks and declivities, and the aspect of its white buildings 

 ascending in regular progression from the sea, is highly magnificeiit. The interior consists of 

 streets or rather lanes, 8 or 10 feet wide between immensely high palaces. When you look 

 lip, their cornices appear almost to touch across the street, leaving a strip of blue sky be- 

 tween. Two of the streets only are accessible to carriages. The Strada Balbi is one of the 

 most magnificent streets in the world, and is full of splendid palaces. Genoa has a public 

 library of 50,000 volumes, and a university. Its harbor is one of the finest in Europe, and it 

 has a considerable trade. Genoa was once the capital of a powerful republic, the naval and 

 commercial rival of Venice, and its beautiful situation its magnificent churches, and splendid 

 palaces, amply entitle it to the surname of the Superb, given it by the Italians. Popula- 

 tion, 80,000. Columbus was born in Genoa or an adjacent village. 



^Alessandria, on the Tanaro, is a place of some trade, with 35,000 inhabitants. In its 

 neighbourhood are Marengo, the scene of one of the victories of Bonaparte, and Asti with 

 22,000 inhabitants, a commercial and manufacturing town. 



JVice or JVizza, situated on the Mediterranean, has a good port and an active commerce, 

 with 25,000 inhabitants. Its delightful situation and its mild climate render it a charming 

 winter residence for many foreigners. Coni or Cuneo with 18,000 inhabitants, J^ovara, with 

 15,000, Vercelli, 15,000, and Savona, 12,000, flourishing manufacturing and trading towns, 

 and Chamberry, the capital of Savoy, with 11,000 inhabitants, are places of some interest. 



Cagliari, the capital of the island of Sardinia, stands upon a large bay in the south. It is 

 well built with some splendid palaces, a cathedral, 37 churches, a university, and a library of 

 18,000 volumes. It has little commerce, but the surrounding country produces cotton and 

 indigo. Population, 27,000. Sassari, in the northern part, has a university and 20,000 

 inhabitants. 



12. Agriculture. The arable land is held by large proprietors who divide their estates 

 into small portions among farmers. The farmers seldom become proprietors, but in general 

 the land descends from father to son. The proprietor receives half the product for rent and 

 the use of the cattle, which are his property ; for the meadows he is paid in money. Part 

 of the tools also commonly belong to the proprietor. The farmers are in general very poor. 

 The landed proprietors are rich. In the Apennines and a part of the Genoese territories, 



the peasants are proprietors, but their only 

 wealth consists in chestnuts, sheep, and 

 olives. Wheat, maize, and other grain, 

 rice, beans, and tobacco are cultivated. 

 Excellent grapes are raised, but the making 

 of wine is not well understood. The olive 

 is cultivated along the coast, and Genoa is 

 productive in oil. Piedmont raises annually 

 20,000 cwt. of silk. 



13. Commerce. The only important ar- 

 ticles of exportation are silk, rice, and oil. 

 Genoa is the only port which has any for- 

 reign commerce. The island of Sardinia 

 supplies the continental states with salt, and 

 some grain and vegetables. 



14. Manufactures. There are manufactures of silk at Genoa to the amount of 1,000,000 

 to 1,400,000 dollars annually. This city also manufactures paper, soap, chocolate, macaroni, 

 &c. In Piedmont are some manufactures of silk. Nice produces perfumes and scented 

 waters. There are some smelting furnaces in Piedmont and Savoy. 



15. Fisheries. The tunny fisheries of the island of Sardinia are said to produce 200,000 

 dollars a year. The coral fishery is also a considerable source of revenue. 



16. Education and Religion. Public instruction is entirely in the hands of the clergy and 

 Jesuits. Gymnasiums and high schools exist in most of the large towns, but little except 

 Latin and scholastic theology are taught in them. The universities, with the exception of 

 those at Turin and Genoa, are very insignificant. It is estimated, that there are not 5 individ- 

 uals in 100 who can read, write, and cipher. The censorship is severe. Few foreign books, 

 und hardly any pamphlets or newspapers, are allowed to enter the kingdom. With the excep- 



