'protected cruisers,' of which four are already in hand, and others are contemplated. The first of these vessels, the Giovanni Bausan, was built on the Tyne from the designs and in the yard of Sir W. G. Armstrong & Co. She carries 2 25-ton and 6 4-ton breech-loading guns, steams at about 18 knots with forced draught, and has her machinery, magazines, &c. protected by a strong steel deck. The heavy guns are mounted and worked by hydraulic mechanism. In addition to these protected vessels a numerous flotilla of swift cruisers and torpedo vessels and boats is being created; some of the torpedo vessels and boats are being built in England. On the whole, the administration of the Italian Navy during the last six years has been remarkably energetic, and has resulted in the creation of a much more powerful fleet relatively to those of other European powers than was previously possessed. Two other ironclads of the Italia type, the Re Umberto and the Sicilia, were laid down in 1885.

The navy was manned in 1885 by 1 admiral, 4 vice-admirals, 10 rear-admirals, 108 captains, 344 lieutenants, 10,886 sailors, gunners and torpedo-men, 1,987 engine-men, besides engineers and petty officers.

On the Continental frontier of Italy the principal passes of the Alps are defended by fortifications distributed according to a plan decided on in 1874, and at present in process of execution. The basin of the Po is also studded with fortified places, though some of the old fortresses have been either abandoned or declassed, while others are being constructed. The chief coasting strong places in the region are the following:-Casale, Placentia, Cremona, Peschiera, Verona, Mantua, Legnago (these four form the old Austrian Quadrilateral), Pavia, Boara, Venice, Alessandria, Bologna. On the coasts and islands are the following fortified places:-Ventimiglia, Vade, Genoa, Spezia, Elba, Mont-Argentaro, Civita Vecchia, Gaeta, Baja and Castellamare in the Gulf of Naples; works in the Straits of Messina; various places in Sicily; Tarentum; Brindisi, Ancona, the mouth of the Adige; Brindolo and Chioggia. On the North Sardinia is defended by the fortifications in the Island of St. Madeleine, and on the South by those of Cagliari. Rome is surrounded by walls, and is being protected by a circle of forts.

Area and Population.

At the first general census of the kingdom of Italy, on the 31st December 1871, the population numbered 26,801,154-13,472,262 males and 13,328,892 females-living on an area of 114,410 English square miles, being 234 per square mile. At the census of December 31, 1881, the population was found to be 28,459,628, showing an increase in ten years of 1,658,474, or 6·19 per cent., or 0.62 per cent. per annum. A recent estimate of the area of Italy by the

Military Geographical Institute gives 286,588 square kilomètres or 110,620 square miles; of which 25,740 square kilomètres, or 9,935 square miles, belong to Sicily, and 24,077 square kilomètres, or 9,293 square miles, belong to Sardinia and the minor islands.

The kingdom of Italy is administratively divided into sixty-nine provinces, the names of which, with area in English square miles, and estimated population present on the 31st December, 1884, are given in the subjoined table, which is classified according to the old compartmenti, not now recognised as administrative divisions. (For census population of 1881 see YEAR-BOOK for 1885):—

Of the total population in 1881, 14,265,383 were males and 14,194,245 females, the males being thus to the females in the proportion of 1005 to 100. The average density of population in 1881 was 256 per square mile. The density in Milan province reaches 965 per spuare mile; whereas in Sassari (Sardinia) it is only 63 per square mile. At the time of the census of 1881, the resident or legal population was 28,953,480. The number of foreigners in Italy, in 1881, was 59,956; of whom 15,790 were Austrians, 12,104 Swiss, 10,781 French, 7,302 English, 5,234 Germans, 1,387 Russians, 1,286 Americans (United States), 1,212 Greeks, 922 Spaniards, and the rest mainly Turks, Belgians, Swedes, and Norwegians, Dutch, Egyptians, Argentines, Brazilians.

The following table gives the births, deaths, and marriages, 1880 to 1884:

Not included in the births and deaths in 1884 are 28,265 stillborn children, or 3.27 per cent. of the total births. In 1884 there were 50,134 illegitimate births, and 35,527 new-born infants abandoned, or together 7.58 per cent. of the total births.

The number of emigrants in 1880 was 119,901; in 1881, 135,832; in 1882, 161,562; in 1883, 169,101; in 1884, 147,017. In 1884, 87,558 went to other parts of Europe, 3,123 to Africa, 55,467 to America (10,847 to the United States and Canada, 34,016 to the La Plata States, and 10,604 to other parts); other countries 869. The following table gives the population according to occupation in 1881, exclusive of children under 9 years :

Number of proprietors in Italy on December 31, 1881:

.

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Total

Agriculturists 219,328 131,181 204,395 59,406 1,033,753 227,175 1,457,476 417,762 1,875,238) Pensioners and per

Total

289,985 263,733 344,293 388,746 733,039 579,885 274,165 931,698 593,457 1,525,155

347,786 325,016 482,058 299,876 1,903,623 765,073 (2,733,467 1,399,965 4,133,432

Before the correctional tribunals, 64,204 persons were sentenced in 1883, or 22-56 per 10,000 of population; and before the assize courts, 5,772, or 2 03 per 10,000.

The agglomerated (not communal) population of the principal cities and towns was as follows, at the census of December 1881:

Embraced in the area of Italy is the independent republic, and one of the oldest States in Europe, San Marino. It has an area of 32 square miles and a population of about 8,000. In 1872 it concluded a treaty of protective friendship with the kingdom of Italy.

Trade and Industry.

The following table shows the total special imports and exports (excluding precious metals and goods in transit) of the kingdom in each of the five years from 1880 to 1884: