8,205,721 Corvettes, 2d class, of 10 to 20 guns Public Debt, 1863.-The public debt is reported (1863) as 1,023,018,982 florins, bearing an annual interest of 29,630,588 florins. Converted into dollars, the debt of Holland amounts to $424,552,877. COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION.-In 1861, the total imports into Holland were of the value of 469,169, 478 florins; the total exports were of the value of 401,263,959 florins. The arrivals of vessels in 1861 were 9069, aggregating 1,746,351 tons; the departures were 9131 vessels, aggregating 1,771,389 tons. In the same year, the merchant marine of Holland was reported as follows:-2332 vessels, measuring in the aggregate 540,949 tons. ARMY (EUROPEAN), 1863. Total sailing-vessels......... 1 35 13 total armament 1780 guns, of which 994 guns are The whole number of vessels is 145, and the carried by the sailing-vessels and 786 by the steam-vessels. The organization and personnel of the navy was at the date given as follow1 admiral, 2 lieutenant-admirals, 1 vice-admiral, 5 rear-admirals, 20 captains of ships-of-the-line, 40 captain-lieutenants, 309 lieutenants, 96 surgeons, 70 pursers, and 173 cadets. On the 1st of January, 1863, the active force of seamen was 6197 men. The marine infantry was 45 officers, 4 cadets, and 1962 sub-officers and men. POPULATION OF THE DUTCH COLONIES, Dec. 31, 1961. East India Possessions West India Possessions.. Coast of Guinea..... Total............ 17,549,785 85,898 110,118 17,745,801 Steam-Vessels. Protestants..... 1,942,387 | Lutherans......... 64,539 63,890 Screw frigates of 45 to 51 guns........ 5 Catholics....... 1,234,486 Israelites. Rotterdam........ 111,403 Leyden The Hague....... 82,620 Groningen 1859. Area, 98,075 square miles. Population, 1862, | Minister of Foreign Af 21,776,953. Government, Constitutional Monarchy. Capital, Turin. Religion, Catholic. The reigning sovereign of Italy is King Victor Emanuel II., who was born March 14, 1820, succeeded his father as King of Sardinia, March 23, 1849, and, by virtue of an act of the Italian Parliament, took the title of King of Italy, March 17, 1861. MINISTRY, Dec. 1863. President of the Council and Minister of Finance,Chev. Marco Minghetti. Minister of Grace, Justice, and Ecclesiastical Af fairs..... ..Jos. Pisanelli. fairs Minister of Public In .Chev. Emile Visconti-Venosta. struction... ....Prof. Michel Amari. Minister of the Interior ...Chev. Ubaldino Peruzzi. Minister of Public Works..Lieut.-Gen. Count Louis Fred. Menabrea. Minister of War. Lieut.-Gen. Chev. Alexandre della Rovere. Minister of the Navy......Major-Gen. Effisio Cugia. Minister of Agriculture, Industry & Commerce...Jos. Manna. PARLIAMENT AND CONSTITUTION.-The legislative power is exercised by a Parliament, consisting of Francs. 63,193,599 107,174,875 259,508,090 95,974,795 7,859,863 Total.... 935,387,425 Public Debt, Jan. 1, 1863. Francs. the King, Senate, and Chamber of Deputies. The The Constitution of the kingdom of Italy is an expansion of the Charter of March 4, 1848, granted by King Charles Albert to his Italian subjects. The executive power is exercised by the king through responsible ministers, and the legislative power is vested as already stated. THE STATES OF THE KINGDOM OF ITALY.-To the kingdom of Sardinia there was added by the Treaty of Villa Franca, July 11, 1859, and by the Peace of Zurich, Nov. 10, 1859, the Duchies of Parma and Modena, Lombardy, and part of the Papal States. On the 22d of March, 1860, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was annexed to the kingdom, and on the 17th of December, 1860, the Marches, Umbria, and the Two Sicilies. These States, covering an area of nearly 100,000 square miles and containing a population (1862) of 21,776,953, are divided into 58 provinces. FINANCES.-The following statement will exhibit the aggregates of the financial operations of the Government for the years 1861-62-63 : Consolidated 5 per cent... ............. 2,514,120,617 3 66 Miscellaneous. Total....... Consolidated 5 per cent. added Jan- Total......... 214,054,107 374,976,255 3,103,150,979 714,820,000 3,817,470,979 Converted into dollars, at the rate of 5 francs to the dollar, the capital of the above debt is $763,494,195. ARMY-ON THE FOOTING FOR 1864. Grand Staff... Engineers, Sappers, Garrisons, Schools, Veterans, &c....... Total............. The army of Italy is still in progress of or ganization, and is to be filled up to the number of 400,000 men. Ship-of-the-line, 2d class.......... NAVY (1863). Screw Steamers. Frigate, 2d class.... 194,525,379 Frigates, 3d class.... 3 64 " Direct Taxes.. Public Property, &c.. Railroads.. Telegraphs...... Post-Office... 130,446,242 Frigate (armored), 1st class..... 2,500,000 209,881,745 Frigates (armored), 2d class...... 14,560,000 Transports. 28,719,334 Interior Public Instruction Agriculture Corvettes, 2d class Side-Wheel Steamers. 422,000 Corvettes, 1st class............ 32 guns. 66 14 66 134 guns. Besides the foregoing, there are in course of construction (1863) 3 first-class iron-clad frigates, 4 second-class iron-clad frigates, and one ram. Personnel of the Navy, 1863.-The personnel of the navy in 1863 consisted of 2 admirals, 3 viceadmirals, 10 rear-admirals, 58 captains, 507 other officers, 11,193 sailors and machinists, 660 other workmen, and 2 regiments of marines, composed of 192 officers and 5688 men. COMMERCE, NAVIGATION, &C., 1861.-The total value of the imports in 1861 was 476,791,930 francs, XXXI. LICHTENSTEIN.-Principality. One of the States of Germany. Area, 61 square | ing sovereign is Prince John II., who was born miles. Population, 7150. Government, Constitu- October 5, 1840, and succeeded to the principality tional Monarchy. Religion, Catholic. The reign- | November 12, 1848. XXXII. LIPPE-DETMOLD.-Principality. One of the States of Germany. Area, 415 square | The reigning sovereign is Prince Leopold, who miles. Population, 1861, 108,513. Government, was born September 1, 1821, and succeeded to the Constitutional Sovereignty. Religion, Reformed. | principality January 1, 1851. XXXIII. LIPPE-SCHAUMBURG.-Principality. One of the States of Germany. Area, 170 square miles. Population, 1861, 30,774. Government, Constitutional Sovereignty. Religion, Reformed. The reigning sovereign is Prince Adolphe, who was born August 1, 1817, and succeeded to the principality November 21, 1860. XXXIV. LÜBEC.—Republic. One of the Free Cities of Germany. Area, 142 square miles. Population, 1862, 50,614. Government, Republican. Legislature, Senate and Assembly. GOVERNMENT, 1863. Council. First Burgomaster..........Charles Louis Roeck. Second Burgomaster.......J. J. F. Torkuhl. Syndic ...P. L. Elder. President of Deputation, of Works, and Schools.Senator Henry Brehmer. Department of Finance...Senator Henry W. Hach. Fire Insurance.. ..Senat'r J. D. Eschenburg. Military Affairs, Post Office, and Railroads...Senator Dr. T. Curtius. Charitable Institutions....Senator A. F. Siemssen. Police ..Senator J. Christian Böse. Poor and Penitentiaries..Senator Henry T. Behn. Senators belonging to the Council, but not holding executive office, Louis Müller, George Christian Tegtmeyer, and Henry Charles Dittmer. Legislature.-The Senate is composed of 14 Senators, 6 of whom must be learned in the law, 2 others must be of the educated classes, 5 merchants, and 1 taken at large. The Assembly consists of 120 members. The President of the Assembly to July, 1865, is Hermann Henry Meeths. The VicePresidents are Dr. Holtermann and Dr. Charles Müller. FINANCES, 1863.-The budget of 1863 gives the XXXV. LIBERIA.-Republic. Area, 23,859 square miles. Population (1863), | 422,000, of whom 16,000 were born in the United States, and 6000 were rescued from slave-ships. Government, Republican. Capital, Monrovia. PRESIDENT DANIEL BASHIELL WARNER (1864-66). [The first President was Joseph Jenkins Roberts; he was succeeded by Stephen Allen Benson,-each of whom served four terms of two years each. Daniel Bashiell Warner, the third President of Liberia, entered upon his duties on the first Monday in January, 1864.] FORM OF GOVERNMENT, &c.-The form of government in Liberia is Republican,-having an elected President, and two Houses (Senate and House of Representatives) of the Legislature. The VicePresident and President are elected for two years, the House of Representatives for two years, and the Senate for four years. There are 13 members of the Lower House, and 8 of the Upper House,each county sending 2 members to the Senate. Hereafter, as the population augments, each 10,000 persons will be entitled to an additional representative. The Vice-President must be thirty-five years of age, and have real property of the value of $600; and, in case of the absence or death of the President, he serves as President. He is also President of the Senate, which, in addition to being one of the branches of the Legislature, is a Council for the President of the Republic, he being required to submit treaties for ratification and appointments to public office for confirmation. The President must be thirty-five years of age, and have property of the value of $600. The judicial power is vested in a Supreme Court, and such subordinate courts as the Legislature may from time to time establish. For political and judicial purposes, the Republic is divided into counties, which are further subdivided into townships. The counties are four in number,-Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Sinoe, and Maryland. The townships are commonly about eight miles in extent. Each town is a corporation, its affairs being managed by officers chosen by the inhabitants. Courts of monthly and quarter sessions are held in each county. The civil business of the county is administered by the four Superintendents appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The county system of government is capable of indefinite extension over new districts of territory that may be acquired, giving all the advantages which local self-government affords to the inhabitants. The government of Liberia is entirely in the hands of colored men, and is successfully maintained. Its independence has been formally acknowledged by thirteen of the Powers of Europe and America,-England and France being among the former, and the Government of the United States among the latter. Treaties of amity, commerce, and navigation have been concluded between it and most of the nations referred to above, besides several others. HISTORICAL NOTICE, PROGRESS, &c.-On the 15th of December, 1821, Commodore Robert F. Stockton, U.S.N., and Dr. Eli Ayres, acting for the American Colonization Society,-which was formed in Washington City on the night of the 20th of December, 1816,-purchased Cape Mesurado, upon which is now situated Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. There was subsequently added six hun dred miles of the West African coast, with an average depth interiorwards of twenty miles. In 1839, the several settlements planted by American benevolence on the shores of Western Africa were united as a commonwealth. In 1847, this gave place, at the desire of the settlers and with the consent of the Colonization Society, to the present Republic of Liberia. POPULATION, &c.-16,000 persons of color have been settled in Liberia by the Colonization Society. The great majority of these were born in the United States. Besides these, about 6000 native Africans, rescued from slave-ships by American naval vessels, have been provided with homes in the Republic. An aboriginal population, estimated at 400,000, reside upon the soil, and are amenable to the laws of Liberia. Many of the natives have become useful citizens, serve on the jury, act as magistrates, and one of them was elected and creditably served as a member of the Liberian House of Representatives. EDUCATION.-A system of common-school in-. struction is provided by the Liberian Government; and several institutions of a more advanced character are supported by the benevolence of the American people. A college-building, erected at a cost of $20,000, is open at Monrovia, having a faculty of 3 (colored) professors, and about 25 students. CLIMATE, SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, &c.-From an address to the colored people of Pennsylvania, by Edward S. Morris, Esq., of Philadelphia,-a gentleman feeling a deep interest in the prosperity of the Republic of Liberia and well informed concerning its affairs,-we extract the following passages relating to its climate, soil, productions, &c.: "On Christmas afternoon, 1862, our good ship anchored off Monrovia. The appearance of the surrounding country from the anchorage is superb, being adorned with all the luxuriant vegetation of that sunny clime, although it wanted many of those improvements which the hand of man can bestow in more favorable circumstances. The sloping banks, carpeted with the richest tropical verdure, the city on the hill, the fort and its flag, the light-house, store-houses, &c., formed a scene which excited admiration. "The climate of Liberia varies but little in temperature throughout the year. Properly speaking, there are but two seasons,-spring and summer. Vegetation is not interrupted. While some products of the earth are in blossom, others are coming to maturity. The two seasons which divide the year are called the wet and the dry; the former extends from the beginning of June to the end of October. During the wet season the rains are by no means incessant, and in the dry season there are some refreshing showers. The temperature in the warmest weather seldom exceeds 90° Fahrenheit, and it has not often been known to fall below 68°. "The soil of Liberia is in all respects excellent: it is so exceedingly fertile that many articles which require so much labor in other countries are here produced spontaneously, or with very little effort on the part of the husbandman. The vegetable productions of the country are of countless variety, some of them very valuable. The forests produce mahogany, hickory, teak, rosewood, boxwood, and many other kinds of timber suitable for carpenters, ship-builders, and cabinetmakers; also camwood and other dye-woods of great value. The acacia, which produces the gum-arabic of commerce, is found in some parts of the interior; likewise the copal, from which the celebrated varnish is extracted. There are several varieties of the palm-tree, of which the nut-bearing palm is the most valuable, as it produces the palm-oil of commerce. The returns of imports from Western Africa by England during 1860 gave the value of palm-oil as reaching £1,684,532,*-equal to $8,000,000. There are also medicinal plants in great variety. Indian corn and rice (the latter of a superior quality) are produced in great abundance; also yams, sweet potatoes, cassada (which in flavor resembles the Irish potato), and many other vegetables suitable for table use. All the common garden-vegetables of America may be cultivated in Liberia. Pigs and goats, and the various kinds of domestic fowls, thrive well. Wheat, barley, and oats may be produced in some localities. The fruits are abundant and of great variety, many of them extremely delicious. Among them are the mango, orange, lemon, lime, guava, tamarind, cocoanut, banana, rose-apple, and African peach. The cultivation of sugar is also very promising, and is already carried on to a considerable extent. "But, in conformity with the opinion which I have often expressed here and in Africa, the cultivation of coffee holds out the strongest inducements to agriculturists. Since the production of this article in Brazil has greatly decreased, owing to local causes, the supply in all parts of the world has fallen far short of the demand; and, as a consequence, prices have considerably ad vanced. Coffee is a native of Africa, and the coffee-plantations of the world owe their origin to plants obtained from that continent. There is now much of coffee-growing in Liberia and its neighborhood, and the quality of Liberia coffee is deemed to be equal if not superior to that of any other, not excepting the celebrated Mocha. Immense fortunes will be made by the cultivators of this article, all circumstances being now favorable for the successful prosecution of this branch of industry. There is nothing to prevent Liberia from becoming the principal coffee emporium of the world. "Mineral wealth of the richest qualities abounds." COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION.-The Liberians have built and manned 30 coast traders, and they have a number of large vessels engaged in conmerce with England and the United States. The principal articles of export are coffee, sugar, palm-oil, and camwood. FINANCES. The revenue of the Republic in 1861 was $149,550, and the expenditures for the same year were $142,831. THE NEW PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA-Mr. E. 8. Morris contributes the following letter, containing a personal sketch of the recently-inaugurated third President of this interesting Republic: "OFFICE, 916 ARCH STREET, PHILADELPHIA, January 8, 1864. "GEORGE W. CHILDS, Esq., Publisher, &c. “Knowing you are about issuing 'The National Almanac and Annual Record,' and as I have lately returned from a visit to the promising young Re public of Liberia, I take the liberty of forwarding for your disposal the following sketch of one who has contributed much to the moral and physical advancement of Liberia. "Daniel B. Warner, the third President of that Republic, was inaugurated on the 1st of this month. He is an able statesman, a republican of the right stamp, a good writer, a patriotic citizen, and, I may add, a working-man in its broadest signification. "Mr. Warner is of unmixed African blood. Iis personal appearance is manly, and calculated to command respect. His moral traits are excellent, and his intellectual qualities are of a high order. He is sagacious, persevering, diligent in every pursuit, and strictly correct in all his dealings. He possesses much firmness of character, though his manners are agreeable and his disposition amiable. Few men in any country can compare with Mr. Warner with regard to the variety of services he has rendered to the public. He has done active duty in the army and navy, in the counting-house and in the Cabinet. He has also been an efficient local preacher in the Methodist Church. In short, he is what Dr. Franklin considered the most honorable of human beings, a doer of good to his fellow-men.' The writer of this sketch, while lately on a visit to Liberia, became personally acquainted with Mr. Warner: he has met with few men more deserving of universal esteem. The high estimation he obtains among his countrymen is sufficiently proved by his elevation to the chief magistracy. The zeal which Mr. Warner has always displayed in the public service gives us an assurance that the affairs of the nation will continue to flourish under his auspices. His policy is strictly industrial, and will no doubt be used to develop the agricultural and manufacturing resources of the country. "What an example does the record of Mr. Warner offer to the industrious and enterprising young men of Liberia! It exemplifies the reality of the fact that the highest offices of the Govern ment stand open for the most worthy, however humble his origin or however straitened his worldly circumstances. His record also addresses itself to the fathers of worthy and intelligent youth in America. I respectfully invite them to glance at that chair of state, by obtaining which their sons would become historical characters. And I am free to add that the chief magistracy of Liberia is the highest position a colored man can reach in this life; for on him rest the destinies of one hundred millions of human beings. Africa will be civilized and Christianized through and by Liberia, whose President will be both the fulcrum and the lever to assist in the mighty work. "Our philanthropic and first American minister to the Republic of Liberia (Hon. Abraham Hanson) has thus written to Mr. Morris:— "Allow me to record my honest and deep conviction that Liberia is destined to be the free and Africa, who shall return hither from the home of happy home of millions of the descendants of bondage, and live in the full enjoyment of the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' "Respectfully, EDWARD 8. MORRIS," In 1862, the imports of palm-oil from West Africa into the United Kingdom were of the value of £1,724,310. |