The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-05-28
SPAIN.


Isteresti.s Facts Aso.t ne People, its
Crties, ana u. G~over,-ent
The population Of the Kingdom OF Spain. ~ reported
In last census. taken SIX years ago. was 1T.bs0ooo.
A. the population Is nearly stationary. the count for
this year would be about the same ss that OF the
year IN which the census wa, taken.
The largest city In Spain ia tue capital Madrid. which
has a po puiation OF 472,o0o The next largest cities
are Darce,ons. Valencia. Seville. and Malaga after
which there are twenty ci'ies. the population OF which
ranges from ps.ooo to oncthird ofthat number.
The royal psace in Madrid. which the Infanta
Eulaiia still regards a. her homo. though her mother 10
IN exile. 10 one OF the most magnificent edi0css in
Europe. II 10 Of marble and granite. occupies an AREA
Of ago. 700 square feet. ant rises dazziingiy white
against the sky to a height OF 100 feet The scene
from the palace gardens Is splendid. In the edincs
there are a gallery of paintings, q library. q museum.
an srmory. a chapel and a theatre.
There 10 q performance OF females over males in
Spain. the number Of the forner being . .o+a.ooo and
OF the latter S,8)T.ooo.
The King. though but In the eighth year Of his age 10
lad OF diplomatic and military disposition. according
to the traditions of tho house Of Bourbon. to which he
belongs. When he appears in uniform At the head of
q body oftroops his demehnor IL com Ills adj
wiser In nra,rs OF state Is his mother. tho Queen Re-
gent The a%miabnity of Alfonso Kill 10 provsrbial. lie
has an annual civil list OF 100000 pesetas. equal to
$40 ZOO. exclusive Of allowances to members OF
tho royal family. which aggregate ss.ooo.oou.
The Government of Spain is a limited monarchy. I'M.
der the Constitution which was drawn up and pro-
claimed In 1875. Tho power to make laws belongs to
the Cortes. which consists OF . Senate ana House OF
Deputies. the Senators numbering 800 and the Deputies
<3I. The senators are Of three ciasses-those holding
ONCE In their Owl right. those nominated by the Crown.
and those elected by the civil and ecclesiastical Cor.
p~orations OF state. In the election Of Deputies all male
spaniards may vote under certain restrictions. and
Deputies are elected In the proportion Of one Deputy
to every 10000 sou,s OF the population. Both Houses
Of the Cortes meet every year. and the Ministers are
responsible thereto
Spain 10 divided into ~fortynlne provincss, each Of
which has its own Parliament. chosen by popular suf.
frage. under restrictions. and every commune has Its
own local administration. under an elected Ayunta-
miento and an Alcalde chosen thereby.
The throne. the grandees. tho high ecclesiastios. the
Captains General. the Admirais. ana tho Ministers Of
State WELD . very powerful influence in Spanish poll
tics. and control the upper House Of the Cortes
The number OF foreign residents in Spain is small.
numbering only about 5000. Tho emigration from
Spain has been In some years - high as l25. 900. Four
nth Of tho emigrants settle In Spanish America and
the remainder In tho Spanish African possessions
The national church of Spain 10 the Roman Catholic,
TO which nearly the entire population adhorea There
are in the kingdom IL. $40 churches and cathsdrais.
81. 436 priests lA,592 nuns, 1884 monks, and l1.2o2
converts. monasteries. and other houses Of . religious
character. Tho clergy are maintained BY the State.
There are in the country a fow thousand Protestants.
afew thousand agnostics. and about 400 Jews. Tho
Constitution provides that Protostants may hold relis-
ions services under certain restrictions; but within
the past year. an Episcopalian chapel has been erected
in Madrid without ohiciai sanction. under the protso-
tion Of the British Embassy.
In the north Of Spain are the Basques. numbering |
10000. who differ in race and language from the main
body Of the Spanish poopla. In tho south arc the No.
rescoes and the Gypsies. numbering 10000. Within
the past nifty years tho increase in tho population has
hAep Lass fhn a hair of one cent mar annum |
Tbs Spanish regular army. on . peace footing. con.
sists of lis. 900 mon Of all branches Of the service. and
on . war footing. Of 1.os3.ooo. The contingent for
this year 10 90. s78. In peace there arc IL. 7l3 horses |
and 42z suna one-fourth of tho army Is employed in
the colonial service. All spaniards past tho age of
twenty arc liable to be drawn for the permanent army, |
In which the service Is three yoars. after which they
pass into the reserve. emptio from military ser |
| vice can be purchased. All the frontiers Of Spain are
well defended by forts |
In the Spanish navy there are armorolad turrst
ships. monitors. torpedo boats. and war ships, besides
many unprotected marine craft OF less power. under
command OF Admirnls OF three grades and manned BY
$4,000 sailors and $3.50 marines. The navy. like the
army. Is recruited by conscription
In education Spain is far behind any other European |
country. Russia excepted. There are school Lawn that
would DO useful IL they were enforced Less than one.
third OF tho adult population arc able to road and
write: but . considerable number OF new schools have
been established within recent yearr. |
The financial condition Of Spain 10 unsatiseaosory,
and the public debt IL heavy: but only budget estimates
OF current revenues and expenditures are obtainAbls.
The chief exports Of Spain arc wines. minerals. and
metals; the chief imports are manufactured goods,
grain, cotton. coal, and machinery. 6pain's commerce
with the United States is not great.
The railway system Of Spain covers about 1000
miles. and other lines arc under construction. The
length of telegraph lines is given as 5000 miles.
Spain. formerly q conquering and coloniIing power,
has lost tho greater part OF the foreign territory which
she once ruled: but she still holds Cuba ana Porto Rico
in America. the Philippine and other islands in Asia.
and possessions Of considerable importance In Africa
There are ten universities in Spain, ths>moss re-
nownsd OF which is the University OF Madrid. It ap
pears from tho latest reports that there are about
1900 students In the ten universities The theatres,
art galleries. and libraries of Madrid and other Spanish
cities are numerous and notable.
Tho Spanish literature of our timos il Of hirh quail
ity. as was that Of other times. Spain has to-day. a. IL
has had for hundreds of ysars. many eminent scholars
in all branches OF iearninss The Spanish romauosrs,
novel writer's. ana poets Of this generation deserve
very high praise.
The great national psstims Of the Spanish popuiaos
IL the bull ring. and $4,000 or 20. 1000 people can often
be seen At . bull night in Madrid. The Infanta Rulaiia
is q member Of the royal family who nnds enjoyment
in the sport
The exiled queen Of Spain. Isabella H.. lives In regal
state in France upon revenues derived from the king
dom which she once ruled. and from real property and
inheritancea
Spain WAS . republic for nearly two years QeeS-7n
under the Presidency Of Emilio CASTELAR,. but royalty
was revived CASTELAR, has Just announced his retire
mont from public life |
The history Of Spain for 2. 600 years 10 Of SURPRISING
interest, and illustrated BY many marvellous episodes.
Foreign Notes or Real Intorest.
Or. Galippe reports to tho French Academy OF
Sciences, after eight years investigation. that all stones
such As gravel. found In The human body are produced
by microbes. Microbes are the authors OF that chsmi.