Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-02-17
LITTLE-KNoWN COUNTRIES.
Places In Europe Which the Traveller
Seldom Hears About.

y are IL HuuUer pl European COuutIieo
4 which one seldom hears and certain
knows nothing. Who for instanc
knows where the republic of Andol
n is situated2
D Andorra IS a half French and ha
B Spanish republic and lies in an almo
inaccessible valley of the eastern P
r anse, between the French departmeI
b of Ariege and the Spanish province {
Z Lerida.
i II dates from Charlemange in 79
and is just four fifShs the size Of th
Isle of Man. covering an area Of IA
! square miles. There are six parishe
1 in the republic and a combined popu
Iation of $500 people.
There Is but one way of reaching
Andorra from France and that is b,
the river Bolira. The Spanish whit
reaches it must go.by mule over one tn
of the most dangerous foot paths in Eu
rope. The president of the republic
who will be president as long as h'
lives receives salary of SIS year fol
his services.
Andorra is free country and the
people are principally engaged in farm
ing, cattle breeding .and trading in
wool, wood and charcoal. The republic
is forced to import from France, and
they have to pay the French govern.
ment 100 francs year for the free i'm.
portation of corn in to the country
Andorra has not only an army of l,
100 men but every able bodied Andor-
ran is trained to take up arms in case
of invasion not very likely contin-
gency, however.
Taval0ra as regards popu lation is
the smallest of the small powers in the
world. The total population falls short
of 100 by good score. This tiny
country is an island some five miles
long by half mile broad. situated about
ten or twelve miles northeast of Sar-
dina. Tavadora Is one of the few
countries of the world where women
are allowed to 60 to the polls and vote
| with the men. Ever since 1886 when
it became republic. elections have
taken placed yearly and the women
have assisted in the transaction of
public business and political argu-
| ments.
In 1850 the island of Tavalora belong
ed to one man, it having been granted
to him fourteen years before by King
Charles Albert of Sardiana. When the
owner died the island became genera
property and the Inhabitants drew up
a constitution. Italy appears to have
recognized it's independence all other
powers seem to ignore the place alto
gether.
Very few people have heard of the
existence of the republic or principal
ity of Liechtenstein. Separated by the
Rhine. Leichtenstein is shut away
from the great powers of Europe and
its ruler Johann II who has been on
the throne nearly so years refuses to
converse with any save his own peO,
pie. His palace is in the heart of the
chief town which is on Lake Constance
and called after the country. The prin.
clpality has no army and the people
pay no rates Or taxes. In character
they are happy natured, good living
people and their fond love for liberty
keeps them from being held under by
their rulers.
Situated on the summit of a pecu-
liar shaped mountain in the Bases
Pyranes, south of France, is the re
public of Goust, one of the quaintest
little countries in or out of Europe.
The total area of Goust is one and a
quarter square miles, and the popula.
tion is l40. Its origin dates hack from
164S and it is fully recognized and al
ways has been by both France and
Spain.
Although Goust has a president of
its own, Its real ruler is the Bishop of
Lauruns, small Spanish parish at the
foot of the mountains. The president
is tax collector and judge, but the bis
hop tries the criminal cases and what
| be says is law.
The most attractive of all the little
powers is San Marino, in Central Italy
Fhe entire area is about thirty three
square miles and the population nun
L
bers $3.50 all told. This tiny republic
was founded way back in the fourth
century by San Marines, who having
embraced Christianity fed there to es-
cape persecution under DiocIetian.
The chief town of San Marino bears
the same name and is perched vn the
crest of mountain 2, 500 feet high. A
legislative Senate of sixty members
governs the republic. Two captains
regent elected periodically, represent
the state, which has also its home sec.
retary, it's minister of foreign affairs.
it's chancellor of excheq uer and regu
lar army. The San Marino military is
regularly drilled and prOfusely decor
ated and officered exclusively by gen
Ierals.
| By treaty with Italy San Marino re
cieves certain proportion of the Ital
ian customs revenue. and is also allow
ed to import tobacco duty free.
There are no newspapers. printing
offices or printing presses in the re-
public, and the people therefore never
have questions of copyright sprung ul
on them to upset their equanimity
When the mail arrives at Borga hug
hell is ruDg for an hour and the inhabl
tants who dwell far up on the cliffe
have to descend to get their letters o
go without them. Owing to the yer,
primitive state of affairs no postmal
ascends the mountain.
A Guaranteed Cure For Piles.