David Kay

“ In his speech at the opening of the Reichsrath on 5th November of that year, the emperor said that by the system of direct popular elections the empire had obtained real independence, and exhorted the members to work with united energy at the solution of the greatest of their tasks, the uniting of the people of Austria, so that she might become a powerful state, strong in ideas of justice and liberty. ”

“ Austria is noted for its beer, particularly that of Vienna and Bohemia. There are about 3200 breweries in the country, of which more than 1000 are in Bohemia. The largest establishments, how ever, are in Lower Austria, in the neighbourhood of Vienna. The annual quantity of beer made is estimated at about 186,000,000 gallons. Brandy is made largely in Hungary, Galicia, and Bucko- vina, and to a less extent in Bohemia, Moravia, and Lower Austria. Kosoglio, maraschino, and other liqueurs, are made in Dalmatia and Moravia. ”

“ This, having been suppressed, Austria, in conjunction with the other two powers which had dismembered Poland, deter mined to lay hold on Cracow, and thus extinguish the last remnant of Polish independence. This step being contrary to the treaty of Vienna, was strongly remonstrated against both by England and France; but these remonstrances were unheeded, and the republic was incorporated in the Austrian empire. The French revolution of 1848, which convulsed almost the whole of continental Europe, caused the Austrian empire to totter to its foundations. ”

“ The number of common schools in Austria in 1868 was 15,054, with 32,137 male and 2814 female, teachers, 12,225 of the former being ecclesiastics, and 1036 of the latter nuns; in Hungary the number of schools was over 16,000, and of teachers 28,000. In connection with many of these schools there are training institutions for teachers, industrial schools for girls, and trade and agricultural schools for boys. The middle schools are the gymnasia, real-gymnasia, and real-schools. A complete gymnasium provides for a course of eight years study, divided into two parts of four years each. ”

“ As compared with France, Austria has a form nearly as compact, but its frontiers are by no means so well defined or so strongly protected by natural barriers. It ranks third in extent among the countries of Europe (after Russia and Sweden) , and fourth in point of population (after Russia, the German empire, and France) .
Mountains.⁠ Mountains. Austria is, after Switzerland, the most mountainous country of Europe, and about four-fifths of its entire area is more than 600 feet above the level of the sea. The mountains are frequently covered with vegetation to a great elevation. ”

“ The largest lake of Austria is the Balaton, in Hungary, which is about 46 miles in length by 18 in breadth, and, including the swamps in connection with it, covers an area of 500 square miles. The Neusiedler, also in Hungary, is 18 miles in length, by from 4 to 7 in breadth, and covers an area of 106 square miles. Among the many smaller ones the principal are the Traunsee, Attersee, Worthersee, Mondsee, &c. No other European country equals Austria in the number and value of its mineral springs. No fewer than 1500 of these are reckoned, and they occur princi pally in Bohemia and Hungary. ”

“ Austria is possessed of almost inexhaustible stores of coal, and the amount annually raised exceeds 6,000,000 tons, of which 48 per cent, is in Bohemia, 12 in Hungary, 11 in Silesia, 10 in Styria, 61⁄2 in Moravia, 21⁄2 in Galicia, and 11⁄2 in Carniola. Peat and clay are abundant in certain parts of the country; porcelain earth is found in Bohemia and Moravia; white, red, black, and variously-coloured marbles exist in the Alps, particularly in Tyrol and Salzburg ”

“ In all there are 90 different species of mammals, 248 species of birds, 377 of fishes, and more than 13,000 of insects.
Divisions.⁠ Austria comprises five countries, each bearing the name Divisions, of kingdom—viz., Hungary, Bohemia, Galicia, Illyria, and Dalmatia; one archduchy, Austria; one principality, Transylvania; one duchy, Styria; one margraviate, Mora via; and one county, Tyrol. These are now divided into provinces, which are called crown-lands, and of which at present there are 18, 14 being in Austria Proper, and 4 in Hungary. ”

“ In Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and Upper Austria, however, this manufacture is more extensively carried on than in other parts. There are here a number of factories for the spinning of flax, and the finer kinds of linen are manufactured.
The woollen manufacture is also an old established branch of industry, and is actively carried on. It is estimated that about 600,000 cwt. of wool is annually spun; and there are about 230 spinning factories, with upwards of 700,000 spindles. The great seats of the woollen manufacture are in Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and Upper Austria. ”

“ To the Germans a united fatherland had long been a favourite idea, and they now saw a step towards its accomplishment. Notwithstanding the treaty of London (8th May 1852) , which fixed the succession to the Danish crown, and was signed by Austria and Prussia, they denied the right of the new king, Christian IX., to the duchies, and laid claim to them as part of Germany. To enforce their claim the diet determined that they should be occu pied by an armed force, and Saxony and Hanover were directed to enter and take possession of Holstein. ”

“ The war now assumed a new phase, France and Sweden being allied against the empire and the Lutheran states of Germany, aided by Spain. Richelieu s efforts were in great measure directed to humbling the latter power. He sent an army into Spain, and entered into leagues with the dukes of Savoy and Parma and the United Pro vinces for attacking the Spanish power in Italy and the Netherlands. These projects did not meet with success, and the war was for a time carried into the French terri tories. ”

“ The crown-land of Lower Austria far surpasses in this respect the other divisions of the country, having about four-ninths of the whole, and not less than 1700 species of flowering plants. Hungary, Bohemia, Moravia, and Galicia are the principal corn-growing regions of the country; and Tyrol, Salzburg, and Upper Styria are the principal pastoral regions.
Animals.⁠ The animal kingdom embraces, besides the usual domestic Animals. animals (as horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, asses, &c.) ”

“ By the peace of Vienna Austria was compelled to cede Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, the Innviertel, and the Hausruckviertel, to Bavaria ; portions of Galicia to Russia and the grand duke of Warsaw ; and Carniola, Trieste, the greater part of Croatia, Istria, the circle of Villach, &c., to Italy In all she lost about 42,000 square miles of territory and 3,500.000 inhabitants, to gether with more than 11,000,000 florins of revenue. The emperor also agreed to reduce his army to not more than 150,000 men; and a war contribution of 3,400,000 was imposed on the provinces occupied by the French troops. ”

“ The war was carried on principally in Italy, where Austria was driven out of most of her possessions, and was glad to sue for peace. By this treaty Augustus was confirmed on the throne of Poland; but Austria was obliged to cede to Stanislaus the duchies of Lorraine and Bar, to be afterwards trans ferred to France ; Don Carlos was placed on the throne of the Two Sicilies, and the grand duchy of Tuscany was bestowed on the duke of Lorraine, the emperor receiving as compensation Parma and Placentia ; and France, and afterwards Spain and Sardinia, acceded to the Pragmatic Sanction. ”

“ The technical high schools or academies have for their object the imparting of a high scientific education. The students generally enter them from the upper real-schools, and the complete technical course extends over live years. There are eight of these institutions in Austria Proper, having in all 284 professors and teachers, and 3179 scholars, of whom 1501 were receiving free instruction, and 231 were stipendists. The principal of these is the Polytechnic institution in Vienna, which has 79 professors and teachers, and 782 scholars. ”

“ He was one of those well- meaning but weak-minded men, who unfortunately adopt the wrong means for effecting the good which they intend. He wished to make his people contented and happy, but he sought to do so by repressing all independence in thought or action, and keeping them in the most abject subjection. ”

“ The National Diet, which had met on the 22d of July, now declared its sittings permanent, and elected a committee of public safety. It sent an address to the emperor asking for a new ministry, the revocation of the edict against the Hungarians, the dismissal of Jellachich, and an amnesty for the rioters. The emperor, who had returned from Innsbruck to Vienna in June, returned an evasive answer, and fled to Olmütz. The people in the capital armed themselves under the leader ship of General Bern, and prepared to resist the impending attack of the army. ”

“ Austria was in an unprepared state when the war actu ally broke out, but the Prussian forces, on the other hand, were thoroughly equipped. The Austrian army in the north amounted to 247,000 men, besides the Saxon army at Dresden of 24,000, in all 271,000. The Prussian force consisted of three armies : the first, under the command of Prince Frederick Charles, consisted of 93,000 men, and was destined for Saxony and Bohemia ; the second, under the crown prince, numbered 115,000 men, and was to operate in Silesia ”

“ The silk-worm is cultivated in certain parts of the southern districts, particularly in Southern Tyrol, which yields 2,200,000 il of cocoons, being nearly doublo that of all the rest of the country put together. The rivers and lakes in general abound with fish, which are also plentiful along the coast. In Dalmatia, in particular, fishing constitutes an important branch of industry, affording employment to many of the population. ”

“ France espoused the cause of Bavaria, while England alone came forward to the assist ance of the queen, and the Hungarians, now united and loyal, willingly recruited her armies. Aided by France and Saxony, the elector of Bavaria took possession of Bohemia, and was proclaimed king in 1741, and the fol lowing year he was elected emperor under the title of Charles VII. The king of Prussia marched suddenly into Silesia and took possession of that country. The elector of Bavaria, aided by French troops, next invaded Austria, and even threatened Vienna. ”

“ The annual value of the industrial products of Austria is esti mated at not less than 130,000,000, of which 33 per cent, falls to the eastern, and 67 per cent, to the western half of the country. Among the crown -lands, 18 per cent, belongs to Bohemia alone, 15 to Lower Austria, 15 to Hungary, 6 to Transylvania and the other Hungarian crown-lands, 11 to Galicia and Buckowina, 10 to Moravia, 6 to Tyrol, 4 to Styria, and 4 to Upper Austria. ”

“ There are also a number of private schools of various kinds, schools for the deaf and dumb and blind, orphan institutions, &c. In connection with the universities and many of the higher educational institutions are to be found libraries, museums of natural history and antiquities, botanic gardens, observatories, chemical laboratories, &c. There also exist numerous learned and scientific societies. The intellectual progress of Austria is, of late years, particularly manifest in the departments of law, medicine, natural science, history, and Oriental languages. ”

“ The allies lost about 30,000 men, killed, wounded, or made prisoners, while the French lost about 12,000 in killed and wounded. This was the most glorious of all Napoleon s victories ; but he was still in a very dangerous position. The Archduke Charles, with an army of 80,000 men, was now approaching Vienna ; Hun gary was rising en masse against him ; Russian reserves were advancing ; and Prussia was at length preparing to declare war, on account of the unauthorised passage of French troops through her territories. ”

“ They are for the most part bare and rugged. The Dinaric Alps are a continuation of the preceding, extending through Croatia and Dalmatia, and resemble them in character. The highest point, Mount Dinara, from which they take their name, is 5956 feet above the level of the sea.
After the Alps, the most important mountain system of Austria is the Carpathians, which occupy its eastern and north-eastern portions, and stretch in the form of an arch through. Silesia, Moravia, Galicia, Hungary, and Transyl vania. ”

“ The principal grain-producing districts are Hungary, Bohemia, Galicia, Moravia, and Lower and Upper Austria. In agriculture Austria is still behind many other countries, but great improvements have of late years taken place. Flax, hemp, and beet are chiefly found in Silesia, Moravia, Bohemia, and Hungary ”

“ Military service is compulsory on all citizens capable of bearing arms. The term of service lasts for twelve years three in the standing army, seven in the reserve, and two in the Land wehr. The strength of the army in peace is fixed at 252,000 men, to be raised during war to 800,000, of which Austria has to furnish 457,012, and Hungary 342,988. It is composed of 80 regi ments of infantry, 41 regiments of cavalry, 13 regiments of artillery, 2 regiments of engineers, 1 regiment pioneers, and other troops. ”

“ The Ersatz -reserve is composed of a certain class of conscripts who are destined to fill up the ranks of the standing army in time of war, but in peace remain on permanent furlough. The Landsturm is made up of volunteers who do not belong either to the standing army, the navy, or the Laudwehr. It is called out and organised to the extent required when the country is threatened by a hostile invasion, and is intended to support the standing army and Land wehr. ”

“ Milan and Venice rosa against their rulers, and expelled the Austrian troops. This was followed by a general rising throughout Lombardy and Venice. The insurgents found an ally in Charles Albert, king of Sardinia, who came with an army to their assistance, and declared war against the empire. At first he succeeded in driving the Austrians back to the northern frontier of Italy; but General Radetzky, having received reinforcements, vanquished him in several engagements, and compelled him to flee to his own dominions, and conclude a truce with the victors. ”

“ Dalmatia, however, is the great country of the goats, where they number 280,656, after which follow Bohemia with 194,273, and Tyrol with 137,698. The number of swine was 6,984,752, of which 4,443,279 were in Hungary. They are naturally most numerous in those crown-lands which contain extensive oak and beech forests, or which have many distilleries. Hence they are mostly found in Hungary, Transylvania, the Military Frontier, Galicia, Styria, and Bohemia. Bees are extensively kept, particularly in the crown-lands of Lower Austria, Hungary, Galicia, and Transvlvania. ”

“ Maria Theresa s husband was in September elected emperor under the title of Francis I., and after some more fight ing, a peace was concluded with Prussia at Dresden, by which the king was confirmed in the possession of Silesia. The war with France was prosecuted for some time longer in the Netherlands and in Italy with varying success, but ultimately peace was concluded at Aix-la-Chapelle, in October 1748. Austria gave up the duchies of Parma, Placentia, and Guastalla to Don Philip, son of the king of Spain, and several districts of Milan to Sardinia ”