Bavaria

o kingdom of Central Europe, in the S. of Germany, composed of two isolated portions of unequal size. Bavaria is estimated to contain an area of 29,286 English square miles, and is divided into eight circles (kreise). The total population in 1900 was 6,175,153. Bavaria is one of the most favored countries in Germany, in respect of the fruitfulne of its soil. In the plains and valleys the soil is capable of producing all kinds of crops. The forests of Bavaria, composed chiefly of fir and pine trees, cover nearly a third of its entire surface, and yield a large revenue to the State; much timber being annually exporied, together with potashes, tar, turpentine, and other products peculiar to these wooded regions. The principal mineral products are salt, coal, and iron. Some of the mining works belong to the State, and contribute something to the public revenue; but the minerals are not wrought to the extent they might be. In the rearing of cattle and sheep the Bavarians are somewhat backward. Swine are reared in great numbers in all parts of the country, and poultry and wild fowl are abundant. The wolves and bears, with which the forests of Bavaria were at one time infested, are nearly extinct. The manufactures of Bavaria are singly not very important, being mostly on a small scale, and conducted by individuals of limited capital. The principal’ articles manufactured are linens, woolens, cottons, silks, leather, paper, gla , earthen and iron and steel ware, jewelry, ete., but the supply of some of these articles is inadequate to the home consumption. Of leather, paper, gla , and ironware, rather large quantities are exported. The optical and mathematical instruments made at Munich are the best on the Continent, and are prized accordingly. But the most important branch of manufacture in Bavaria is the brewing of beer—the universal and favorite beverage of the country. There are over 7,400 schools in Bavaria, attended by more than 830,000 pupils. Attendance at school is compulsory up to 14 years of age. There are three universities in Bavaria — two of which (Munich and Wurzburg) are Roman Catholic, and one (Erlangen) Protestant. The genital, Munich, contains a library of,000 volumes, including 25,000 MSS.; several scientific and literary institutions, academies, and national societies, and extensive collections of works of art. The religion of the State is Roman Catholicism, which embraces more than 70 per cent. of the population. The Protestants number about 21 per cent.; the Hebrews 1 per cent., the remainder being Men no nites, etc. Bavaria was formerly a member of the Germanic Confederation, and now forms part of the German empire. The executive is in the hands of the king. The legislature consists of two chambers—one of senators, and one of deputies; the former composed of princes of the nope family, the great officers of the State, the two archbishops, the heads of certain noble families, a bishop named by the king, the president of the Protestant General Consistory, and any other members whom the king may create hereditary peers; the latter, of members chosen indirectly, one to every 31,500 persons of the total population. In 1805 Bavaria was raised, by the treaty of Presburg to the rank of a kingdom, with some further acce ions of territory, all of which were confirmed by the treaties of 1814 and 1815. In the war of 1866 Bavaria sided with Austria, in consequence of which it was obliged, by the treaty of August 22 in the same year, to cede a small portion of its territory to Pru ia, and to pay & war indemnity of 30,000,000 florins. Soon after Bavaia entered into an alliance with Pru ia, and in 1867 joined the Zollverein under Pru ian regulations. In the Franco-German War of 1870-1871 Bavaria took a prominent part, and since 1871 it has been one of the constituent States of the German empire, represented in the Bundesrath by 6; in the Reichstag by 48 members. In 1886 King Louis II. committed suicide from alienation of mind. His brother Otto succeeded, but he being also insane, his uncle Luitpold became regent.