Dresden

the capital of the kingdom of Saxony; situated in a beautiful valley on both sides of the river Elbe. Among the chief edifices besides several of the churches are the museum (joined on to an older range of buildings called the Zwinger), a beautiful building containing a famous picture gallery and other treasures; the Japanese Palace (Augusteum), containing the royal library of from 300,- 000 to 400,000 volumes, besides a rich collection of manuscripts; the Johanneum, containing the collection of porcelain and the historical museum, a valuable collection of arms, armor, domestic utensils, etc., belonging to the Middle Ages. The city is distinguished for its exeellent educational, literary, and artistie institutions, among which are the Polytechnic School, much on the plan and scale of a university; the Conservatory and School of Music; the Academy of Fine Arts, ete. The manufactures are not unimportant, and are various in character; the china, however, for which the city is famed, is made chiefly at Mei en, 14 miles distant. The commerce is considerable, and has greatly increased since the development of the railway system. The chief glory of Dresden is the gallery of pictures, one of the finest in the world. The pictures number about 25,000, and in particular comprise many fine specimens of the Italian, Dutch, and Flemish schools. Besides this fine collection the museum contains also engravings and drawings ey, to upward of 350,000. There is here also a rich collection of casts exemplifying the progre of sculpture from the earliest times, and including copies of all the most important antiques.