LITHUANIA. FORMING THE CENTRE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY DISTRICTS. SAMOGITIA, called by the natives Szamais, and in the Polish language Smuids, is a duchy which has long formed part of Lithuania. It has been governed in common with that Grand Duchy, and has from time to time had its own Dukes. The country, although covered with forests, is remarkable for the fertility of its soil; is rich in corn, flax, hemp, and honey; affords game in abundance, and is noted for its fine breed of horses. Samogitia, which at present belongs to the Russian Government of Wilna, abounds in lakes and marshes, that render the communications extremely difficult. To the south is the Niemen, which separates it from Prussia, and into which fall the Wilia, the Neweja, the Dubira, and the Joura. The northern part of the country is watered by the Moucha and the Weta, or Windau, the first of which, under the name of Aa, falls into the Dwina near Riga; whilst the latter runs into the sea, a little below Windau. Samogitia is inhabited by two distinct races of men; the first of lofty stature, and descended from the Weudes, who in remote ages occupied the country; the latter, diminutive, but hardy and robust, like the Lettonians. The fertility of the soil might suffice to render the inhabitants rich, but for their inactivity, and their slavish subjection to ancient prejudices; many of the farmers, for instance, obstinately make use of a plough entirely composed of wood, under the idea that one furnished with the smallest particle of iron is unlucky; consequently it often happens, that the total failure of their harvest compels them to subsist on radishes and turnips, which in this country grow to an enormous size. Their sowing season seldom commences till about three weeks after Whitsuntide, but the excessive heat of their summers usually ripens the grain in six or seven weeks. In point of civilization, the inhabitants of Samogitia, are, perhaps, less advanced than any other people of Europe. Though converted to Christianity in 1413, they still retain many of their ancient Pagan superstitions, believing implicitly in sorcerers, demons, and spirits. The village curates are their oracles, and possess incalculable influence over the lower classes of the populace. When Samogitia was under the dominion of the Poles, the capital of the country was the little town of Rosienne, at present the capital of a district situate on the Dobisza, forty-three leagues north-west of Wilna. This town, which is now the residence of the Catholic bishops of Samogitia, is built of wood, and contains two churches and a college of Piarists. Keidamy, in the district of Rosienne, belongs to the Radziwill family, and is the capital of their immense possessions in Lithuania. It contains a Carmelite monastery, two Protestant churches, a Russian church, and a gymnasium. Telch or Telcha, and Chawle, formerly two inconsiderable towns, are at present raised to the importance of capitals of districts. The latter was once a commandery of the knights of the Teutonic order, and was afterwards governed by the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. But Jourberg, or Georgenbourg, in the Polish dialect Jurbok, must now be considered the most important town of Samogitia. It is a bustling commercial town belonging to the district of Rosienne, and built on the Niemen; it possesses a good harbour, and a custom-house established by the Russians. The remainder of the Russian Government of Wilna is situate to the east and the south of Samogitia, extending to the south as far as the Niemen and the Meranganka. The soil, though marshy, is in general fertile, and is well adapted for the breeding of cattle, particularly sheep. The inhabitants devote themselves with much success to agriculture, and to the rearing of bees. Their commerce is carried on with Prussia, Riga, and Libau. The population of the place is composed of Lithuanians, (who form the majority,) of Russians, Poles, and Jews; also of 1300 Tartars who have forgotten their native dialect. The number of the inhabitants of the government of Wilna, Samogitia included, may be estimated at one million of souls. Wilna, the capital, is built upon a number of little eminences at the con fluence of the Wilia and the Wilika. Its foundation is ascribed to Gedimin, Grand-Duke of Lithuania in 1305. Previously to its union with Russia, it was the capital of the Grand-Duchy, and gave name to a Palatinate. The ancient ducal chateau, which is now in a ruinous state, is remarkable for its arsenal, the hall of its former tribunal; and opposite, the handsome church built in 1386. In the latter, treasure to a large amount is deposited: it also contains the marble chapel of St. Casimir, whose shrine of solid silver is said to weigh upwards of 3300 pounds. In the town, which is extensive, and to which have been added two suburbs named Autokolla and Roudaiaszka, there are several convents, and more than forty buildings devoted to public worship, including a Lutheran, a Reformed, and a Greek church; a Tartar mosque, and a Jewish synagogue. The remaining churches are Polish. Wilna also contains some handsome squares, adorned with houses built of stone. The Catholic bishoprick of Wilna was founded in 1387. The university founded by Bishop Valerien Szuskovski in 1570, and confirmed by King Stephen, holds its sittings in the ancient college of Jesuits. The Emperor Alexander conferred a new organization on this establishment, of which Prince Adam Czartoryski, now President of the National Government of Warsaw, was for many years the principal Director. Wilna also possesses a college of Piarists, a Greek school for speculative theology, a Catholic seminary, a gymnasium, and five printing establishments. It is celebrated as birth-place of the Polish bard Casimir Sarbiewski, whose poetry Hugo Grotius compared to that of Horace. The population of the town is estimated at 25,000 inhabitants; the number of houses at upwards of 3000. Troki, founded in 1321 by Gedimin, is another town belonging to the government of Wilna, and situate five leagues to the west, on a lake named Bressale, which communicates by means of a canal with the Wilia. In 1390, it was consumed by fire, and having been rebuilt, was in 1655 destroyed by the Russians. It was formerly the residence of the Grand-Dukes of Lithuania, who subsequently removed their seat to Wilna. It is sometimes, for the sake of distinction, called New Troki, as at the distance of a short league is a village named Old Troki, in which may be seen a Benedictine abbey. In Troki there are two chateaux, one of which is built on an island of the lake Bressale. The town, all the houses of which are built of wood, is of considerable size, and has three parishes; in the largest is a miraculous image of the Virgin, to which a number of Pilgrims from all parts are accustomed to pay their devotions. In the district to which the town belongs, is a large glass manufactory, which supplies a considerable portion of Lithuania with bottles. Amongst the rivers of European Russia, one of the most useful is the Niemen, called in German, the Memel. This river, the greater part of whose course is through Lithuania, takes its rise south of the Russian government of Minsk, whence it enters the districts of Wilna and Grodus, and afterwards, passing the Russian frontier, enters Prussia, and flows through several channels into the gulph of the Baltic called Curisch-Haff. It greatly facilitates the trade of Lithuania, and even of a part of Volhynia. By means of the canal of Oginsky, a communication is established between the Ukraine, Little Russia, the Black Sea, and the Baltic. This canal established between the rivers Chara and Yatsolda, for the purpose of uniting the Dniper and the Niemen, was commenced by Count Oginsky, Marshal of Lithuania, and called after his name: the undertaking was afterwards interrupted, but was resumed under the Russian Government in 1798, and terminated in 1812. The utility of this channel of communication will be still further increased on the termination of another, which has recently been projected, and by which it has been proposed to unite the Niemen with the Dwina. More than six hundred barges annually descend the Niemen with the productions of Lithuania and Poland, and return laden with foreign merchandize. The navigation, however, is at times rendered dangerous by shoals, of which, during the reign of the last King of Poland, a fruitless attempt was made to clear the current of the river. Should a more favourable destiny await the hitherto ill-fated Poles, the undertaking, recommenced under happier auspices, may, it is hoped, be crowned with success. FORMATION OF A NAVAL AND MILITARY MUSEUM. WHILST other professions have establishments in which their members may prosecute the studies which their particular objects require, and find facilities for the acquisition of general knowledge and useful information, according to the actual state and progress of science, the improvements of art, and the changes or modifications which are continually taking place in the practice of all professions, the NAVAL AND MILITARY SERVICES, though affording peculiar facilities for the formation of such an establishment, and greatly susceptible of being benefited by it, have provided no institution in which their members, when not actively employed, may improve, through their own exertions, the special, elementary education which they may have originally received, For want of such an Institution, the Officers of the Army and Navy have, in general, neglected to avail themselves of the opportunities which their services in every quarter of the world afford, for collecting and recording much valuable information; whilst others who, with great ability, skill, and industry, have improved those opportunities, find no means of rendering their researches, their collections, and their studies accessible to the Services at large, and consequently useful, in the most appropriate manner, to the nation. To remedy this, it is proposed to establish, in London, a NAVAL AND MILITARY MUSEUM, for the use and benefit of the United Service, to contain Models, Plans, and Memoirs connected with the Naval and Military Services, interesting Trophies, the Arms and Armour of all ages and countries, specimens of Natural History from all quarters of the Globe, and whatever else may be instructive and curious, or in any way contribute to the improvement of the mind, furnish it with matter for rational pursuit in retirement, or augment professional resources when actively employed. It is also intended to collect a LIBRARY of History, Science, Tactics, and especially of books of professional reference. To this important branch of the Institution, there is no doubt that large donations will be made by the members, and that all works connected with Naval or Military matters will be cheerfully presented by their authors. It will be a subject for future consideration, whether Officers may not be invited to give LECTURES on specific points of Naval and Military science, whereby much practical knowledge may be most beneficially preserved and communicated, and from which an identity of general views and principles may be happily diffused through both branches of His Majesty's Service. The great aim of this Institution will be, to foster the desire of useful information, and to facilitate its acquisition; it is therefore proposed to admit Officers of all ranks belonging to the Army, Navy, and Marines, the Militia, regular and local, and Yeomanry, the East India Company's Land and Sea Forces, and the Civil Functionaries attached to these departments. Since such an Institution was first suggested, its completion has been warmly urged by intelligent members of every department of the United Service, whilst the means of carrying it into effect with the best prospect of fulfilling its objects, have been unceasingly kept in view. This important undertaking has received the gracious sanction of the King, who has condescended to become its PATRON. His Grace the Duke of Wellington has accepted the office of VICE-PATRON, and the Institution already enrolls amongst its Presidents and Vice-Presidents many of the most distinguished names in both arms of the United Service. * Messrs. Colburn and Bentley have already offered copies of the Naval and Military Works of which they are the Publishers, to the intended Library. U. S. JOURN. No. 31. JUNE 1831. Q PATRON. VICE-PATRON. THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. PRESIDENTS. Commander of the Forces. Right Hon. Sir James Graham, Bart. | General Lord Hill, G.C.B. and G.C.H. Lieut-Gen. Sir J. Kempt, G.C.B. and nance. Marquis of Anglesey, K. G. K.S.P.G.C.B. and G.C.H. At a meeting of the Provisional Committee, held on the 21st of May, Major-Gen. Sir Howard Douglas, Bart. in the chair, It was resolved, that a General Meeting of those eligible to become members, at which it is expected that an Officer of the highest rank will preside, do take place at the Thatched-House Tavern, St. James's Street, London, at two o'clock P.M. on the 25th of June, to adopt resolutions for the definitive establishment of the Institution, and to take into consideration the best mode of providing a BUILDING for the reception of several extensive collections which have been already presented; those by Capt. W. H. Smyth, and Commander Downes, and, through Colonel Freeth, that from the late Royal Staff Corps, containing upwards of one thousand specimens in various branches of natural history, are here particularly referred to. Under such auspices, and with such favourable prospects, the Provisional Committee fully rely that this call on the United Service will be anxiously responded to by each department, and by every individual officer. In considering the amount of subscription to this highly important object, the Provisional Committee propose that it should be at the lowest possible rate, so that the smallness of the amount might render it a matter of trifling import to the very junior officers of the Service, while the number of Subscribers should produce a revenue equal to the wants of the establishment; they therefore recommend that it shall be fixed at ten shillings annually for each member, or six sovereigns as a life subscription. It becomes highly desirable that in the interval before the General Meeting on Saturday the 25th of June, all officers, at least all such as may be within the United Kingdom, should communicate to either of the Secretaries, Commander Henry Downes, R. N. and Lieut. Hall, H. P. Royal Irish, 4, Carlton Chambers, Regent-street, their intention of forwarding this design, and give general directions to their agents in London for the payment of the annual subscription, to Charles Downes, Esq. No. 8, Carlton Chambers, Regent-street, the Provisional Treasurer. Other facilities will hereafter be proposed to render communications more complete. ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND DUTIES OF THE UNATTACHED MEDICAL STAFF OF THE ARMY AT HOME. BY A MEDICAL OFFICER. THE following TABLE presents an exact view of the Distribution of the unattached Medical Officers of the Army employed at present at Home, whilst in the OBSERVATIONS which succeed, the Duties these officers have to perform at their respective stations are indicated and occasionally commented upon. In the column of stations in the Table will be found the name of every place in these kingdoms at which a Military Medical Officer is placed, and in the succeeding columns the title of every Rank now recognized in the Medical Department of the Army.* The reader may thus embrace at one view the whole of our domestic establishments as above referred to, and compare together without trouble the staff at different stations both with respect to rank and numbers. As the Officers are thus arranged in a double order, by rank and station, so are the Observations also; one following another in such a manner that easy reference may be made from the table to the observations, or the reverse. With these explanatory remarks no difficulty can be found in tracing the connection which exists between the different parts of this communication, and therefore we shall add nothing further in the way of introduction. TABLE OF DISTRIBUTION, † MADE UP TO APRIL 1831. * Amongst these the titles of Director General, Principal Inspector General, Physician General, and Surgeon General will not be met with, as belonging rather to individuals (under special appointments) than to the Department. The individuals at present distinguished by those titles are however included under the class of Inspector General, the highest Rank admitted by His Majesty's Warrant of the 29th July 1830. + This Table has cost us some trouble, the information contained in the Army Lists with respect to the Medical Department being so arranged, as to render it rather difficult to ascertain the exact number employed, &c. We shall point out hereafter a mode of correcting this deficiency. |