Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. IX.—February, 1851.—Vol. II.Various
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. IX.—February, 1851.—Vol. II.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
Germans 7,980,920
Slavonians 15,170,602
Italians 5,063,575
Romano-Valaques and Moldavians 2,686,492
Magyars 5,418,773
Jews 746,891
Miscellaneous races 525,873
----------
Total 37,593,125
The national debt, after deducting the effects belonging to the
sinking-fund, amounts at the beginning of the present year to
997,706,654 florins, the interest upon which, 54,970,830 florins,
absorbs more than one-third of the revenues. The receipts for the year
1848 were 144,003,758 and the expenditures 283,864,674 florins, showing
a deficit of about 140,000,000; this, however, is exceptional; the
deficit for the first quarter of 1850, reaching only to 18,000,000
florins. The regular army, prior to the revolutions of 1848, consisted
of about 230,000 men, which might be increased in time of war to
750,000. But so large a portion of the forces of Austria are required to
keep in subjection her discontented Italian and Hungarian territories,
that she could not probably detach, if unsupported by Russia, 200,000
men for effective service. The navy consists of 31 armed vessels,
carrying 544 guns; 15 steamers, of which two are of 300 horse-power, the
others smaller; besides gun-boats.
The RUSSIAN Empire occupies considerably more than one-half of Europe,
its area being 2,099,903 square miles. The population according to the
most recent estimates is about 62,000,000. Of these about 21,000,000 are
serfs of the nobles, and belong to the soil; 17,500,000 formerly serfs
of the crown, who may be considered personally as freemen, having been
emancipated; 4,500,000 burghers; and the remainder are nobles, either
hereditary or personal; the latter dignity being conferred upon all
civil and military officers, and upon the chief clergy and burghers. No
satisfactory statistics exhibiting the present state of the financial
and military affairs of the empire are accessible. The _Almanach de
Gotha_ of the present year omits the statistical details previously
given; and is unable to furnish more recent details. It is understood,
that the revenues and expenditures for some years past have been about
$81,000,000. The public debt is stated at 336,219,492 silver roubles.
The army is given, in round numbers, at 1,000,000. It is supposed that
in case of war Russia is able to send into the field not less than
800,000 men. This immense disposable force, absolutely under the control
of the Emperor, renders the power of Russia imminently dangerous to the
peace of Europe. By a course of masterly policy, directed to one end,
the influence of the empire has been gradually extended toward the
centre of Europe; and the only conceivable means of checking it seems to
be a confederation of all the German States, so close, that they shall
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