GALICIA.--Since the commencement of the period when petroleum and its products assumed a degree of industrial importance, the Galician oil regions have attracted considerable attention. The area of the oil-fields extends over a length of 200 miles, and in width varies from 40 to 60 miles, and though in this territory several fields of considerable note have for many years been systematically developed, there is enormous scope for future operations. Its annual output of crude oil, which nearly reached 1,900,000 tons in 1909, is in itself suggestive of the extensive manner in which the oil-producing fields have been developed during late years. The oil-field history of Galicia is particularly interesting, for the oil seepages round Boryslaw have been exploited for very many years. Long before the introduction of the drilling methods of modern times, the shallow oil sources in the Galician fields were tapped by means of the hand-dug wells, but it was only when the first drilled well was sunk in 1862 that the real value of the Galician ozokerite, which abounds in many places in the oil-fields, was appreciated by the operators. This ozokerite is one of the most valuable of bitumens, and though found in several countries, is nowhere met with in such large quantities as in Galicia. The ozokerite there fills the fissures in the much disturbed _cpaly_, and evidently originates from a natural process of concentration. The mines are operated by modern machinery, and the industry in Galicia has reached a stage of great importance, some thousands of tons of the mineral being yearly raised. The material is refined, and the resulting wax serves numerous commercial purposes, the refining taking place in the Austro-Hungarian refineries. Considerable quantities of the raw material are exported to Germany and Russia, while the refined products are well known on the export markets. About seven years ago, serious water trouble materially reduced the production of the Galician oil-wells (for when the water courses are not properly shut off, water may encroach and cause the loss of the producing well), but the trouble was to some extent surmounted by the taking of greater care in cementing the wells. The introduction and consequent popularity of the modern drilling methods which were introduced by Mr. W. H. Margarvey in 1882 permitted the testing of the deeper horizons of the Galician fields, and to-day wells are by no means uncommon with depths up to and sometimes exceeding 4,000 feet. The Boryslaw-Tustanowice district still continues to be the centre of the crude oil production, but several new oil areas with great promise have been opened up during the past six years. Naturally, the European War has retarded development work considerably, and the Galician fields have on more than one occasion been the scene of battle. At one time in 1915 they passed over to the Russians, but when the Russian retreat occurred later from Lemberg,