The Danube.

Manawatu Herald, 25 January 1896, Page 2

The Danube.

• To Austria the announcement of the early completion of the work of blasting the Iron Gates, otherwise rocks, on the Eiver Danube, will be sincerely welcomed, as the largest vessels will be able to reach Vienna from the Black Sea. The Danube is the largest river in Europe next to the Volga. It risea on the eastern slopes of the Black Forest in Baden, 2650 feet above the sea-level, traverses Wurtemberg, Bavaria, Upper and Lower Austria, Hungary, aiid forming the northern boundary of Servia and separating Bulgaria from Eoumania, enters the Black Sea by four mouths, on the confines of Bessarabia and Roumania. It is 2000 miles long. From its source the Danube flows by the following large towns : — Vienua, the capital of Austria ; BudaPesth, capital of the kingdom of Hungary ; Belgrade, tho capital of Servia ; and the large towns of Silistria and Galatz. At the peace of the 30ih March,

185G, the free navigation of the Danube was secured, and an independent European commission appointed to make it navigable from Isaktchi to the sea. The British Government in 1868 lent £185,000 . to complete the works. The International Commission created by the Treaty of Paris in 1856, and whose powers were enlarged by Treaty of Berlin in 1878 has its seat at Galatz, in Roumania, and exercises sovereign powers over the navigation of the Danube. Its income, principally derived from shipping dues, amounts to about £60,000 per annum. In November, 1892, a large dock was opened at Ibraila.