Odessa.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7868, 10 July 1905, Page 3

Odessa.

Odessa is the fourth city of Hits* ria. on tfric Black Sea, midway between the estuaries of the Dniester and linicper. by rail 967 miles south-south-west of Moscow. a,i'd HBl miles south of Kicff. It is built facing the sea on low cliffs, seamed with deep ravines, and hollowed out by galleries in the soft rock, in which numbers of the poorest inhabitants herd together. Above groung its streets arp long and broad, and, cross each ' .ncr at right angles. Odessa was only foc*"*tai m 1794, near a Turkish fort that fell into Kussian hands in 1789 ; but it quickly became the port for the corn-growing districts of the south of Kussia. Its progress w„s greatly aided by its being a free port from 1817 to 18">7. and again by the railway to Kk-ff '1806). Toe population increased from 8150 in 1796 to "5 000 in 1811. 100,000 In 18"»0. 181.800 in 1873. and 297.C.3:> (many Jews. Greeks, etc.). in 1891. The harbour is made up. of a rohdstead and three basins, protected by moles against tho dangerous winds that sweep the Block Sea. Tt is impeded by ice during only a fortnight in the \ear. The exports include wheat.sugar, wool, ohd flour: the imports, raw cotton, oils, groreries, iron and steel, coal, food-stuffs, fruits, tea, tlvIjoCco, machinery- The chief industries are flour-milting, sugar and oil Bning, the manufacture of tobacco, machinery, leather, soap, chemicals, oiscuits etc. Odessa has a university (1855) *>' h &**> students, a public library (W--J. of over 40 "00 volumes, the cathedral (IHO2-19) of tho ArchWsbop of Kherson, a )*> I'll.opera house (18H7). partial grain •warehons)*, corn-«leivagon- and the "Palais royal." wiw>'<ts gard-ns and park. Water is brought oy nqw-duct (2? miles, fcmg) from the Dniester Numerous doast batteries have been built there.