The two most remarkable ironclads of the Italian navy-reputed also to be the most powerful types of men-of-war yet constructed— are the double-turret ships, the Duilio, launched at Castellamare on the 8th of May 1876, and the sister ship, the Dandolo, launched at La Spezzia towards the end of 1877. The length of the Duilio is 339 feet, the breadth 65 feet, and the displacement 10,600. The armour of the Duilio is of the unparalleled thickness of 22 inches throughout, of plates rolled by C. Cammell & Co., Sheffield. As unsurpassed in size as the armour, is the armament of the Duilio, which consists of four 100-ton Armstrong guns, 33 feet long, firing projectiles 2,500 lbs. in weight, with powder charges of 350 lbs. The hull of the Duilio is altogether of iron and steel. It consists of a central ironclad compartment, 167 feet in length and 54 feet in breadth, which descends to 5 feet under the water-line, encloses the machinery and boilers, the powder magazines, and a portion of the mechanism used in working the turrets and the cannon. At the bow and stern of this compartment the deck passage, which lies about 4 feet below the water-line, is defended by horizontal armour, so that neither a projectile nor water can enter it. The part of the hull above this ironclad deck is constructed in a peculiar way, in consideration of the probability of its being seriously damaged in a fight. A second central ironclad compartment is built over the first, and encloses the bases of the turrets and the remaining portion of the mechanism employed in loading and working the cannon. Above this second compartment rise the two turrets, which have each two 100-ton Armstrong guns, and are arranged with their centres at the distance of 8 feet from the longitudinal plane of the vessel, which renders it possible to discharge three cannon contemporaneously in a parallel direction with the keel. Besides its gigantic armament, the Duilio has a powerful ram, and at the stern, in a tunnel closed by a grated door, a very rapid torpedo boat, which can be launched forth from its resting-place to carry its torpedoes. As means of propulsion, the Duilio has two screws, driven by engines of 7,500 horse-power, and is calculated to run 14 miles an hour. The ship will carry 1,200 tons of coal, being sufficient for a run of 1,000 miles with full force, and 4,000 miles at a moderate rate. The Dandolo is absolutely similar in construction to the Duilio, and the two, when completed-not expected to be before the end of 1880— will represent the power of whole navies of old construction.

It was the design of the Italian Government, at the end of 1878, to construct two ironclad ships even more powerful than the Duilio and Dandolo. They were to be called the Italia and the Lepanto, each of 14,000 tons, and covered throughout with armour of the enormous thickness of 36 inches, or three feet.

The other ironclads of the Italian navy are of older construction,

and much less power. The Venezia was built in England, in 1871, and the Palestro, Principe Amedeo, and Roma, sister ships, at the dockyard of Castellamare, near Naples, where they were launched in the years 1872 to 1874. All four carry armour 9 inches in thickness, and are armed each with six cannons of 18 tons and one of 25. tons. The remaining ironclads are similar in design and construction. The navy was manned, in 1878, by 11,200 sailors, and 660 engineers and working men, with 1,271 officers, of whom were 1 admiral, 1 vice-admiral, 10 rear-admirals, and 83 captains. The marines consisted of two regiments, comprising 205 officers and 2,700 soldiers.

Area and Population.

The first general census of the kingdom of Italy, inclusive of the Pontifical States, annexed by Royal decree of October 9, 1870, was taken by the Government on the 31st December 1871. On this date, the population numbered 26,801,154 souls, living on an area of 296,013 square chilos, or 114,296 English square miles, being 235 per square mile.

The kingdom of Italy is administratively divided into sixty-nine provinces, the names of which, in alphabetical order, area in English square miles, and number of population on the 31st December, 1871, are given in the subjoined table:

It was calculated, on the returns of births and deaths, that the population of the kingdom had increased to 27,769,475 on the 1st January 1877.

The great mass of the people of Italy are devoted to agricultural pursuits, and the town population is comparatively small. The number of inhabitants of the principal towns was as follows, at the census of December, 1871:

The city of Rome at Easter 1872 numbered 256,022 souls. In 1869 the population was returned at 204,678. The latter total comprised 105,569 men and 99,109 women; 7,480 clergy and 'religious,' and 197,198 belonging to the Civil State. The births in the year 1869 were 5,276, or 23.9 per 1,000 of the population; the deaths 5,874, or 26.6 per 1,000; the marriages 1,564, or 7.1 per 1,000. The returns of 1869 stated that there were in the city of Rome 22 seminaries and ecclesiastical colleges, containing 841 persons; 61 religious institutions for men, containing 2,959, and 72 for women, containing 2,256 persons; nine lay colleges, containing 298 persons; 68 conservatoires, nunneries, &c., containing 1,738 persons; seven charity institutions for men, containing 878, and 12 for women, containing 1,216 persons.

The number of emigrants from Italy, very small previous to the establishment of the kingdom, has been assuming some proportions in recent years. In 1869, the number was 23,040, and it rose to 81,500 in 1870, to 100,170 in 1871, and to 115,272 in 1872. In 1873 the number of emigrants fell to 80,716; in 1874 to 51,200; and in 1875 to 26,872, but rose again to 108,807 in 1876. The emigration is partly European, directed to France, Austria, and Switzerland, and besides to the Argentine Confederation, Brazil, and other South American states.

Trade and Industry.

The commercial intercourse of Italy is chiefly with four countries, France, the United Kingdom, Austria, and Switzerland. The imports from France average eight millions sterling per annum, and the exports very nearly the same. Next in order of importance are the commercial transactions with the United Kingdom, and after that, but far below, those of Austria and Switzerland.

The following table shows the total imports and exports of the kingdom in each of the ten years from 1868 to 1877:

The

It will be seen that there has been a marked increase in the value of both imports and exports in the course of the ten years. large falling off, for the first time, in the exports of 1877, was caused by a deficiency in the harvest produce.

Corn and cotton manufactures form the chief imports into Italy. The principal exports are silk, raw and manufactured, and spirits and oils, the first of which averages 7,000,000l. and the second 4,000,000l. sterling per annum. The commercial intercourse is chiefly with France, and next to it with Austria.

The value of the commercial intercourse of Italy with the United Kingdom is shown in the subjoined tabular statement, which gives the value of the exports from Italy to Great Britain and Ireland, and of the imports of British and Irish produce and manufactures into Italy, in each of the ten years from 1868 to 1877 :

The two principal articles of export from Italy to Great Britain in