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ALBANY

Illyrian language may have exerted some kind of influence on the other idioms of the peninsula. In the absence of literary culture the Albanian dialects, as might be expected, are widely divergent; the limits of the two principal dialects correspond with the racial boundaries of the Ghegs and Tosks, who understand each other with difficulty : the Albanians in Greece and Italy have also separate dialects. In writing Albanian the Latin character is employed by the Ghegs, the Greek by the Tosks; neither alphabet suffices to represent the manifold sounds of the language, and various supplementary letters or distinguishing signs are necessary. In the use of these no uniform system has yet been adopted. An alphabet of fifty-two letters, some presenting ancient Phoenician and Cretan forms, was found by Hahn in partial use at Elbassan and Tirana; its antiquity, however, has not been established. The Tosks generally use the Greek language for written communications. The native folklore and poetry of the Albanians can hardly compare with that of the neighbouring nations in originality and beauty. The earliest printed works in Albanian are those of the Catholic missionaries; the first book containing specimens of the language was

the Dictionarium Latino-Epiroticum of Bianchi, printed in 1635. The literature of the last two centuries consists mainly of translations and religious works written by ecclesiastics, some of whom were natives of the Albanian colonies in Italy. The most noteworthy Albanian writer was Girolamo di Rada (b. 1815), a poet, philologist, and collector of national folklore. Among his successors may be mentioned Vincenzo Dorsa and Demetrio Camarda.

Albany, a river of Canada, forming part of the boundary between Ontario and Keewatin, rises in Lake St Joseph in (head of lake) long. 91° 25' W. and lat. 50° 55' N., and falls into James Bay, its total length being upwards of 500 miles. There are four Hudson’s Bay Company’s posts on its banks. The Ogoki and Kenogami rivers are the principal tributaries.

tion in 1880 was 90,758 • in 1890 it was 94,923, and in 1900 it was 94,151.

Albany, the capital of Hew York state, and of Albany county, U.S.A., situated in 42° 40' N. lat. and 73° 45' W. long, on Hudson river, just below the mouth of Mohawk river. The mean annual temperature is 49°, and the annual rainfall is 40 inches. The death-rate, 20'90 per thousand in 1900, is more than that of the country at large and the average of large cities. The plan of the city presents considerable regularity, although its site, rising sharply from the river in bluffs, is by no means level. The city is divided into nineteen wards, and is supplied with water by pumping from Hudson river and smaller streams, the water-works being owned by the city. The streets are broad, about half of them paved, mainly with granite blocks and cobble stones, and the drainage is fairly good. The fire and police equipment are good. The finest of the many public buildings is the magnificent new state Capitol, situated at the summit of State Street Hill. It is built of granite, enclosing a court, and is 300 by 400 feet on its ground plan. It is not yet entirely completed, but its estimated cost is $25,000,000 dollars. The city contains many educational and scientific institutions. It is entered by four railways—the Boston and Albany, the New York Central and Hudson River", the Delaware and Hudson, and the West Shore. It is also the terminus of the Erie and Champlain canals, and is near the head of navigation on the Hudson river. These various avenues of communication give it a large commerce by rail, canal, and river. Numerous steamboat lines connect it with New York and other river points. It is a manufacturing city of importance, having in 1890 $17,270,000 invested capital, employing 15,041 persons, and its products were valued at $25,531,000. The assessed valuation of property, real and personal, in 1898 was $66,685,000, and the debt of the municipality $3,294,000. The tax-rate, city, county, and state, was $20.60 per thousand dollars. The popula-

Authorities.—Hahn. Albanesische Studien. Jena, 1854.— Bopp. Ueber das Albanesische. Berlin, 1854.—Fallmerayer. Das albanesische Element in Griechenland. Munich, 1864.— Camarda. Saggio di grammatologia comparata sul/a lingua albanese. Leghorn, 1865. — Viscountess Strangford. The Eastern Shores of the Adriatic. London, 1865.—Tozer. Researches in the Highlands of Turkey. London, 1869.—Miklosich. Albanes. Forschungen. Vienna, 1870.—C. Meyer. “Die Stellung des Albanesischen im Kreise der indogerm. Sprachen,” in Beitrage zur Kunde der indogerm. Sprachen, vol. viii. Leipzig, 1883.—Hecquard. Histoire et description de la Haute Albanie ou Guegarie. Paris, undated.—Gopchevich. Oberalbanien und seine Riga. Leipzig, 1881.—Tajani. Le Istoria Albanesi. Salerno, 1886.— See also Murray’s “Greece,” ed. 1900, pp. 720-731 and 760-814, and Blue Book “Turkey,” No. 15, Part II. 1886. (j. D. B.)

Albany, a city of Georgia, U.S.A., the capital of Dougherty county, situated in the south-western part of the state, on Flint river, at an altitude of 232 feet. It is in the midst of an agricultural region producing cotton and corn, for which this city serves as a supply point. It is a railway centre of importance, being entered by the Plant System, the Georgia and Alabama, the Central of Georgia, and the Albany and Northern railways. The population in 1880 was 3216, in 1890 it was 4008, and in 1900 it was 4606. Albany, a municipality in West Australia, on King George Sound, 352 miles by rail, and 254 miles by road S.S.E. of Perth, in the county of Plantagenet. It is a port of call for the Peninsular and Oriental Company’s and the Orient Company’s steamers carrying the Australian mails, and also for those of the Messageries Maritimes and N. G. Lloyd steamers. This town is the health resort of the state. Its harbour is one of the finest on the Australian coast, and is well protected from winds. Defence works have been carried out at King George Sound and Princess Royal Harbour. The climate is very fine, and a scheme for a pure water supply is being devised. The Marine Drive, 5| miles in circuit, was completed in 1898. Mean temperature (six years) for the year 58'6° F.; for February, fib’l0 F.; for July, 52‘6° F.; rainfall, 35‘55 inches. The population in 1881 was 1024; in 1891, 2665; in 1900 about 3250. Albany, Leopold George Duncan Albert, Duke of, eighth child and youngest son of Queen Victoria, was born 7th April 1853. The delicacy of his health seemed to mark him out for a life of retirement, and as he grew older he evinced much of the love of knowledge, the capacity for study, and the interest in philanthropic and ecclesiastical movements which had characterized his father, the Prince Consort. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, in November 1872, living with his tutor at Wykeham House, St. Giles’s, and diligently pursued his favourite studies of science, art, and the modern languages. In 1876, he left the University with the honorary degree of D.C.L., and resided at Boyton