Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 14.djvu/150

 138 K O L K O N about 105 miles south-south-east of the latter, in 48 31 N, lat., 25 1 E. long. Kolomea is the seat of the adminis trative, military, and judicial authorities of the district, and has Human Catholic churches, synagogues, a lower gymna sium, and manufactories of earthenware. More than a third of the inhabitants are Jews, who carry on the greater part both of the wholesale and retail trade. The Ruthenian or native population of the town and neighbourhood are mostly employed in agricultural pursuits, and in the pastur ing of horses, oxen, and sheep. In 1881 the population amounted to 23,109. KOLOMNA, a district town of Russia, in the govern ment of Ryazan, situated on the railway between Moscow and Ryazan, G7 miles south-east of Moscow, at the con fluence of the Moskva river with the Koiomenka. It is an old town mentioned in annals in 1177, and until the 14th century the capital of the Ryazan principality. It suffered greatly from the invasions of the Tartars, who destroyed it four times, as well as from the wars of the 17th century; but it always recovered, and never has lost its commercial importance. During this century it became a centre of manufactures of silks, cottons, and leather ; there are also several smaller manufactures. The merchants of Kolomna carry on an active trade in cattle brought from southern provinces, and in grain, cattle, tallow, skins, salt, and timber purchased in the governments of Ryazan and Tula, and sent to Moscow, either by rail, or by boat down the Moskva river. Population 19,000. KOMORN, or COMOHX (Hungarian, Rev-Komdrorti), a royal free town of Hungary, and capital of the trans- Danubian county of Komarom, lies at the eastern extremity of the island of Csallokoz or Schiitt, and at the confluence of the Waag with the Danube, 48 miles west-north-west from Budapest, with which city as also with Vienna it is directly connected by railway, in 47&quot; 46 N. lat., 18 7 E. long. Komorn is celebrated chiefly for its fortifications, which, owing to their favourable position and extended lino of tetes-de-pont, are believed to be impregnable, and are capable of holding a force of some 30,000 defenders. The town is the seat of tho county administration, and of a royal co-irt of law, and lias Roman Catholic, Greek Ortho dox, Lutheran, and Calvinist churches, a Jewish synagogue, Roman Catholic and Protestant gymnasia, county and town halls, a military hospital, two savings banks, and a shipping agency. The streets are for the most part narrow, irregular, and gloomy. The commercial relations of Komorn with the chief towns on the Danube are facilitated by its im portant steam-packet station. The inhabitants carry on a brisk trade in grain, timber, wine, flour, and fish. The civil population at the end of 1880 amounted to 13,108, mostly Magyars and Germans by nationality. The walls of the fortifications of Koiiiorn wore commenced from the land side in 1272. They were much strengthened ami extended two hundred years later by King Matthias (Corvinus). The new tort was begun by Ferdinand I. about lf&amp;gt;47, and received additions in 1673 under Leopold I. In 1543, 1594, 1598, nnd 1663 Komorn was beleaguered by the Turks. It was raised to the dignity of a royal free town in 1751. In 1767, 1768, September 1848, and April 1854 it suffered severely from lire, and in 1763, 1822, and 1851 from earthquakes. The fortifications, having been neglected during the latter half of the 18th century, were enlarged and to a great extent reconstructed between 180. r &amp;gt; and 1809. During the revolu tionary war of 1848-49 Komorn was a principal point of military operations, and was long unsuccessfully besieged by the Austrians, who on the llth July 1849 were del eated there by General Gorgei, nnd on the 3d August by General Klapka. On the 27th September the fortress capitulated to the Austrians xipon honourable terms, and on the 3d and 4th October was evacuated by the Hungarian troops. The treasure of the Austrian national bank was removed here from Vienna in 1866, when that city was threatened by the Prussians. KOMOTAU, a town and district of Bohemia, at the foot of the Erzgebirge, and at the junction of the Buschtiehrad, Dux-Bodenbach, and Aussig-Teplitz lines of railway, about 10 miles north-north-west of Saaz, in 50 27 N. lat., 13 26 E. long. An old but thriving town, Komotau is the seat of the military and judicial authorities of the district, as also of boards of mining and of customs. The industrial establishments comprise manufactories of woollen cloth, linen, and paper, dyeing houses, breweries, distilleries, and vinegar works, a sugar of lead manufactory, and an iron foundry. The amount of beer delivered in 1 880 was 535,583 gallons. Lignite is worked in tho neighbourhood. At the end of 1880 the population was 10,111. KONQSBERQ, a mining town in the district of Busker ud, Norway, is situated on the Laagen, 500 feet above the sea, and about GO miles south-west of Christiania by rail. With the exception of the church and the town- house, the buildings are mostly of wood. The origin and whole industry of the town are connected with the Govern ment silver-mines in the neighbourhood. Their first discovery was made by a peasant in 1G23, since which time they have been worked with varying success. Over a hundred mines have been opened, but of these only three are now of any importance. The annual profit averages about 22,000. During last century Kongsberg was much more important than it now is, and contained more than double its present population. Dr Clarke in his Travels (1823) gives a good description of the place, and mentions a mass of native silver, nearly GOO Ib in weight, found there, which is preserved in the museum at Copenhagen. Within tho town of Kongsberg are situated the smelting- works, the mint, and a Government weapon factory. The population of the town in 1875 was 4311. KONIGGRATZ (Bohemian, Krulove Ifrailec), a fortified town and episcopal seat in Bohemia, at the confluence of the Acller with the upper Elbe, and at the junction of the Reichenbcrg-Pardubitz and North-Western lines of railway, in 50 10 N. lat,, 15 49 E. long. Wax candles, gloves, shoes, woollen cloths, and musical (wind) instruments arc manufactured. The population in 1880 was G173. The place is chiefly notable from the battle of Koniggratz or Sadowa fought in its neighbourhood on 3d July 18GG, when the defeat of tho Austrians under Benedek decided the German supremacy of Prussia, and led to the acquisition of Venice by Italy and the constitutional independence of Hungary. See Jahns, Die Schlackt lei Koni&amp;lt;/&amp;lt;jratz, 187G. KONIGINHOF (in Czech, Dvur Kraloiv), chief town of a department in the north-east of Bohemia, is situated on the left bank of the Elbe, about 80 miles north-east of Prague. In the tower of one of the churches Ilanka dis covered the Koniginhof MSS. in 1817 (see vol. xi. p. 440). The Zaboj monument in the market-place commemorates the discovery. Cotton-weaving, yarn-spinning, and brew ing are the leading industries. In 1421 Koniginhof was stormed by the Hussites. On June 29, 18GG, it was the scene of a Prussian victory over the Austrians. The population in 18G9 was G222. KONIGSBERQ (in Polish Krolcwiec), chief town of a government district in the province of East Prussia, and since 1843 a fortress of the first rank, is situated on the Pregel, 4^ miles from its mouth in the Frische Haft, 25 miles from the sea-coast, and 397 miles north-east of Berlin, in 54 43 N. lat. and 20 30 E. long. It con sists of three formerly independent parts the Altstadt (old town) to the west, Lobenicht to the east, and the island Kneiphof, together with numerous suburbs, embraced in a circuit of 9 miles. The Pregel, spanned by many bridges, flows through the town in two branches, which unite below the Green Bridge. Its greatest. breadth within the town is from 80 to 90 yards. It is frozen from November to March. Although an old town, Kbnigsberg does not retain many marks of antiquity. The Altstadt has long