Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 14.djvu/155

 K S -K T 143 See the lives by Falkenstein (1827, 2d ed. 1834), Chodzko (1837), and Paszkowski (1872), aud also Poloyne ct liussie, Ugende do Kosdusko, by Jules Michelet (1851), reprinted in La Poloyne martyr by the same author (1863). KOSI, a town in Muttra (Mathura) district, North- Western Provinces, India, in 27 47 N. lat., 77 28 E. long., with, a population in 1872 of 12,770. KOSLIN, or COSLIN, chief town of a circle and govern ment district in the province of Pomerania, Prussia, is situated at the foot of the Gollenberg, 5 miles from the Baltic coast, and about 8G miles north-east of Stettin (105 by rail). It is regularly built, and is the seat of a local court. In the large market-place is the statue of Frederick William I., erected in 1824. The industries include the manufacture of soap, tobacco, iron, paper, bricks arid tiles, beer, and other goods. Population in 1875, 14,814. Koslin was built in 1188 by the Saxons, and made a town in 1266. In 1532 it embraced the Reformation. It was severely tried in the Thirty Years War, and in the Seven Years War. In 1720 it was burned. On the Gollenberg stands a monument to the memory of the Pomeranians who fell in the war of 1813-15. The town formerly possessed a mint of its own. KOSLOFF, or KOZLOV, a town in the government of Tamboff, Russia, on the railway between Ryajsk and Sara- toff, 45 miles west of Tamboff, on the Lesnoy Voronezh river. It had its origin in a small monastery, which was founded in the forest in 1G27 ; nine years later, an earthwork was raised close by, for the protection of the Russian frontier against the Tartars. Situated in a very- fertile country, on the highway to Astrakhan and at the head of the water communication with the Don, the town soon became a centre for the trade with these countries ; as the junction of the railways leading to the Sea of Azoff, to Tsaritsin on the lower Volga, to Saratoff, and to Orel, its importance has recently been still further increased. Large transactions in grain, and also in horses and tallow, are effected in the rich agricultural district of Kosloff, as well as in those of Lipetsk and Borisoglebsk, for the Moscow market, or for western Europe, via Orel ; manufactured wares are imported for the supply of the neighbouring districts. There are also in the town and district several tallow- melting houses, one manufactory of woollen cloth, and several distilleries. The town is built of wood, and its unpaved streets are dirty. Population, 27,000. KOSTENDIL, GIUSTENDIL, or DJUSTENDIL, a town in the extreme south of the principality of Bulgaria, Turkey, is situated on the Strouma, the ancient Strymon. It is fortified and contains several factories. The surrounding district is fertile, and gold aud silver mining is carried on. Population about 8000. ROSTER, or COSTER, LAUEENS (13701-1440), the first Dutch printer, whose claims to be considered at least one of the inventors of the art (see PRINTING) have been recognized by many investigators. His real name was Laurens Jans.soen, Koster (i.e., sacristan) being merely the title which he bore as an official of the great parish church of Haarlem. We find him mentioned several times between 1417 and 1434 as a member of the great council, as au assessor (scalinus), and as the city treasurer. He probably perished in the plague that visited Haarlem in 1439-40 ; his widow is mentioned in the latter year. His descendants through his daughter Lucia can be traced down to 1724. See Peter Scriver, Bcschryvinye dcr Stad Harlem, Haarlem, 1628 ; Scheltema, Lcvensschcts van Laurens d. Roster, Haarlem, 1834 ; Van der Linde, De Haarlcmscltc Costerlegcndc, Hague, 1870. KOSTROMA, a central government of Russia in Europe, surrounded by those of Vologda, Vyatka, Nijni-Novgorod, Vladimir, and Yaroslav, lies mostly on the left bank of the upper Volga, and has an estimated area of 32,700 square miles. Its surface is generally undulating, with hilly tracts on the right bank of the Volga, and extensive flat and marshy districts in its eastern parts. The rocks belong chiefly to the Permian system, a small tract being occupied by representatives of the Jurassic, and both being deeply covered with Quaternary clays. The soil in the east is for the most part sand or a sandy clay ; a few patches are covered with fertile black earth. Immense forests, yield ing excellent timber for shipbuilding, and in many cases still untouched, occupy no less than 70 per cent, of the surface of the government (13,230,000 acres in 1870). The export of timber is greatly facilitated by a series of navigable tributaries of the Volga, such as the Kostroma, Unzha, Neya, and Vyksa, and many others of less im portance. The climate is severe ; frosts of - 22 Fahr. are common in January, and the mean temperature of the year is but 3-l (summer, 64 0- 5; winter, - 13 3). The popu lation, which numbered 1,176,000 in 1870, is Russian, with some Meryas, the indigenes of this part of Russia, Tcheremisses, and Tartars. Agriculture is in a low state of development ; only 4,000,000 acres are under crops, with a return (1,415,000 quarters of corn in 1877) unequal to the wants of the population. Flax is cultivated to some extent, and exported. Stock-breeding has steadily decreased since 1861 ; in 1870 there were only 394,500 horned cattle (against 420,000 in 1857), and the number has since much decreased. Bee keeping is an important branch of industry in some districts. The chief articles of commerce are timber, fuel, pitch, tar, mushrooms (yearly value upwards of 5000), and various kinds of wooden wares for building and household purposes, which are largely manufactured by the peasantry in villages, and exported to the steppe provinces of the lower Volga and Don. Boat-building for river traffic is also carried on. Some other small industries, such as the manufacture of silver and copper wares, leather wares, &c., are also prosecuted in the villages ; but the trade in linen and towelling, formerly the staple, is now declining. There are now several cotton factories, spinning mills, and engineering and chemical works. The government of Kostroma is divided into twelve districts : Kostroma, Nerekhta, Kineshma, Maka- rieff, Yurievets, Galitch, Tchukhloma, Soligalitch, Boui, Kologriv, Vetluga, and Varnavin. KOSTROMA, a town of Russia, capital of the govern ment of the same name, 230 miles north-east of Moscow and 55 miles from Yaroslav, It is situated on the left bank of the Volga, at the mouth of the navigable Kostroma river, with suburbs on the opposite side of the Volga. It is one of the oldest towns of Russia, having been founded by Youri Dolgorouky in 1152. Its fort was often the refuge of the great princes of Moscow during war, but the town was plundered more than once by Tartars. The cathedral, built in the 13th century, and situated in the Kreml, or former citadel, is a fine monument of old Russian architec ture. Kostroma has been renowned since the 16th century for its linen, which was exported to Holland, and the manufacture of linen and linen-yarn is still carried to some extent, flax being purchased in the governments of Kostroma and of Pskoff. There are also in the town and in its pro vince several important cotton-mills, tanneries, saw-mills, an iron-foundry, and a machine factory. Owing to its situation on the Volga, and at the mouth of a navigable river, Kostroma carries on an active trade importing grain and exporting linen, linen-yarn, leather, and espe cially timber and wooden wares. Population, 30,000. KOTAH, a native state in Rajputdna, India, situated between 24 30 and 25 51 N. lat., and 74 40 and 76 59 E. long. It is entirely surrounded by native territory, being bounded on the N. by Bundi, on the E. by Gwalior and Tonk, on the S. by JhaUwdr, and on the W. by Udaipur. The area is 3797 square miles, with an estimated