Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 9.djvu/49

 F A R F A ft 39 to the throne of the Two Sicilies and his recognition by the Powers in the Treaty of Vienna. Elizabeth survived her husband twenty years, dying in 1766. See PHILIP V. of Spain ; SPAIN ; M&nvires pour scrvir & I htstoire d Espagne sous le regne de Philippe V., by the Marquis de St Philippe, translated by Maudave, Paris, 1756 ; Memoirs of Elizabeth Faniese, London, 1746. FARNHAM, a market-town of England, county of Surrey, near the left bank of the Wey, 10 miles W.S.W. of Guildford, and 40 miles from London by rail. It is built on the southern slope of a hill rising about 700 feet above the level of the sea, and consists principally of two main streets, with a market-place at their intersection. It is well supplied with water from springs in the neighbouring hills, conveyed by pipes to a large reservoir in the town. Faruham was formerly noted for its cloth manufacture, which is now quite extinct. It is chiefly celebrated for the hops of a very superior quality cultivated in the vicinity. The parish church is a spacious edifice in the later Gothic style, and was formerly a chapel of ease to Waverley Abbey (founded in 1128), of which some remains still exist in the vicinity. A fine new town-hall, in the Italian style of architecture, was erected in 1866. Population (1871) 44G1. Farnliara was early a place of importance, and sent two members to parliament from 4th Edward II. to 38th Henry VI. Farnham Castle, on a hill north of the town, now the seat of the bishop of Winchester, was first built by Henry de Blois, bishop of Winchester, and brother of King Stephen ; but it was razed by Henry III. It was rebuilt and garrisoned for Charles I. by Denham, from whom it was taken in 1642 by Sir W. Waller ; and having been dismantled, it was restored by Or Morley, bishop of Winchester. Cobbett was born in the parish of Farnham, and his remains are interred near the main entrance of the church. FARO, a city and seaport of Portugal, chief town of the province of Algarve, is situated on the Rio Fermoso near its mouth, 20 miles W. by S. of Tavira. It is surrounded by walls, and contains a cathedral, a military hospital, a custom house, an arsenal, and several convents and charitable estab lishments. At the eastern end of the town is an old castle surrounded by Moorish fortifications. The harbour is small, but it has a good roadstead. The exports are figs, raisins, almonds, dates, oranges, lemons, wines, cork, sumach, baskets, and anchovies. Faro was burned by the English in 1596, and was partly destroyed by an earth quake in 1755. The population is about 8000. FAROE ISLANDS, or FEROE ISLANDS (Danish, Faro- erne}, a group in the North Sea belonging to Denmark. They are situated between Iceland and the Shetland Islands, about 200 miles N.W. of the latter, between 61 20 and 62 25 N. lat., and between 6 16 and 7 40 W. long. The total area of the group is 510 square miles, and that of the seventeen inhabited islands 490. The population in 1850 amounted to 9150, in 1860 to 8922, and in 1874 to 10,500. The principal islands are Stromo with 2400 inhabitants, Ostero 2067, Siidero 1387, Vaago 702, Sando 618, and Bordo 358. They consist throughout of rocks and hills, separated from each other by narrow valleys or ravines ; but though the hills rise abruptly, there are often on their summits, or at different stages of their ascent, plains of considerable magnitude. They everywhere present to the sea perpendicular cliffs, broken into a thousand fantastic forms, affording at every turn, to those who sail along the coast, the most picturesque and varied scenery. The highest peaks are Slattaretind in Ostero, and Skelling- fjeld, Skalingfield, or Ben Scarling in Stromo, which, ac cording to barometric measurement, rise respectively to about 2890 and 2506 feet above the sea. The rocks are generally trap, and exhibit little variety of composition, though they present some striking geological phenomena. The zeolites and chalcedonies of the Faroes have long sup plied the best specimens to the cabinets of Europe. Turf is abundant. Coal is found in Siidero and some of the other islands in sufficient quantity to make it a matter of exploitation. In 1872 an expedition was sent out by the United Steamship Company (jorenede Dampskibselskab} to investigate the geology of the coal-fields, and in 1876 works were commenced at Trangisvaag and Frodebo. The climate is foggy, and violent storms are frequent at all seasons. July and August are the only true sum mer months, but the winters are not very severe. It seldom freezes for more than one month, and the harbours are rarely ice-bound. The only grain crop is barley ; and on account of the uncertainty of the weather, it is frequently reaped in a half ripe condition. Agriculture is in a very backward state, the infield or cultivated land being calcu lated to be to the outfield or uncultivated iu the propor tion of one to sixty. As the plough is ill suited to the rugged and uneven surface of the land, the ground is usually turned up with the spade, care being taken not to destroy the roots of the grass. Horses and cows are few in number, and the latter give very little milk, in con sequence probably of the very coarse hay upon which they are fed. Sheep form the chief riches of the islanders ; some individuals having flocks of from three to five hundred, and the total number in the islands being about 80,000. They are never housed either in summer or winter, and in severe seasons they suffer considerably. The wool is gene rally coarse, and is torn off the animals in so rough a manner as often to lacerate the skin. The northern hare (Lepus alpinus) is pretty abundant in Stromo and Ostero, having been introduced into the islands about 1840-50. Besides the ordinary Norway rat there still exist some few representatives of the older black rat (Mus rattus), and, according to popular accounts, a third species not yet scientifically identified. The catching of the numerous sea birds which build their nests upon the face of the cliffs forms an important source of subsistence to the inhabitants. Sometimes the fowler is let down from the top of the cliff; at other times he climbs the rocks, or, where that is pos sible, is pushed upwards by poles made for the purpose-. The puffin (Alca arctica) is the commonest species, and the eider duck is frequently shot for food. The cod fishery is especially important, the dried fish being exported to Spain and France, the swim-bladders made into gelatine, and the ovaries prepared for the anchovy fisher of the Medi terranean. Several Salmonidae are found in the streams and lakes, among them the charr (Salmo salveliniis), which occurs in Upper Bavaria and Scotland. According to Mb rch, there are 13 species of land and fresh-water mollusks, but not one of them is peculiar to the islands. The trade of the Faroe Islands was for some time a monopoly in the hands of a mercantile house at Copen hagen, and this monopoly was afterwards assumed by the Danish Government, but by the law of March 21, 1855, all restrictions were removed. Hosiery, tallow, dried and salt fish, train-oil, feathers, skins, and butter are the chief exports. Thorshavn, the chief town of the islands, is situated on the S.E. side of Stromo, upon a narrow tongue of land, having creeks on each side, where ships may be safely moored. Its population is only between 500 and 600 ; but it is the seat of the chief Government and eccle siastical officials, and has a castle, a hospital, and a library. The houses are built of wood and roofed with birch bark covered with turf, the greenness of which makes it imposr sible at a very short distance to distinguish the place from the surrounding fields. The character of the people ia generally marked by great simplicity of manners, kind ness, and hospitality. They are well fed and clothed, and seem to be kindly treated by the Danish Government. The average duration of life, as stated by Dr Panum, is 44| years, while in Denmark it is only 36. The Faroe Islands were, it would appear, first colonized