Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 1.djvu/49

 I2S. I. JAN. 15, 1916. J

NOTES AND QUERIES.

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In The Standard of June 2, 1896, is a letter quoting The Tablet of May 16. The writer of the letter had always been " of opinion that the miniature Republic of Moresnet was the tiniest state in the whole world."

However, he had learnt from The Tablet that there was a smaller republic, viz. Tavolara, a little island off the north-east coast of Sardinia, not far from the Bay of Terranova. He says, quoting The Tablet:

" It is some three miles long, by about, three thousand one hundred and thirty feet in breadth, with a population of fifty-five souls. From 1836 to 1886 Tavolara was a tiny Monarchy, but upon the death of Paolo I. (and last), and by express desire of that potentate, it became Republican in Government, with a President elected for six years, the women voting as well as the men. Italy, we are told, recognized the microscopic Republic in 1887."

I have found no other trace of this " Re- public," said to exist in an island three miles long by a little over half a mile broad, or, to be as precise as the writer in The Tablet, by about four furlongs, one hundred and sixty-three yards, and one foot broad. If we take five as the average family, the fifty- five souls which formed its population should comprise eleven men, eleven women, and thirty-three children and young persons. If one subtracts the President, twenty-one adults remain. One would like to know whether there is a council over which the President presides.

As to " the miniature Republic of Mores- net," I may quote from a short article headed ' Gaming Tables in " Neutral Mores- net," ' which appeared in The Times of Aug. 25, 1903, written by " a correspon- dent," concerning the establishment of gaming tables in Altenberg,

"a small community of some 3,500 persons, situated in the so-called neutral territory of Moresnet, about six miles west of Aix-la-Chapelle.

.This little country, called 'Neutral Moresnet,'

while owning allegiance to both Belgium and Prussia, is, in fact, an integral portion of neither. This State, territory, municipality, or what- ever it may be called, is a remainder, a remnant of the first French Empire. . . .On the readjustment of the Prusso -Dutch frontiers at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the two States concerned, Prussia and Holland, did not arrive at a final agreement as to the fate of this triangular piece of territory, som3 three miles in length, and neither in 1830 (on Belgium taking the place of Holland) nor since has the matter been decided. This debate- able territory was accordingly made subject to a joint administration, pending a final settlement. Thus the description ' Neutral Moresnet ' is not in fact quite correct in an international sense, for it is in no wise independent. At present, under the condominium of Belgium and Prussia, it is administered by two permanent commissioners appointed by them, and under these by a mayor

nominated alternately by each country, who is assisted by a representative council. . . .The inhabitants of this territory are quite satisfied with the state of things,. and are comfortable- under the twin lordship, participating as they do in the advantages each State confers. Most welcome is, perhaps, in the case of the indigenous sons of the soil, the immunity from military service. Originally all the dwellers on the land were exempt from * scot and lot,' but since 1848 and 1854 respectively those owning Belgian and Prussian nationality are liable to conscription. Only the neutrals proper i.e., the descendants of the population established in the country in 1815 are still free. Of these there are about 410 persons. Of the remaining 3,000 inhabitants Prussia and Belgium claim about one-half each."

Then follows a paragraph about the legal* relations in the community being governed by the Code Napoleon.

In The Pall Mall Gazette of June 5, 1915, is a short account of " the smallest Republic* in the world," viz. :

" Goust. on the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, which for close on three hundred years has been recognized as an independent State by France and Spain. The area of Goust is barely one square mile, and its inhabitants number about 150. The Government consists of a council of Ancients, who decide all disputes, and have no other duties, for the inhabitants pay neither rates nor taxes."

I have sought in vain for Goust in books and maps. There is, however, in ' The Times Atlas,' 1895, Map of France (South), a small town or village called Saillagouse (perhaps by abbreviation Gouse), in the department of Pyrenees-Orientales. It is about 2 miles east of a piece of land of irregular shape enclosed by a line, and coloured yellow amidst the surrounding pink. This land is named Llivia. One might easily, on glancing at the map, assign it to the name Saillagouse. Its area may be reckoned as about three square miles. Longitude 2 E. almost touches its eastern corner. It appears to be some two miles north of Bourg Madame, a French town on the frontier of Spain.

In The Geographical Journal, vol. xiii., Jan. to June, 1899, pp. 452, 557, under 'Geographical Literature of the Month,' Llivia, in the short comments on two books, is described as a little patch, or a small " enclave," of Spanish territory in the French department of Pyrenees-Orientales, with a neutral road, about a mile in length, con- necting it with the main body of Spain. This " enclave " is, according to The Times map, about 12 miles as the crow flies east of Andorra. Of Llivia I have found some interesting particulars in ' Au Val d' Andorre,' by Sutter-Laumann, 1888. Sutter-Laumann spells the name Livia instead of Llivia. He writes (pp. 27, 28) that it is a Spanish