Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1026

 fi76 GERMAN EMPIRE :—SAXE-ALTENBURG '

SAXE-ALTENBURG.

(Herzogthum Sachsen-Altenbukg. ) Reigning Duke.

Ernst, bmm Sejftember 16, 1826 ; the son of Duke Georg of Saxe-Altenburg and Princess Ma-rie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Succeeded to the throne at the death of his fiather, August 3, 1853 ; married April 28, 1853, to Princess Agnes, of Anhalt-Dessau, born June 24, 1824 ; died October 23, 1897. Brother of the Duke ; Prince Moritz, born October 24, 1829 ; married October 15, 1862, to Princess Augusta of Saxe-Meiningen, by whom he has issue three daughters and a son — 1. Maria Anna, born March 14, 1864, married April 16, 1882, to Prince George of Schaumburg-Lii)pe ; 2, Elizabeth, born January 25, 1865, married April 27, 1884, to Grand-duke Constantine of Russia; 3. Ernst, born August 31, 1871, married February 17, 1898, to Princess Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe ; 4. Louise, born August 11, 1873, married February 6, 1895, to Prince Edward of Anhalt-Dessau.

There was a separate Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg from 1603 till 1672, but its territories were aftenvards incorporated with Saxe-Gotha until 1826, when the Duke of Hildburghausen, which had been a separate Duchy since 1680, exchanged Hildburghausen for Altenburg, and became Duke Frederick of Saxe- Altenburg. In 1874 the Duke resigned his right to a civil list, in exchange for a charge upon the State or crown-domains (Domanenfideicommiss).

Constitution and Finance.

The Constitution bears date April 29, 1831, but was altered at subsequent periods. The legislative authority is vested in a Chamber composed of thirty representatives, of whom nine are chosen by the highest taxed inhabitants, nine by the inhabitants of towns, and twelve by those of rural districts. The deputies are elected for three years. The Chamber meets once at least in each financial period.

The executive is divided into three departments, namely — 1, of the Ducal House, Foreign and Home Aftairs ; 2, of Justice ; 3, of Finance. The budget is voted for three years, the estimates for the period 1896-98,

•exhibiting an annual revenue of 4,057,798 marks, and an expenditure of 4,056,189 marks. Two thirds of the revenue are derived from the State

•domains and the remainder from direct taxes. The public debt in July

1898 amounted to 887,450 marks, while the active funds of the State

^amounted to 5,454,737 marks.

Area and Population.

The area of the Duchy is 511 English square miles, and the population in 1890 was 170,864 (83,010 males and 87,854 females), 890 being foreigners. ■Of the total, 168,549 were Protestant and 2,091 Catholic. On December
 * 2, 1895, the population was 180,313 (87,746 males and 92,567 females.

Population per square mile 352-8. The capital, Altenburg, had in 1895 33,420 inhabitants. Many of the inhabitants of the Duchy are of •Slavonic origin. The peasants of the " Ostkreis " (eastern part of the Duchy) are reputed to be more wealthy than those of any other part of Germany, and the rule prevails among them of the youngest son becoming the heir to the landed property of the father. Estates are kept for genera- tions in the same family, and seldom parcelled out The rural population, however, has been declining in numbers for the last thirty years. In 1896 there were 1,629 marriages, 7,335 births, 4,340 deaths ; surplus of births 2,995. Of the births 292 (4-0 per cent.) were stillborn, and 820 (11-2 per cent.) illegitimate. Emigrants in 1891, 112 ; 1893, 81 ; 1894, 29 ; 1895, 59 ; 1896, 38 ; 1896, 30. In 1896 there were 924 criminals convicted, or 73 '5 in ■every 10,000 of the population over 12 years of age.