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 304 BARCELONA culture, commerce, mechanics, and foreign languages. The city is generally well built; the houses in the newer part are mostly of brick four or five stories high, with ornamented balconies. The principal streets are long, wide, well paved, and lighted. In the older portion the streets are narrower, and crooked, but picturesque. Foremost among its numerous promenades is the Rambla (so called from the Arabic raml, sand, applied to a dry river bed, used as a road). There is also a fine prom- enade around the ramparts, with pleasant views toward the sea. Among the churches are the cathedral, a fine structure, which the Moors converted into a mosque; the church of Santa Maria del Mar, erected on the site of a chapel of the Goths, the rebuilding of which was begun in 1328, and completed in 1483 ; and the church of San Cucufat, erected on the spot where its patron saint was mar- tyred. Other public buildings are the casa consistorial and casa de la deputacion, the casa lonja or exchange, and the palace of the captain general. There are many Roman an- tiquities, but mostly in fragments. The com- merce and manufactures of Barcelona have received a great impulse since 1860. Many large manufacturing establishments, especially of silk and cotton, have sprung up. In 1865 there were 7 banking companies, 10 marine insurance companies, 5 railway companies, 4 steam navigation companies, 3 canal com- panies, and 3 gas companies. The bank of Barcelona, founded in 1844, has a capital of 80,000,000 reals ($10,000,000), of which 20,- 000,000 has been paid up. Railways are being gradually extended from Barcelona into the interior. The principal exports are silks and cotton goods, paper, hats, laces, ribbons, soap, steel, and firearms. The principal imports are raw cotton, sugar, coffee, cocoa, and other colonial products, mainly from Cuba and Por- to Rico ; salted fish, hides, and horns. Iron and coal, machinery and hardware, have lately been largely imported from England. Most kinds of manufactured goods are prohibited, but they are smuggled in considerable quanti- ties. The coastwise trade is also very con- siderable. In 1863 the imports at Barcelona were $50,734,079; the exports, $16,864,490; ealue of imports, $41,849,940 ; of exports, $72,- 420,770. Barcelona, according to tradition, was founded by Hercules 400 years before the building of Rome. It was reestablished or, ac- cording to more trustworthy accounts, founded by Hamilcar Barca, the father of Hannibal, who called it Barcino, whence comes its present name. After the expulsion of the Carthagin- ians, it fell into the hands of the Romans, who made it' a colony, known also under the name of Faventia. In the 5th century it was taken by the Goths; in the 7th century by the Arabs, from whom it was reconquered about 800 by the Christians, aided by Charlemagne. It was then governed until the 12th century by counts, who were really independent, though nominally subject to the Carlovingian kings. It subsequently became attached to the kingdom of Aragon, preserving however its most impor- tant municipal privileges. During this period the Barcelonians competed with the Italians for the commerce of the Levant, and were among the first to establish consuls and facto- ries in distant parts for the protection of their trade. The famous code of maritime law known as the Consolato del Mar is said to have been compiled and promulgated at Barcelona. Marine insurance and the negotiation of bills of exchange were practised here at an early date. In 1640 Barcelona rose against the tyr- anny of Philip IV., and threw herself into the arms of France. It was retaken in 1652. In 1697 it was captured by the French, but re- stored to Spain in the same year. During the war of the succession, it espoused the cause of Austria. In 1706 it was captured by the Span- iards and English under the earl of Peter- borough. In 1714 it was bombarded and taken by the French, under the command of the duke of Berwick. In 1808 it was taken by Napoleon, who held it till 1814. In 1842 it revolted against the queen of Spain, and was bombard- ed and taken by Espartero in December. An- other insurrection, which broke out in June, 1843, was suppressed, after a bombardment, in November, and another, in July, 1856, after a few days, but with considerable bloodshed. Several minor popular movements took place both before and after the fall of Queen Isa- bella. BARCELONA. I. A N. state of Venezuela, bounded N. by the Caribbean sea and S. by the river Orinoco; area, 13,800 sq. m. ; pop. about 78, 600. Except a belt of hills that border the coast, where there are excellent arable lands, and the best plantations in the state, the face of the country is composed of low plains and extensive plateaus, offering fine pasturage for cattle, horses, and mules. The chief rivers are the Neveri, Pao, and Unare. Cacao, cof- fee, sugar cane, cotton, maize, cocoanuts, and tropical fruits are largely produced. The state is divided into 8 cantons. II. A city, formerly called New Barcelona, capital of the state, situated near the mouth of the Neveri, which is here crossed by a wooden bridge, about 3 m. from the sea, and 160 m. E. of Carac- as ; pop. about 6,000 (in 1800, 16,000) half colored. It was founded in 1637 by Juan Ur- pin at the foot of the Cerro Santo, whence it was transferred to its present site in 1671 by Sancho Fernando de Agula. The city has been nearly ruined by war and revolution. There is a church and several schools. The houses are mostly of mud, ill constructed and poorly furnished ; and the streets are unpaved and in rainy weather extremely filthy, while in dry weather the dust is intolerable. The harbor and shipping are protected by a fortress, on a hill 400 feet above the level of the sea. The climate, owing to the excessive heat and moist- ure of the air, is exceedingly insalubrious, and