Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/360

* LIQUORS. 318 LISBON. capita consumption of approximately 1.20 gal- lons. See Alcohol; Distilled Liquobs; Rum; Wuisky; etc. LIQUOR TRAFFIC. See Temperance. LIRA, le'ra (It., from Lat. libra, pound). An Italian .silver coin of greater or less value, ac- cording to time and jjlace. The Tuscan lira was equal to 80 Frencli centimes; the Austrian lira or zKiinziger was of about the same value. The present lira of the Italian Kingdom is equal to the French franc (about $0,193), and is divided into 100 centimes. LIRIA, le're-a. A town of Spain, in the Prov- ince of Valencia, and 12 miles northwest of Valencia (iiap: Spain, E .3). The plain in which it stands is planted with vines and olives. Near by are vestifics of the ancient Edcta. There are mineral sjirings in the neighborhood. Population, in l!tO(l. SSa'X LIR'IODEN'DRON. A genus of plants. See Tulip-Tree. LISA, LIZA, LIZITA. Names in the Span- ish West Indies for various mullets. See Mlt.let. LISAINE, Ic'zan', Battle of. An engagement in tlie Franco-Prussian War, which raged for three days (.January 15-17, 1871) on the small river Lisaine. near the French fortress of Belfort (q.v. ). Gambetta, hoping to withdraw the Ger- mans from around Paris by a diversion in South- ern Germany, ordered Bourbaki to threaten the enemy around Bclfort. and to attempt an inroad into Baden. .The German general, von Werder, retreated before BourliaUi and took up a position along the Lisaine. in order to defeat this plan. Bourbaki. with 120,000 men, made desperate ef- forts to drive the (iermans from their position, but llie latter were so strongly fortified, and the Frencli soldiers were so weak from lack of food and labored marches, that these efforts were with- out avail. Surrounded on three sides by the victorious Germans, the remnants of the French army, 8.5.000 in number, crossed the border line into Switzerland. February 1st. LISBOA, Ife-bo'a, .Jo.to Francisco (1812-63). A South American author, born at Iguarfi, Maianh.To, Brazil, He .studied at one of the colleges at Rio de Janeiro, and became a jour- nalist. He edited various newspapers, includ- ing the Crunica (1838-41), and the Jornal de Timon (I852-.58). which he wrote as well as edit- ed himself. It contained historical and political papers criticising both sides, although he was of the Liberal partv. He was clerk to the Secretary of the Government from ISS.") until 1838, and took an active part in politics. Afterwards he devoted himself to historical research and went to Lisbon. Portugal, where he died. His works include: Tida do Padre Antonio Vieira (1874) ; Hisloria do Maranhuo (1850); and several in manuscript. LISBON, liz'bun (Port. Lisboa). The capital of Portugal and of the Province of Estreniadura, situated on the north shore of the estuary of the Tagus, 7 miles from the ocean ; latitude 38° 43' N., longitude 90° 11' W. (Map: Portugal, A 3). The estuary is here about 1% miles wide, but immediately above the city it widens into a large lake from 4 to 8 miles wide, forming one of the best harbors of Europe, with deep water both in the lake and through the narrow en- trance, which is defended by fortifications. The. city stretches along the coast for five miles, and ri.ses in a succession of terraces, its houses min- gling with the green foliage of its parks, the sur- rounding district being dotted with villas. The city proper is divided into four parts, the old town, the Alfama, in the east; the new town, or the Vidiide Baixa, in the middle and on the low ground ne.xt to the Tagus; the liairro Alto on the heights to the north, and Ah-iinlani in the west. It is not fortified on the land si<le, and straggles otf in long avenues bordered with villas toward the plateau of Estreniadura, The old town is built around a hill surmounted by the Castello de Sao .Jorge, an old Moorish castle now used as barracks and military prison. This was the only part of the city not destroyed by the great earthquake of 1755, It still has a number of Moorish ami Roman remains, and its streets are narrow and crooked, besides lieing steep and ill-paved. There are a large numl)er of churches in this section, many of them very old, especially the Se Patriarchal, or cathedral, which dates from the twelfth century. The new town, to the west of the old town, is regularly laid out with wide streets crossing at right angles, and traversed by numerous street railways. Facing the river-front is the largest square in the city, ' the Praca do Cominercio. surrounded by public buildings and containing a large statue of King .Joseph I, in the centre. On the west si<le of the square are the general post-office and the naval arsenal; on the east are the exchange and the custom-house, and on the north are two minis- terial buildings and the city hall. From this plaza extend eight parallel streets to the north, the one in the centre being entered through a tri- umphal arch, and all of them terminating at the Praga de Dom Pedro IV., with a statue of that monarch and two bronze fountains. Running northwest from this praca is the largest and finest promenade in the city, the Avenida da Liberdade. which is one mile long and 300 feet wide, with a double row of shade-trees along the middle. It passes near the Botanical Garden, one of the finest in Europe, containing a superb collection of tropical plants, and inclosing also the polytechnic school and the astronomical ob- .servatory. Half a mile to the west is the beauti- ful Estrella Garden, opposite the Estrella Church, the most conspicuous building in the city, with a white marble cupola, and two bell-towers that can be seen for many miles around. Still farther to the west, and within the limits of the bnirro of Alcantara, stands the royal palace, with its fine park, the Tapada das Necessidades ; and from here the road crosses the Alcflntara River into the suburbs of Belem and Ajuda, forming the ex- treme western part of the city, Lisbon has a medical school, a normal school, several high schools, schools of commerce, agri- culture, and navigation, academies of art and music, several museums, scientific academies and societies, and the national public library, contain- ing over 200,000 volumes, about 10,000 manu- scripts, and a large collection of coins. Among public works should be mentioned the two aque- ducts, one 15, the other 70 miles long, which sup- ply the city with abimdant and pure water. The sewerage sy.stem is excellent, and the city is onej of the cleanest in Europe. It has manufactures o€ jewelry, musical instruments, woolen, cotton, and] silk fabrics, gloves, hats, shoes, paper, soap,!