Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/338

* PORTUGAL, 284 PORTUGAL. Area in eq. miles Population LI8TB1CT8 1890 1900 Entre Donro e Minho : Vianna doCastello... 867 1,058 882 207.366 338.308 546.262 214,599 356,819 Porto 601,688 2,807. 1.091.936 1.173.106 Tras-oH-Montes : Villa Keal 1.718 2.575 237.302 179.678 243.584 185.586 4.293 416,980 429.170 Beira : 1,124 1,920 1.300 2.146 2.558 287,437 391,015 316,624 230,154 205.211 302,181 Vizeu 402,799 333,505 263.292 Castello BraDco 216.629 9.248 1.4.'j0.441 1.518.406 Estreraadura : 1,343 2.651 2.882 217.278 254,844 611.168 240.167 283.B76 708.750 6.876 1.083 290 1.232,593 Alenit^jo : Portale^re 2.484 2.738 4.209 112.834 118.408 157.571 124,697 127 232 Beja 161,602 9,431 388,813 413,531 Algarve (Faro 1,873 228,635 254 851 Total, Continent 34,528 4,660,095 5,021,657 lelandR ; 1,005 315 255.594 134.040 Madeira 150 528 Total, islands.... 1.320 389.634 407,002 Grand total 35.848 5,049,7-29 3,428,659 mainder the hair is very dark. Portufral was engaged in the slave trade for nearly four cen- turies. During that period many tliousands of African and Brazilian negroes finally settled in the provinces of Algare and Estremadura, and a large mulatto contingent in the population is the result. Stone Age relies are common in Portugal, and there have even been discovered seeming indi- cations of human occupation in the Tertiary Age. Megalithic monuments are also common, occurring in the shape of dolmens, from which the tumulary envelope has been removed. In the smaller ones the cryjit is made up of four large dressed stones, covered by a fifth: in the more elaborate the chamber is larger, round or irregu- lar in outline, and approached through an avenue. In them along with the dead are found imple- ments of chipped and polished stone, weapons and ornaments, turquoise beads, etc. The most in- teresting remains of the classical epoch are the so-called citanias, hill cities or forts. Two of them crowning the summits of low mountains in the northwest corner of Portugal have been care- fully explored. A long wide street is lined on each side with ruins of stone houses. The walls are built of large, irregular blocks well adjusted, the interiors being revetted with smaller stones. The foundations are round and are built up in spiral. A thatched roof, doubtless, was sustained by a central pillar of wood, the stone support of which is to be seen in many ground plans. On both sides of the door and along the wall are the remains of a penthouse sustained by si.x pillars, of which the stone bases yet remain. Pottery and glas.sware abound in them. Flagstones are cov- ered with sculptures and the walls are decorated with circles, coils, and frets. The latest coin found in anj- of them was of Constantine I. (300- 337 ). Inscriptions on some of the houses are in Roman letters. Go"EBXJiEXT. The present Constitution of Portugal consists of the Constitutional Charter, granted by King Pedro IV. April 29, 1826, the additional" acts of .July 5, 18.52, of .July 24, 188.5, and of ilarch 28 and September 25, 18'J5. The form of government is that of a representative constitutional monarchy, with the system of min- isterial responsibility in legislation and admin- istration. The legislative power is vested in a Cortes of two chambers: the House of Peers and the Chamber of Deputies. The House of Peers consists of the princes of the royal blood who have attained the age of twenty-five, the bishops and archbishops, who are peers of right, and about 90 peers appointed at will by the King, their dignity being hereditaiy. although a law of .July 24, 1885. has provided for the gradual abolition of hereditary peerages. The Peers have an equal initiative with the Deputies and the Government, except as to measures relating to im- posts and recruitment, and may constitute them- selves into a high court of justice for the trial of members of the royal family and high oflScials. By the law of August 8, "l901. elections to the Chamber of Deputies are by all male citizens twenty-one years of age who can read and write or who pay taxes amounting to 500 reis. Depu- ties must be graduates of a secondary or profes- sional school or in the enjoyment of an income of not less than 400 milreis per year. Disquali- fied for membership are peers, naturalized citi- zens, and certain employees of the Government. The Deputies are apportioned according to popu- lation, at present the ratio being one Deputy to every 36.000 inhabitants. The total number is 155, of which seven are returned by the colonies. They are chosen in single electoral districts, and sit for four years unless the Cortes is sooner dis- solved. Their chamber has the usual powers and duties of a lower chamber in a parliamentary system. The executive power is vested in the Crown, which is hereditary, females succeeding when males are wanting. The Crown has the usual powers intrusted to a constitutional mon- arch, but its veto is only suspensive. The King is inviolable and irresponsible. He, therefore, acts officially through responsible ministers who have a seat in the Cortes and take part in its deliberations. The King is also assisted by a Council of State consisting of about 16 members appointed by himself for life. For the purpose of administering justice the country is divided into comaicrix or districts, in each of which a court of first instance held by a single judge is provided. There are also in each district a number of jus- tices of the peace, who have jurisdiction in minor civil and criminal cases. Above these are three courts of second instance located at Lisbon, Opor- to, and Ponta Delgada. in the Azores, which have original jurisdiction in certain cases and hear appeals from the lower courts, while the ultimate judicial authority is the Supreme Court at Lisbon. It is divided into two chambers, has original jurisdiction in a variety of matters, and