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* VITAL STATISTICS. 190 VITERBO. teen years of age, the proportion of married in the United States slightly increased from 55.3 per cent, in 1890 to 55.5 in 1900. Examination of the figures for conjugal condition by sex and age shows that this slight increase in the per cent, married was confined to the periods of early adult life, the per cent, of married persona among men twenty to twenty-four years of age having risen from 18.9 in 1890 to 21.6 in 1900, and the per cent, of married females from fif- teen to nineteen years of age having increased from 9.5 in 1890 to 10.9 in 1900. The per cent. of married persons, male or female, at each later age was less in 1900 than in 1890, with an insignificant exception for women forty-five to sixty-four years of age, wlicre the proportion of married was substantially the same at the two censuses. This increase in early marriages is probably an index of the unusual prosperity of the United States during the few years imme- diately preceding the Twelfth Census, and the figures do not warrant the belief that the pro- portion of married persons in the United States is likely to increase. BiBLiOGRAPHT. For English figures and re- sults William Farr's Vital fitatistics (1885) and Arthur Newsholme's Elements of Vital i^tatistics (2ded..l899) should be consulted. The supplement to the Fifty-ninth Annual Report of the Registrar- General gives a summary and analysis of recent official figures (1881-90), and is especially good on the death rate of occupations (1890-92). The fullest and most critical summary of results fur the leading countries will be found in Yester- gaard's Lehre von der ilortalitiit und HlorbilitUt (2d ed., 1901). American statistics in this field are weak and defective, the best sources of in- formation being the volumes of the United States Censis and the anniial registration reports of a few States, especially Michigan, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. VTTASCOPE. See Kinetoscope. VITEBSK, ve-tyepsk'. A government of "Western Russia, bordering on the Baltic Provinces. Area, about 17,450 square miles (Jlap: Russia, C 3). It has a flat and somewhat undulating surface, with low hills in the southeast and the north, and extensive marshes in the west. The region is watered principally by the Diina and its tributaries.- There are about 2500 small lakes and ponds. Agriculture is the principal occu|)ation. The peasants migrate for the winter months in consideralile numbers to the more industrially devclojx'd regions of the country. Population, in 1897, 1.502,916, of whom the Russians constituted over two-thirds, the Letts about 20 per cent., and the Jews about 10 per cent. VITEBSK. The capital of tlie Government of Vitebsk, in Western Russia, situated on the Diina, 387 miles south of Saint Petersburg ( Map : Russia, D 3). It is an old town, poorly built, but containing some noteworthy specimens of eccle- siastical architecture, noiablv the Uspensky Cathedral (1771), the Cathedral of Saint Nicho- las, and the Roman Catholic churches of Saint Anthony and Saint Michael, (lie last possessing an interesting library. Population, in 1897, 06,- 143, of whom the .Tews constitiited about two- thirds. In the beginning of the eleventli century Vitebsk formed a part of the Principality of Polotsk and a hundred years later it became the capital of the independent Principality of Vi- tebsk, which was annexed in the fourteenth cen- tury to Litliuania and later to Poland. It was annexed to Russia in 1772. VITELLIN. See Globulins. VITEL'LIUS, AuLrs (a.d. 15-69). A Roman emperor (January-December a.d. 69), He was a son of Lucius Vitellius; was born in A.D. 15, and through his father's influence at court became consul a.d. 48 and afterwards pro- consul of Africa, where his administration gave great satisfaction. He had teen a companion of Tiberius at ^'aprs, and was equally a favorite with Caligula, Claudius, Nero, and Galba, the last of whom appointed him commander of the legions in Lower Germany. Vitellius had not been a month in his new post before he com- pletely gained the aft'ections of his soldiers by extreme familiarity and liberality, and on Janu- ary 2, 69, they proclaimed him Emperor. Tliis decision was adopted by the rest of the troops in Gaiil; and two armies, under Valens and Coccina, immediately set out to secure Rome, Vitellius following leisurely. The adherents of his predecessor, Otho. who had supplanted Galba, were leniently treated, with the exception of the centurions of Otho's army, who were put to death. His government was marked by great modera- tion, but his personal depravity and the gluttony for which he was notorious soon disgusted the Romans, and the legions of Pannonia and Illyi'icum, having proclaimed Vespasian Emperor, advanced into Italy under Antonius Primus. They were opposed Ijy the Vitellian troops, com- manded by Caecina, but gained a decisive victory near Bedriacum, and another, on the following evening, over another Vitellian army which had marched to the support of the first. In the south, however, Vitellius's brother, Lucius, defeated Vespasian's partisans in several battles. Rome, however, which in the meanwhile had been the scene of violence and liloodshed, was soon in the possession of Antonius Primus. Vitellius was found wandering about his palace in terror, and after being ignominiously exposed in the streets, was killed by repeated blows, his head carried about Rome, and his body thrown into the Tiber in December, a.d. 69. VITERBO, veter'bo. A city in the Province of Rome, Italy, situated at the foot of the Monte Cimino, .54 miles by rail nortli-northwest of Rome (Map: Italy, G 5). It is encircled by old Lombard fortifiealions, and has well-built streets. It is noted for its handsome examples of archi- tecture and its iiiteresting palaces. The tine Romanesque-Gothic catliedral, in the extreme southwest corner of the city, contains the tombs of several popes. It dates from the twelfth century, and has a Gothic campanile. The splen- did Municipal Palace stands in the centre of the citj'. It dates from 1204, and has a fine portico and attractive frescoes. It contains the muni- cipal nuiseum of Roman and Etruscan antiqiiities. The Church of Santa Maria della Sahdo has an artistic ]>ortal, and the small Church of Sant'. - gelo an interesting fa<;ade. The former Church of Santa Maria della Verit;1 now serves as tlie pub- lie hall. The pulilic garden lies near the north end of the city. In the vicinity of the city are Etruscan cemeteries and also the beautiful pil-