GALL, ST., CANTON OF, a Swiss canton, bounded on the n. by Thurgau and the lake of Constance, c. by the Vorarlberg, s. by the Grisons and Glarus, and w. by Zurich and Schwytz. The country is for the most part mountainous; the general slope of the surface being towards the n and n.w. Several of the summits attain a height of 6,000 or 7,000 ft., one (the Gallanda) a height of 8,800, and one (Schirbe) that of 9,000. The Rhine touches the canton of St. G. near Pfeffers, and for about 60 forms its eastern boundary. The chief rivers that intersect the canton arc the Seez, the Tamina, and the Thur. Portions of the lakes of Constance, Zurich, and AVallenstadt, lie within its boundaries. The chief produce of the canton consists of fruit, especially apples and cherries, wine, kirschwasser, corn, maize, and potatoes. The amount of corn produced is but trifling, and a considerable part of the land is devoted to pasture. Iron is found in considerable abundance, and of good quality, at Gunzenberg; and coal, as also peat, is raised within the canton. The manufactures are of linen, muslin, cotton, lace, embroidery, and glass; and wax-bleaching and tanning are also extensively carried on. The linen trade is of very old standing. Its seat is the town of St. Gall, which was celebrated for its linens as early as the 13th c.. but it has in later times been almost
entirely replaced by the manufacture of cotton.
The erection of Si. G. into a distinct canton is comparatively of recent date. It was formed upon the secularization of the domain of the abbot by the union of the abbey territory with several districts previously subject to the older cantons—viz., the Rheinthal, Sargans, Werdenberg, Sax, Gaster, Utznach, together with the town of Rap perschwyl ; so that the new canton of St. G. actually incioses upon all sides the canton of Appenzell, which forms, as it were, an island within the new district. The language is a Suabian dialect of German. The canton of St. G. sends eight members to the national council. Its government is oneof the most democratic in Switzerland. It consists of a great council, the members. of which are chosen for two years by the votes of all citizens above 21 years; and who appoint from among themselves, foi four years, an executive, called the lesser council, consisting of seven members. The local prefects and other district officers are elected annually in their several districts. The area of the canton is 772 sq. miles. Pop. '77, 197,872, of whom about 120,000 were Catholics, and the rest chiefly Calvinists. Chief town, St. Gall (q.v.).