Manufactures.—The most important are the silk manufactures, Italy as re gards the production of raw silk being in advance of all the other countries of Europe. Lombardy, Piedmont, and Venetia are the great centers for its preparation. Weaving is less developed. The cotton manufactures are also cen tered in Upper Italy, chiefly in Lom bardy, and have much increased of late. Woolen manufactures are also chiefly carried on in Upper Italy. In the iron industry the department of Lombardy stands at the head; more particularly the provinces of Brescia, Como, and Milan. Tanning, the manufacture of linen, of paper, gold and silver wares, articles in bronze, musical instruments, the making of gloves, boots and shoes, felt and silk hats, are also considerable industries. The inanufacture of tobacco is a state monopoly. Of special repute are the cameos and mosaics of Rome, Naples, and Florence; the filigree and coral work of Genoa; the plaited straw and the earthenware manufactures of Italy gen erally. There are no trustworthy sta tistics later than 1911. Manufacturing was greatly disturbed by the World War, and by conditions which followed it. The economic situation resulted in fre quent strikes, and a movement gained impetus among workers in the metal working trades to gain control of the enterprises. The movement became so strong that the Government was obliged so pass measures providing for the prac tical ownership of many of the manu ?acturing plants by the men employed in them. In 1911 there were 135,461 manufacturing establishments, employ ing 640,856 workers. The number of un employed in 1920 was very considerable.
Constit2Lii022 and Government.—The constitution of the Kingdom of Italy is a limited monarchy, based upon the Funda mental Statute granted by King Charles Albert to his Sardinian subjects March 4, 1848. The king, who is hereditary, exercises the power of legislation only in conjunction with a national Parlia ment consisting of two chambers. The first chamber is called the senate, and is composed of the princes of the blood and an indefinite number of members appointed for life by the king. The second chamber is called the chamber of deputies, and consists of 508 members, who are elected by a majority of all the citizens above 21 years of age who are in the enjoyment of civil and political rights. In 1918 suffrage was made uni versal for persons 21 years of age, and for men under 21 who had fought in the World War. The principle of propor tional representation was enacted into law in 1919. Each province has the right of independent administration, and the executive power is intrusted to a provincial council. In each province the power of the state is represented by a prefect, who is supported by a council. The executive power of the state is exer cised by the king through responsible ministers.
Commerce.—The exports and imports showed quick increase following the con clusion of peace. The imports in 1919
amounted to £660,666,054, and the ex ports to S207,044,952. These figures may be compared with those of 1914, which for imports were £116,933,902, and for exports £88,416,167. The chief imports were wheat, coal and coke, raw cotton, wrought iron, and steel. The principal exports were raw silk, cotton manufactures, silk manufactures, spun cotton yarn, etc. The chief volume of trade was done with the United Stateb. In 1920 the exports from Italy to the United States amounted to $90,420,177, and the imports from the United States amounted to $398,065,795. The imports show a marked decrease from 1918-1919, while the exports greatly increased.
Skipping and Transportation.—In 1918 the total numbev of steam vessels in the mercantile in Italy was 747, with a tonnage of 624,125. The total length of railway lines was about 11,800 miles. There are about 35,000 miles of tele graph lines.
Finance.—The total estimated revenue for 1919-1920 was 5,699,765,528 lire, and the total expenditure, 6,256,482,917 lire. The public debt amounted in 1919 to $11,415,932,000. The annual interest charges amounted to $459,959,000.
Education.—The total number of pu pils in the elementary public schools is about 3,500,000, in private schools, about 150,000, and in evening schools about 200,000. There are also secondary schools, technical schools, normal schools, and technical institutes. The public ele mentary schools number about 125,000. There are 35 schools of agriculture, with about 1,200 students. In 1919, as a part of its reconstiuction work, the Govern ment provided for a national institute for the instruction of illiterate adults.
Its purpose was to give instruction to demobilized soldiers.
Army and Navy.—After the conclu sion of the World War, the field army was composed of 12 Territorial Army Corps, subdivided into 30 divisions and 2 cavalry divisions. See ARMIES. The total strength of the field army at the end of 1919 was 800,000, and it was in tended to reduce it gradually to 250,000. The total number of men mobilized dur ing the war was 5,615,000. The total casualties amounted to 949,576. Of this 496,921 were dead. Special troops are maintained in Libya, Erithrea, and in of paternal authority of the bishop, grew steadily in these troubled times, espe cially in the struggle against the Lom bard kings. Italy, with the exception of the duchy of Benevento and the republics of Lower Italy, thus became a constitu ent part of the Frankish monarchy, and the imperial crown of the West was bestowed on Charlemagne (800). On the breaking up of the Carlovingian em pire Italy became a separate kingdom and the scene of strife between Teutonic invaders. At length Otto the Great was crowned emperor at Rome (961), and the year after became emperor of whp.t Italian Somaliland. For a general ac count of the modern Italian navy and its strength, see NAVY.