FERROL is one of the best sea-port towns of Spain, in the province of Galicia. It is situated to the north-north east of Corunna, and ten leagues from Cape Ortegal. Be fore 1752, Ferrol was merely a fishing village, but a large town containing many elegant public buildings, has been erected on a regular plan. The school for midshipmen is a magnificent edifice. The arsenal is deemed the hand somest in the kingdom, and there is an extensive rope walk, and a machine for hammering the copper for sheath ing vessels. There are also two hospitals, one for the inhabi tants, and another for the navy and army. The harbour is extremely safe, and is on all sides protected from winds. Its position is very strong, being surrounded with redoubts, mounting live cannon on each front, and four on each side, and the whole is connected with an intrenchment, and a parapet which mask the interior works. All ships that go from the harbour into the sea must, for the distance of a league, Ille off one by one, and pass along a shore defended by forts, and which in case of need, may be obstructed with piles, while, on the land side, it may be easily defended in the event of a disembarkation. It would be almost impos sible to besiege the town regularly. Trenches could not be opened on account of the nature of the soil, and it would be equally difficult to force the entrance of the harbour, as it is lined with strong batteries, the mole itself being well provided with heavy artillery. The basin for the fleet is very large. Every ship has a separate warehouse, where all its tackle, Ste. is marked and deposited. All the work in the harbour is carried on by 600 galley slaves, who compose the presidario. The approach to the coast be tween Corunna and Ferrol is defended by two castles, viz. that of St Philip and Palma. No cxpence, indeed, has been spared by the Spanish government to render Ferrol one of the most complete naval establishments in the world. There is here a military commandant, a governor, an in tendant, and a numerous staff. All foreign ships are ex cluded from Ferrol, only coasting vessels and Spanish ships which bring articles of necessity being admitted. Sea and river fish are caught in abundance; and in the vicinity of the town there are numerous fountains of excellent water. Ferrol contains but one manufactory, which is for sail cloth.
The town contains only one parish, and a convent of the Seraphic order. The population is about 8000, excepting in time of war, when it exceeds this number considerably. The position of Ferrol, according to the most accurate si dereal observations, is in West Long. 8° 15', and North Lat. 43° 29'. See Laborde's View of Spain, vol. ii. p. 441. (70 FEU, or FEE, (feudum or feodum, Fr. fief), a word of uncertain derivation, sometimes denotes an estate held by feudal tenure, but is more properly used to denote the right resulting to the vassal from the feudal contract. In
this latter acceptation it may be defined a gratuitous right to the property of lands, under the condition of fealty and military service to be performed to the superior, who grants the right, by the vassal, who obtains it. The inter est which the superior retains to himself, or rather the law reserves for him, in all feudal grants, is called dominium directum, because it is the highest and most eminent right ; that which the vassal acquires goes under the name of do miniunz utile, being subordinate to the other, and the most profitable of the two, since the vassel enjoys the whole fruits of the subject.
Although, from the nature of the feudal constitution, fens were originally granted solely in consideration of mi litary services, yet services of a mere civil or religious nature were early substituted in their room, at the pleasure of the superior. And in the course of time, the,spirit of the original system was so far left out of view, that_servi ces of all kinds were entirely dispensed with in dal tenures ; but, in such cases, the vassal, who is exemp ted from services, must be liable in the payment either of a yearly sum of money, or a quantity of grain, or some thing else, however inconsiderable, merely as an acknow ledgment of the superior's light.
Fees have been divided, with reference to the sources from which they flow, into ,feuda ligia and non ligia. A liege-fee is that granted by a sovereign, to whom the vas sal owes absolute fidelity, without exception. Feuda non ligia, on the other hand, are those derived from subjects superiors, in which a reservation is always implied with respect to the fealty or allegiance which is due to the high est or liege lord. By the written feudal usages, fens are divided into antiqua and nova. The former are such as come by succession; the latter such as are acquired by gift, purchase, or other singular title.
Some things are considered as essential to the constitu tion of a feu ; some are natural to it, and others only acci dental. No feu can subsist without its essential characters ; and, upon the least alteration made in these, the right must resolve into one of another kind. Such essential re quisites are the reservation of the right of superiority, and the acknowledgment of this right on the part of the vassal, by some service or payment. By the naturalia feudi, is un derstood whatever arises from the nature of the contract, and is therefore deemed part of it, although not expressly provided. These, however, may receive an alteration from the will of the parties, without destroying the feudal con tract. The accidentalia feudi depend entirely on the con vention of parties, and are never presumed, but must be the subject of express stipulation. See the Consuetudines Feudorum; the books of Regiam Magistratem; Craig, De Feudis ; Erskine's Inst. of the Law of Scotland, b. ii. t. 3. (z)