The natural history of this country is in no respects in teresting. Boats and deers arc much less numerous than formerly ; and, during the last century, wolves have been extremely rare. The last bear was killed at Hartz about the beginning of the 18th century. Roebucks and hares are excellent, but rabbits are very scarce. Thrushes, par tridges, skylarks, wild-ducks, heathcocks, and a small spe cies of tetran, arc very numerous. The rivers do not pro duce a great variety of fish, but the markets are well sup plied with turbot, perch, carp, pike, and large eels. The streams that issue from the Hartz, and other wooded mountains, abound with a small trout of exquisite flavour. The mineral waters of Limner are much frequented. File hot baths of Liminer are built of grey stone, firmly cement ed, and fixed in the ground. The descent is by four steps, with a ballustrade. A bench 5 inches broad serves for a seat, and it has a fir back, in order to prevent a sudden shock from the cold stone before it has acquired the tem perature of the water. The charge for each bath is a franc.
The minerals of this country are rich and numerous: They consist of silver, copper, lead, iron, cobalt and zinc, with marble slate, coal, turf, and limestone. Boracite has been found in the Calkberg and Staurolite at Andreas berg in the Hartz. The annual produce of the mines of the Hai tz which belong to Hanover, is reckoned at 1,172,733 rixdollars. The annual produce of the lead mine called Caroline is 194,000 rixdollars. See the article HARTz.
The territory of Hanover is governed by a regency, composed of seven ministers. Four of these reside in Hanover, the capital ; and the fourth. who presides over the law department, the police, and the high court of ap peal, resides at Zell. The sixth, who is at the head of the College of Nobles, likewise presides over the subordi nate regency of Bremen and Veeden, which is held at Stade; and the seventh has s permanent establishment in the court of the electoral ling. This regency possess es regal power, and decides in all matters on which the provincial states are not entitled to interfere. It commu nicates with these p.ssembhes in the same manner as the elector himself, and superintends all the departments of the governme•t. There is a subordinate regency for the bailiwicks Lauenburgh, which sits at Ratzeburg, and another tor the principality of Osnaburg, which sits at Osnal-drg• me provincial states of the kingdom consist of the pre vtes of the equestrian order, and the magistrates of cities. The priests are of the first rank, the nobles are of the second, and the magistrates of the third rank. The duty
of the states is, to watch over the liberties of the people and the different orders of the citizens,—to enforce a re gular administration of the laws,—and to superintend the distribution of the public money. No tax can be levied without their consent, and every new law must have their sanction.
The Roman and public law, the constitution of the em pire, the hulls of the emperors, and the particular const is tutions of the different provinces of which Hanover s composed are precedents, by which the magistrates are guided in their political, civil, and criminal jt:dgments. The high court of appeal sits at Zell, and the minister is bound to consult the regency in certain difficeit cases. The decisions of this court have always been highly respected. When M. Wrisberg was its presider:, George IL one day said to him, "How does it happen that I lose every process that I bring before your tribunal ?" " Sire," re plied the president, " it is because your Majesty is always in the wrong." " M. de Wrisberg," replied the king, " you speak to me like a magistrate." Capital punish ments are very rare in Hanover. The principal punish ments are fine, reprimand, detention in a house of cor rection, imprisonment, or compulsion to labour for a limit ed period. Breaking on the wheel is still practised in this country, but it is always preceded by strangulation. Every sentence, however, which inflicts this punishment, must be submitted to the deliberation of the regency. Public works, where the criminals labour, are established in five of the principal cities : the more hardened are sent to Hameln, and others to the quarries of Luneburg,. The use of preparatory torture is said to remain unabolished.
The revenues of the kingdom are derived principally from a tax on land,—from a contribution from the peasantry in money, grain, and labour on the roads,—from a poll tax from the different classes of citizens,—from duties on cat tle, on the consumption of luxuries, and on salt, coals, and turf. Taxes are also levied on mills, leases, horses, and public carriages, and considerable sums are obtained from tythes,—from tolls on the transit of goods,—from the custom-house, the forests, fisheries, game-laws, the mines of Hartz, the coinage of motley, and the postage of let ters. The total amount of the revenues has been esti mated at 962,500/ sterling. The national debt is considera ble, and was principally contracted to support the seven years war.