TULA, a large town of Russia in Europe, is situ ated in a smooth valley, at the conflux of the Tulpa and Upa. Before reaching this town from Moscow, it presents a considerable appearance. A very hand some church, with white columns, more like a no bleman's palace than a place of worship, appears on a height above the town, which occupies a very extensive site, and is filled with domes and spires:* The entrance to it, both on its northern and south ern side, is through triumphal arches, made of wood, and painted to imitate marble. The streets of Tula are paved, and it presents a greater appear ance of industry than is usual in Russia. Most of the houses are of wood, but those built of stone are considerable, and daily increase in number. The river is crossed with several bridges, some of wood and othek of stone. The public edifices are the churches, the bishop's palace, the courts of justice, and the hospitals. There are two academies here, one for priests, another for the sons of genteel fami lies.
Tula is the great emporium of hardware for the whole empire, containing the imperial manufactory of arms, and manufactories of all sorts of cutlery and works in polished steel. There are also here tanneries, breweries, and soap works. The number of its merchants, including shipbuilders, is 4000; and its commerce, independent of the hardware manufactory, consists of European merchandise, Greek wares, and other productions of Turkey. The imperial manufactory of arms employs 6000 men. The iron mines in the vicinity are very con siderable. They occupy an extent of more than 10 miles, and from them the celebrated forges of De midoff, 38 miles from Tula, derive their ore. Dr. Clarke states the population at 30,000, but later estimates make it 40,000. East Lon. 37° 1' 34". North Lat. 54° 11' 40". See Dr. Clarke's Travels, vol. i. p. 179-186.