WAKAMATSU, wa-lcii-ma-tsoo, a city of japan formerly named Aidzu, for centuries the centre of politics and culture and considered the strategic key of northwestern Japan, with a castle built in the 14th century and the seat of a clan ever loyal to the Tokugawa shoguns of Yedo. Around this last stronghold of the already lost cause, the imperial armies gathered in 1868. The great castle sustained a siege of one month, even bo_ys and girls performing. prodigies of valor. The doomed garrison sur rendered 6 November, ending the civil war. 'The castle and most of the aty were given to the flames leaving a level waste of ashes. Of the defeated clansmen large numbers became active in the Russo-Greek Catholic and other Christian churches, while in 1877 hundreds of expert swordsmem, who had old scores to settle vrith Satsuma, aided powerfully in suppressing Saigo's rebellion. From this disaster of 1868, the city has made reo3very largely through the chemical, lacquer, zinc and other industries, until now, it is among the foremost. in promise
in the empire. Electric lighting is general in houses and factories and the power plant, con taining six 10,000 horse-power dynamos, erected in 1915, is the largest in the Orient. Of the chemicals imported, in 1913, before the war, no fewer than 40 are now made at this place. In the Aidzu valley a development of 500,000 horse power is possible. Lake Inawashiro, 1,000 feet higher, or 1,680 feet above sea level, is five miles distant. Close to the rapids of the Nippachi River, three nests of dynamos are planned. Thus the waters, utilized for ages in the work of irrigation, will be freshly utilized for cheap power and manufactures. Consult Noss, (Toholcu, the Scotland of japan> (1918).