CADIZ, Ici'deth or kA-diz (anciently GADES), a seaport and one of the handsomest cities in Spain, 95 miles south-southwest of Seville by rail, is situated at the extremity of a long tongue of land projecting from the Isla de Leon, off the southwestern coast of Andalusia. The narrowness of the land communication prevents its capture by a military force while the garrison is master of the sea. It is walled, with trenches and bastions on the land side; the houses are high, and the streets narrow. The chief buildings are the great hospital, the custom-house, the old and new cathedrals (with pictures by Murillo), two theatres, the bull ring, capable of accommodating 12,000 specta tors, and the lighthouse of Saint Sebastian. From the harbor the town presents a magnifi cent appearance. The Bay of Cadiz is a very fine one. It is a large basin. enclosed by the mainland on one side, and the projecting tongue of land on the other. It is from 10 to 12 leagues in circumference, with good anchorage and protected by the neighboring hills. It has four forts, two of which form the defense of the grand arsenal, La Caracca, in which are 3 basins and 12 docks. The city touched its greatest prosperity after the discovery of America, when it became the European em porium for the New World. The loss of the Spanish colonies in America dealt it a heavy blow; but within recent years it has made rapid strides despite the imperfect drainage and a bad water supply which are responsible for the high death rate of 44 per 1,000. Cadiz has long been the principal Spanish naval station.
It was the centre of the Spanish-American trade, and the commerce of the port was very extensive before the separation of the colonies. The preparation of salt from pits belonging to the government was formerly an important branch of industry, but is now of comparatively little consequence. The manufactures of Cadiz are of comparatively little importance, but in regard to the extent and value of its commerce it ranks as one of the first ports in Spain. Its imports consist of all kinds of foreign and colonial produce, coal, cotton and woolen man ufactures etc.; its exports of wines, fruits, oils and other products of Spain. The town of Santa Maria, opposite Cadiz, is the principal depot of the wines of Xeres. Cadiz was founded by the Phcenicians about 1100 a.c., and subsequently belonged in succession to the Car thaginians and the Romans. Long in possession of the Moors, it was captured from them in 1202 by Alfonso X of Castile. In 1587 Sir Francis Drake destroyed the Spanish fleet in the bay; and it was taken by the Earl of Essex in 1596 and from its bay Villeneuve sailed pre vious to the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. In 1809 it became the seat of the central junta, and afterward of the Cortes. It sustained a long blockade from the French (1810-12), which was not raised till after the battle of Salamanca. In 1823 the French entered it after a short siege. The Spanish revolution of 1868 orig inated in Cadiz. Pop. 67,174.