Political Divisions and Towns.—The administration of Siberia is divided into two general governments, those of Western and Eastern Siberia. Western Siberia consists of the governments of Tobolsk and Tomsk and the province of Omsk ; and Eastern Siberia of the govern ments of Yeneseisk and Irkutsk, and the provinces of Yakutsk, Okhotsk, and Kamtchatka, to which are added the Russian settle ments on the western coast of North America as far as 56° N. lat., and 141° W. long. All these divisions are governed by separate officers, who receive their orders from the governor-general, and can only apply to the court of St. Petersburg through him. A small but very important portion of Siberia is not subject to the authority of the general governor, but is united to the European governments of Perm and Orenburg.
That part of the government of Perm which is on the east of tho Ural Mountains extends along their base from 55° 30' to 61° N. lat., and is the most populous, best cultivated, and most industrious por tion of Siberia. Nearly all the numerous mines of the mining district of the Ural are included in this division. Besides Ekatarinburg, which is the seat of administration for the mines, it contains several remarkable places, as Berezow, with 2000 inhabitants ; Newansk, with 10,000 inhabitants; Alpayewsk, with 2000 inhabitants ; Nishnei Tag hilsk, with more than 20,000 inhabitants, in a district noted for its rich iron- and copper-mines and its washings of gold and platinum. In this place there are also extensive manufactures of lacquered-ware. Kushwinsk, farther north, with about 6000 inhabitants, is built in the centre of a district rich in iron-mines; in its vicinity is the iron-moun tain called Bladogat, which rises to 1370 feet above the sea-level Verkhoturye has 3000 inhabitants, and ie considered the most northern point where the alluvial beds that contain gold particles occur. They have been traced southward to the source of the Ural River, a distance exceeding 600 miles.
Only a small portion of the government of Orenburg lies east of the Ural Mountains. It is partly inhabited by Russians and Choowashes, and partly by Bashkirs. Its wealth consists chiefly in cattle. The largest town is Chelyabinsk, on the small river Miss, not far from the base of the Ural Mountains, with 5000 inhabitants. North-east of Chelyabinsk is Miask, the most southern place where gold is obtained Troitzk, on the river 06i, with 3000 inhabitants, is a ce of some trade, but its commerce is now limited to trade with the Khirghis Cossaks who inhabit the country south of the 06i.
The government of Tobolak comprehends the whole of Western Siberia north of 60° N. lat. and the western half of it south of that
parallel, exclusive of the country of the Khirghis Cossaks. In this government no metals are found except some bog-iron ; but salt is got from several lakes. The wealth of the southern districts consists in the produce of agriculture and the herds of cattle; that of the northern consists of the produce of the fisheries in the river Obi, and the nume rous wild anima!, that inhabit the forests. In the southern districts wood Is scarce, except along the base of the Ural Mountains.
The capital is Tobobsk, where the governor-general of Western Siberia resides. [Tonotaii.] In the comparatively populous district which extends south-west to the boundary of Perm are Toorinek, on the river Toora, with 7000 inhabitants, mostly Tooraliuzes, who carry on a considerable trade iu furs, and have many tanning-pits ; and Tioomen,with10,000 inhabitants. Tioomen is the oldest city in Siberia, having been founded by Tartars in the time of Genghis Khan. On the banks of the river Tobol are the towns of Yalootorovsk, with 2000 inhabitants ; and Koorgan, with about 1000 inhabitants. In the vicinity of the last-mentioned place there are numerous ancient tombs in the form of small hills; they are called One of them, called by Pallas a royal mausoleum, is nearly 500 feet in circum ference. East of Tobolak is Tara, built on the west bank of the Irtish, with 3600 inhabitants. Vessels of 300 tons burden go from here to Tobolsk. Surgue, north-east of Tobolsk, on the river Obi, is a small place with 1500 inhabitants. Berezow, on the west bank of the Obi (63° 56' N. lat.), has 3000 inhabitants, and a considerable traffic iu furs and fish. It is the most northern place in which rye and barley succeed.
The province of Omsk consists properly of two lines of fortifications and of the country of the Khirghis Cossaks. The capital, Omsk, is built on the east bank of the Irtish, at the point where the two lines of fortifications meet. It is a well-fortified place, with 7500 inhabit ants, and contains a military school for the Cossaks and a college for those who wish to learn the languages of Western Asia. From this place, as well as from two of the fortresses, Petropawlawsk on the Ishim, and Semipalatinsk on the Irtish, caravans depart for Tashkend in and for Bokbara, traversing the steppe of the Khirghis Cossaks. Us/ Kantenogorsk, on the Irtisb, has about 2000 inhabitants. The new agricultural colony of Kar-Karaly, with the steppe of tho Khirghis Cossaks, belongs to this province.