STRALSUND, one of the three Forernments into which the Prussian province of Pomerania is divided, consists of what was formerly Swedish Pomerania, with the island of Ilttgen and some other islands. It is bounded N. by the Baltic, K and S. by the Peene, which separates it from the government of Stettin, and AV. by 3leck lenburg-Schwerin, from which it is divided by the navigable rivers Trebel and Reckenitz. The area is 1672 square miles, with a popula tion of 187,053 at the end of 1849. The surface of the government is fiat. The soil is a heavy loam and black mould of superior fertility. The products consist chiefly of wheat, rye, barley, peas, flax, and tobacco. The breed of horned cattle is not numerous, for want of sufficient pasture; sheep and hogs however ore reared in great num bers, and there are immense flocks of geese. There are no manufac tures of any importance except perhaps tobacco and spirits. Tho exports are flour, malt, and corn. The fisheries are very profitable.
Stralsund, the capital of the government, is situated in 54° 15' N. lat., 13° 8' E. long., in a eandy plain, bounded on one side by the Strait of Ciellen (which separates the island of Riigen from the conti nent), and on the other sides by lakes and marshes, so that the town is connected with the continent only by bridges. The fortifications have been greatly strengthened in recent times. Stralsund is a gloomy place; the houses are built in the old style, the streets irregular, and the squares and market-places inconsiderable : it is however clean and well paved. The three principal churches are built in the gothic style, and contain many fine paintings. Among the other public buildings arc the government-house, the town-ball (which contains the public library), the gymnasium (which has a library and cabinet of medals), the mint, the arsenal, and the water-works by which the city is sup plied with good water. The manufactures consist of woollens, linen, sugar, starch, soap, candles, tobacco, leather,looking-glasses, household furniture, and playing-cards. There are brandy distilleries and oil
mills. The chief exports are wheat, malt, timber, wool, linen, &c. The harbour is spacious and safe, and deep enough for ships drawing 15 feet water. Stralsund was built about the year 1209, and was a member of the Hanseatio League. The town was unsuccessfully besieged by Wallenstein in 1623. In 1678 it was taken by the elector Frederick William of Brandenburg ; in 1715 by Frederick William I., king of Prussia ; and in 1807 by the French. By the treaty of Kiel in 1810 it was ceded with all Swedish Pomerania to Denmark, and by Denmark in 1815 to Prussia. The population of Stralsund is about 17,000.
The most important of the other towns of the government of Stral sund are—Barth, a small seaport town with about 5000 inhabitants, shipbuilding docks, and some trade in corn, wool, &o., is situated at the mouth of the river Barth, in an inlet of the Baltic, 10 miles N.W. from Stralsund. Greifacalde, 20 miles S. by E. from Stralsund, and about 2 miles from the month of the Ryck, which forms a good harbour for small vessels. This town is pretty well built, surrounded by prome nades formed out of the old ramparts, and has a population of 12,000. It has a university, a botanical garden and observatory, a gymnasium, and a training-school. The Industrial products are soap, leather, tobacco, oil, salt, &c. Shipbuilding and the coasting trade are actively carried on ; steamers ply regularly in the open season to Sweden. Wolgast, a small seaport town at the mouth of the Peenc, has ship building yards, manufactures of soap and tobacco, and about 5000 inhabitants, who have some coasting trade. Patinas, on the south coast of the isle of Regen, gives title to a prince, and is much resorted to in summer for its baths.