TULA, a government of European Russia, is situated between 52° 53' and 56' N. lat., 35° 54' and 33' 50' E. long. It is bounded N. by Moscow, E. by Riasan and Tambow, S. by Orel, and W. by Kaluga. The area ie 11,744 square miles, and the population 1,227,000.
This country is a uniform undulating plain, where hardly anything is to be seen but boundless cornfields or meadows, traversed by low hills, with little wood, and no remarkable natural scenery. The pro vince is one of the best cultivated end most populous in the empire. The coil is dry, and generally poor, and owes its fertility to skilful cultivation. The principal river is the Oka, which comes from Kalnga, and partly forms the boundary towards Moscow and Kaluga. The Don, which rises in Lake leaned; near the frontiers of Riasan. is little more than a brook in its short course in this government before it enters that of Riasan. There is however no want of water, there being above 200 small rivers.
The bishop of Tula and Bjelew is at the head of the clergy ; he has 857 parishes under him. The government is divided into twelve circles.
Except in the capital there are no manufactoriee; woollen and linen fabrics are manufactured for their own use by the country-people.
The most considerable town next to the capital, TULA, is Bidcm, or Pjdeff, situated on the Oka, in the western part of the government It is • large old town, with • rampart and moat: it has fifteen churches; • monastery ; a nunnery; and several public) buildings. The population exceeds 7000. There are several tanneries, breweries, tallow-melting houses, and manufactories of hardware, especially knives, which are highly esteemed all over Russia. The inhabitants carry on a considerable trade. Wcneto, on the Wenewka, 32 miles nw. from Tula, has eight churches, 3500 inhabitants, a silk-mill, a soap-manufactory, and some breweries. Odojew, on the Ups, has seven churches and 3300 inhabitants, who derive subsistence from agriculture, mechanical trades, and a considerable commerce in hemp and cora with Kalagn. Jefremow, on the 3Ietscha, has seven churches and 3000 inhabitants.