VIS'TULA (Polish TVislo, Ger. Weichscl). A river of Central Europe. It rises on the north slope of the Carpathian Mountains in Austrian Silesia, and flows first northeastward on the boundary between Galicia. and Russian Poland, then across the latter in a north and north west direction, and finally again northeastward through the Prussian Province of West Prussia, emptying into the Frischcs Hatt' and the Baltic Sea through several arms, one of which passes the city of Danzig (Map: Prussia, 11 2). Its length is 650 miles. In its upper course it flows through a narrow valley with steep. wooded sides, but in Northern Poland the banks become low and the country more open until the river breaks through the Prussian ridge, where the banks are again high. In its lower course it di vides repeatedly into parallel arms, inclosing wooded islands. The arms of the delta, one of
which, the Nogat, enters the Frisches Haff through a large number of mouths, are subject to extensive change in their clInmels and in the volume of their discharge, and large sums are expended by the Prussian Government in works of regulation, partly to keep open a navigable channel, partly to protect the fertile delta region from inundation. The river is navigable for large river craft to the Austrian boundary. and for smaller vessels to Cracow. The traffic in grain, lumber, and other products is considerable, but navigation is rendered very difficult by con stantly and rapidly shifting sandbanks. The chief cities on the Vistula are Cracow, Warsaw, and Danzig. Its chief tributaries are the San, the Bug, and the Pilica. A canal connects the river with the Oder.