and, after defeating the troops and the peasants,
who opposed them in several battles, they abol-
ished the constitutions of the principal cantons,
erected what was termed the Helvetic Republic,
and vested the government in two councils and
a directory. This constitution was abolished,
in 1302, by the first consul of France, and another
was presented for their acceptance, but rejected ;
he offered them a new one in 1503, which they
consented to accept. In December, 1813, the al-
lied armies traversed the country, for tbe pur-
pose of invading France, when some partial
changes again took place in the administration
of Switzerland, which was the cause of violent
commotions amongst several of the cantons ; but,
in 1814, on the meeting of the diet, these disturb-
ances were appeased, and on the 8th of Septem-
ber a federal compact was signed at Zurich. The
population of Switzerland in 1827 was 2,037,030.
The revenue is about 2,500,000 dollars. The
army amounts to 15,000 men.

Switzerland, a county of Indiana. Pop. 7,111.
Vevay is the capital.

Sicobestown, p.v. Lancaster Co. Pa.

St/a, a town of Sweden, in W. Gothland, 13 m.
S. W. of Lindkoping.

Sycamore, a township of Hamilton Co. Ohio.
Pop. 2,779. A township of Crawford Co. Ohio.

Sydney Bay, a bay on the S. side of Norfolk Isl-
and, in the S. Pacific, formed by Point Hunter
and Point Ross, which are nearly 2 m. asunder.
Long. 168. 12. E., lat. 29. 4. S.

Sydney, a town of New S. Wales, founded by
governor Phillips, on a cove of Port Jackson, in
1783, as a British settlement for the colony of eon-
victr originally intended for Botany Bay. It is
now he principal seat of the government, and has
a handsome church, an orphan school, a commodi-
ous gaol, a military hospital, a naval yard, a good
market, Ain. The governor’s house is buil't of
stone, and has a very good appearance ; the lieu-
tenant-governor’s is of brick as are also those be-
longing to the judge and the commissary. The
generality of the houses are built of logs and plas-
tered, and all the roofs are covered either with
shingles or thatch. It is situate on the S. side
of the harbour of Port Jackson. Long. 151 23., E,
lat. 33.48. S.

Syene, or Asuan, a town of Egypt, with a small
fort, on the right bank of the Nile. It was an-
ciently a city, and celebrated for the first attempt
to ascertain the circumference of the earth by

Eratosthenes, a native of Cyrene, about the year
275 B. C. The remains of the ancient town axe
on an eminence to the S. w here columns and ptl
lars of granite scattered here and there denote its
situation. Near it on a small island in the Nile
anciently called Elephantina, are the ruins of a
temple of Cnuphis. 400 m. S. of Cairo. Long.

33. 20. E., lat. 24. 0. N.

Sylt, an island of Denmark, on the.W. coast of
Jutland, of an irregular form, about 40 m. in cir-
cumference, but in no part above 2 m. from the
sea. Great quantities of oysters are found here.
The chief town is Morsum. Long. 8. 26. E., lat

54. 57. N.

Sylvania, p.v. Bradford Co. Pa.

Sylves, a town of Portugal, in Algarva, situate
on a river of the same name, 15 m. E. N. E. of
Lagos and 42 W. of Tavira.

Symmes, townships in Lawrence and Hamilton
Cos. Ohio.

Sympheropol, the capital of the Crimea, or Rus-
sian province of Taurida. The houses are built
of stone, and roofed in the ancient Greek style,
with tiles. There are likewise numerous modem
handsome buildings, for the residence of the gov-
ernor, judges, ana other civil officers. The old
Tartar part of the town, called Achmelshet, is
dirty and ill built. The environs are beautiful;
and 2 m. to the E. of the city is the mountain ~
Tchatirdagh, the highest in the Crimea, and the
Mons, Berosus of the ancients. Sympheropol is
situate on the Salgir, the principal river of the
province, 65 m. VV. by S. of Caffa, and 90 S. by
E. of Precob. Long. 34. 0. E., lat. 44. 52. N.

Syracuse, a sea-port of Sicily, in Val di Noto
and a bishop’s see, with a fine harbour, defended
by a castle. It was once the metropolis of all
Sicily ; war, tyranny, and earthquakes have reduc-
ed it to less than one-fourth of its former size, when
it was deemed one of the most famous cities in
the world, and 22 m. in compass. Near this place
in 1718, there was a sea-fight between the Span-
iards and English, in which the latter were victo-
rious. It is seated near the sea, 72. m. S. by W. of
Messina and 110 S. E. of Palermo. Long. 15. 10.
E., lat. 37.5. N.

Syracuse, p.v. Onondaga Co. N. Y. 155 m. W.
Albany, on the Erie Canal, at the point where a
branch strikes off to Lake Ontario along Oswego
river. Great quantities of salt are manufactured
here from the water ofa spring, a mile and a half
from the town. The water is brought from the
spring by aqueducts and is evaporated in the
sun. The vats cover 160 acres.

Syria, or Suristan, a province of Turkey in Asia,
bounded on the N. by Natolia and Diarbeck, E.
by the latter and the deserts of Arabia, S. by Arabia
Petrasa, and W. by the Mediterranean. Under
the general name of Syria was included the an-
cient Phoenicia, lying S. of Syria Proper. This
province abounds in oil, corn, and several sorts of
fruits, as well as peas, beans, and all kinds of
pulse and garden-stuff; but it would produce
much more than it does, if it were well cultivate i;
for there are the finest valleys in the world, be-
tween mountains whose sides are proper for the
cultivation of tobacco, olives, and vines. The
Jerboa, a pretty little animal somewhat like a
mouse is common here. The inhabitants have
a trade in silk, camlets, and salt. Syria was pos
sessed by a succession of foreign nations, before
the time of Ptolemy, when it became a province
of the Roman empire. Five renturies after, when
the sons oF Theodosius divided their immense