A R A A R A 305 bishopric, aiid Hucsca, Tarazona, Barbastro, Jaca, Teruel, and Albarracin are episcopal sees. In 1867 there were 2257 priests in the kingdom. Previous to the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the political constitution of Aragon was the most liberal in Europe. Formally monarchical, its genius and maxims
- vere purely republican. The kings, who were long elec
tive, retained only the shadow of power ; while the real exercise of it was in the hands of the Cortes, an assembly consisting of the nobility, the equestrian order, the repre sentatives of the cities and towns, and the clergy. No law could pass without the assent of every member who had a right to vote. Without the permission of the Cortes, no tax could be imposed, war could not be declared, nor peace concluded. Besides these, and other extraordinary privileges enjoyed by the Cortes, the Aragonese possessed another safeguard against despotic power in the election of a Justicia, or supreme judge, who acted as the guardian of the people, and the controller of the prince. He was the supreme interpreter of the laws, and was accountable to the Cortes alone for the manner in which he discharged fhe duties of his office. See Robertson s History of Charles V. vol. i. 3. The history of Aragon before its union with Castile by the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella, when it was merged in the kingdom of Spain, will be found in the general history of that country. It had, before this epoch, a suc cession of twenty sovereigns, from the year 1035 to 1516. See Zurita, Annales de Aragon; Viaje de Ponz; Geografia cle Don Isidore de Antillon; Historia de la Economia Politico, de Aragon, por Don. Ignacio de Asso. ARAGONA, a town in Sicily, 7 miles N.N.W. of Girgenti. It has an old castle with a fine collection of paintings and antiquities. Almonds are largely grown in the neighbourhood; and not far off is the famous mud volcano of Maccaluba. Population, 11,424. ARAGUAYA, or ARAGUIA, a river of Brazil which rises in the Sierra Sciada, and flows north between the provinces of Matto Grosso and Goyaz till it joins the Tocan- tins at San Joao das duas Barras, about lat. 6 S. It divides into two branches in lat. 18 30 , and unites again about lat. 9 30 , thus forming the large island of Santa Anna or Bannanal. The eastern branch, called the Furo, is the one principally navigated. The most important tri butaries are the Cristalino, the das Mortes, and the Caja, on the west, and the Claro, the Vermelho, the Cruxas, and the Chavantes, from the east. The whole course of the river is about 1000 miles, and it is navigable a long way up. ARAHAL, a town in Spain, 7 miles from Seville. Situated on the level summit of a hill, it enjoys a beautiful prospect. In the wars against the Moors, it assisted the mother-city of Moron, and received its civic independence in 1555 by charter from Charles V. Its church is of Gothic architecture. The country around produces wheat, barley, beans, pease, tares, and olives. Population about 9287. ARAKAN, a division of British Burmah, and within the jurisdiction of the chief commissioner of that province. It consists of a strip of country running along the eastern seaboard of the Bay of Bengal, from the Naf estuary, on the borders of Chittagong, to Cape Negrais. The division is situated between 16 2 and 21 33 N. lat., and between 92 10 and 94 50 E. long. It is bounded on the N. by the Bengal district of Chittagong; on the E. by the Yumadoung mountains, which separate it from indepen dent Burmah and the British district of Pegu ; and on the S. and W. by the Bay of Bengal. Length from northern extremity to Cape Negrais, about 400 miles; greatest breadth in the northern part, 90 miles, gradually diminish ing towards the south, as it is hemmed in by the Yuma doung mountains, until, in the extreme south, it tapers away to a narrow strip not more than 15 miles across. The coast is studded with islands, the most important of which are Chedubd, Ramrf, and Shahpurd. The division has its headquarters at Akyab and consists of four dis tricts namely, Akyab, Northern Ardkdu hill tracts, Ramri, and Sandoway. Total area estimated at 18,530 square miles, of which only 740 square miles Avere actually under cultivation in 1871-72. The population at the time of the British accession in 1826 did not exceed 100,000. In 1831 it amounted to 173,000; in 1839 to 248,000; and in 1871 to 461,136, or 24 9 souls per square mile. It consisted of 365,131 Buddhists, 53,289 Mahometans, 9029 Hindus, 33,337 aborigines, and 350 Christians total, 461,136. The principal rivers of Arakan are (1.) The Naf estuary, in the north, which forms the boundary between the division and Chittagong; (2.) the Myu river, an arm of the sea, and running a course almost parallel with the coast for about 50 miles ; (3.) the Koladyne river, rising near the Blue mountain, in the extreme north-east, and falling into the Bay of Bengal a few miles south of the Myu river, is navigable by vessels of from 300 to 400 tons burden for a distance of 40 miles inland ; and (4.) the Lemyu river, a considerable stream falling into the bay a few miles south of the Koladyne. Further to the south, owing to the nearness of the range which, bounds Arakan on the east, the rivers are of but little importance. These are the Talak and the Aeng, navigable by boats ; and the Sandoway, the Toungoop, and the Gwa streams, the latter of which alone has any import ance, owing to its mouth forming a good port of call or haven for vessels of from 9 to 10 feet draught. There are several passes over the Yumadoung mountains, the easiest being that called the Aeng route, leading from the village of that name into independent Burmah. The staple crop of the province is rice, along with cotton, tobacco, sugar, hemp, and indigo. The forests produce abundance of excellent oak and teak timber. During 1871-72 the sea-borne trade of Arakan amounted to 1,345,417, the exports of rice alone being returned at 105,894. The three maritime ports of the division are Akyab, Kyoukphoo, and Sandoway; and since June 1871 steam communication has been kept up once a fortnight between all these ports and Calcutta, except in the south west monsoon, when communication is maintained with Kyoukphoo only. The revenue of Ardkdn Division in 1871-72 amounted to 199,756, of which 37 -29 per cent, or 74,490, was derived from the land revenue. Through out the whole division there "were only two Government and three other schools in 1870-71, attended by 251 pupils. The police force, for the protection of person and property, consisted of a total of 115 of all ranks, the proportion being one man to every 15 square miles, or one to every 385 of the population. The only town in the division with a popu lation exceeding 5000 souls is Akyab, which has 15,281 inhabitants. . , The natives of Arakan trace their history as far back as 701 A. p., and give a lineal succession of 120 native princes down to modem times. According to them, their empire had at one period far wider limits, and extended over Ava, part of China, and a portion of Bengal. This extension of their empire is not, however, corro borated by known facts in history. At different times the Mug] mis and Pcgus carried their arms into the heart of the country. The Portuguese, during the era of their greatness in Asia, gained a temporaiy establishment in Arakan ; but in 1783 the province was finally conquered by the Burmese, from which period until its cession to the British in 1826, under the treaty of Yandaboo, its history forms part of that of Burmah. The old city of Arakan, formerly the capital of the province, is situated on an inferior branch of the Koladyne river. Its remoteness from the ports and harbours of the country, combined with the extreme unliealthiness of its situation, have led to its gradual decay subsequently to the fonnatioa
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