ERITREA. 187 ERLACH. ern part of the Abyssinian highlands (Map: Africa, 11 3). The coast is about 500 miles long. The colonial territory includes the islands Masso- wah, Dahlak, and Hauakil in the Red .Sua. The total area is approximately 1)5,000 square miles. Generally speaking, Eritrea consists, lirst, of the narrow coast territory, which is of chalk forma- tion; next, a 'subalpine' region with an average elevation of about 3000 feet; and then a plateau 7000 feet high, broken by arid valleys. These highlands are the most healthful and inhabitable section of the country and the most susceptible of cultivation, while the sea region is altogether arid and ill capable of supporting life, whether fauna or flora. In this latter district the only rains are in winter. The climate of Eritrea is equatorial, the average annual temperature at Massowah being nearly 90 Fahr. The exports embrace precious metals, animal products, moth- er-of-pearl, pearls, and hides. The imports in- clude cotton goods, durrah, cattle, wood, wine, and Hour. The total value of the imports and exports at Massowah in 1900 was about $2,220,- 000, over three-fourths of which was imported. There is a considerable transit trade with Abys- sinia and Sudan. There entered and cleared, in 1809, 5900 vessels, registering 226,274 tons. The only railroad is 15 miles long, connecting Saati with Massowah, and was constructed for military purposes. It is being extended to As- mara. There are several hundred miles of tele- graph lines. The seat of colonial government is at Asmara. The chief town is Massowah (q.v. ) with its busy harbor, the real business centre of the colony and the natural port for Abyssinia. The colony has been expensive to the mother country, demanding annually about $1,- 500,000 from the national budget. A special army corps of about 0500 men. mostly natives, is stationed here. The population in 1899 was 327,- 502 natives and 2014 foreigners. The natives are of the Arab race and for the greater part no- madic. The Afar or Danakil tribes inhabit the southern part. History. Italy obtained a footing in the dis- trict of Assab Bay in 1S81, and in the next year formed a colony there. In 1885 it occupied the ports of Bailul and Massowah and their con- tiguous districts, and declared its protectorate over the coast from Ras Kasar to Beheta Bay. A contest with Abyssinia arose in consequence, and the Italian troops were finally forced back upon Massowah in 1887. In 1SSS and 1889, how- ever, the Italians regained their position and ex- tended their dominion. After the Italians had with difficulty become possessed of Tigre. and other sections, their army was disastrously de- feated east of Adowa, on March 1. 1896, by the Abyssinians, to whom was surrendered as a re- sult, under the treaty of October 26. 1896. all the region south of the Mareb. Belesa. and Muna rivers. In 1897 Kassala was given up to the Anglo-Egyptians. ERIVAN, er'I-van' (Pers. Revan). A forti- 8ed city of Russian Armenia, capital of the Transcaucasian Government of Erivan (q.v.), situated at an elevation of over 3000 feet on the Sanga, an affluent of the Aras, 172 miles south-southwest of Tifris. It is divided into several parts, and is commanded bv a fortress sit- uated on a hill (Map: Russia, F 6). The sur- rounding country has numerous gardens, but it Vol. VII.— 13. is extremely unhealthful in the summer. Eri- van contains a number of mosques and an Arme- nian theological seminary. Leather, pottery, and cotton good-, are the chief manufactures. The town is an important military station on account "i its position near the frontier. I nder the rule of the Persians and the Turks, to whom the city belonged alternately. Krivan was ol great mili- tary importance, and was strongly fortified. It was attacked during the Russo-Persian War by the Russians under General Paskevitch (hence his surname Erivanski), and by the Peace of Turkmantehai ( February 22, 1828) was formally ceded to Russia. Population, about 29,000. ERIVAN. A government in the southern part of Transcaucasia, Russia, bordering on Persia and Asiatic Turkey on the south and covering an area of somewhat over 10,000 square miles (.Map: Russia, F 6). It is a moun- tainous country, traversed by chains belonging to the Little Caucasus system. There are also iso- lated peaks, among which Alaghez and Ararat (on the border) are the highest. The government be- longs chiefly to the basin of the Aras, which forms the boundary line between Russia and Persia. The largest lake of Caucasia, Goktcha, is situated in the Government of Erivan. The climate varies with the elevation of the surface, but i-> on the whole unpleasant. The forest area is very lim- ited, and salt is practically the only mineral exploited. The lower portions of the country and especially the river valleys are devoted to agri- culture, while in the mountainous regions live- stock breeding is the chief pursuit. Besides ce- reals there are raised large quantities of southern fruit and some cotton. Lake Goktcha has ex- tensive fisheries. The trade is important and carried on mostly by Armenians and Tatars. Population, in 1897, 804,800, consisting princi- pally of Armenians and Tatars, but including also Kurds, Russians, Greeks, and Jews. Capital, Erivan (q.v.). ERK, erk, Lvdwig Christian (1807-83). A German musician. He was born at YVetzlar and was a pupil of A. Andre at Offenbach. He was appointed conductor of liturgical singing in the Domkirehe at Berlin, and founded the Erk Man- nergesangverein in 1843, and the Erk Gesang- verein in 1852. As a teacher he trained many excellent singers, and as a conductor he greatly increased the appreciation of good music among the masses. His popular song books for schools include the following: Bingvogelein (1896); Liederkrane (1839 et seq.) ; Deutscher Lieder- schatz (5th ed. 1893) ; and Turnerliederbuch. His valuable library and many of his unpub- lished manuscripts were acquired by the Konig- liehe Hochschule fin- Musik at Berlin. A large number of these manuscripts, containing hun- dreds of liturgical and folk-songs, consisting of original compositions and historical collections, were subsequently published by Magnus Bohme. ERLACH, ar'lak', Ger. pron. erliio. A well- known Swiss family, distinguished in the history of Bern. Walter vox Erlach took his name from the village of Erlach near the lake of Brienz. He lived in the twelfth century. — Ru- dolph vox Erlach ( ?-1360) fought in the bat- tle of Laupen (1339). An equestrian statue of him stands in the city of Bern. One of his de- scendants played a distinguished part in the Thirty Years' War as a commander on the Pro-
