SICILY. 13<3 SICILY. of mineral springs. The sulphur springs were famous in ancient times. Clim.te. The climate is typically Mediter- ranean in character. The temperature is mod- erate and very seldom falls below the freezing point. The island, however, is visited by the sirocco, with its intolerable dry heat. Some of the lower sections are subject to malaria, but the climate is on the whole salubrious. The summers are almost rainless, and the aridity is aggravated by the fact that the interior is al- most entirely deforested, so that there is noth- ing to retain the moisture from the winter and spring rains. Geologically the moimtain ranges consist of a core of granite and gneiss, which is exposed in the northeastern range. The western and southern parts of the island are over- laid with later stratified rocks, and the southern plateau is mainly Tertiary. Basaltic and other volcanic intrusions occur over large areas, espe- cially in the southeastern range, and the immense sulpiiur deposits as well as the active crater of Mount Etna are further evidences of the volcanic nature of the island. INDU.STEIES. The chief mineral wealth is sul- phur, of which Sicily is the principal source of the world's supply. The output has greatly in- creased since the formation of the Anglo-Italian syndicate in ISOG. the export of sulphur for 1899 exceeding 400.000 tons, valued at nearly $8,- 400,000. Other minerals are rock salt and a.sphalt. Agriculture is still the main industry, although the island no longer deserves the name of the 'granary of Italy, ' as its present output of cereals is barely sufficient to meet the domestic demands. The growing of cereals is confined al- most exclusively to the larger estates, which are found mostly in the interior and along the southern coast. In the smaller holdings the land is devoted principally to the cultivation of the vine, almonds, olives, oranges, lemons, beans, sumach, etc. Agricultural methods are of the most primitive kind. The fisheries (tunny, sardine, coral, and sponge) are extensive, the deep- sea fisheries alone giving emplovment to over 20,000 persons. The making of wine and olive oil, the canning of fruits and vegetables, and the preparation of citric acid are extensively carried on. There are also produced some glassware, metal-ware, matches, etc., in the larger cities. Sicily exports sulphur, fruits, and vegetables, sumach, salt, wine, oil. and fish, and imports mainly grain, coal, and iron. Almost the entire trade is sea-borne, and the nagivation of the three principal ports of Palermo, Messina, and Catania amounted, in 1901, to nearly .5,000.000 tons. The railway lines have a total length of about 1000 miles. AD1IIXI.STRATION. Sicilv forms, together with the I.ipari and .Egadian groups and a few other islands, a compartimento of the Kingdom of Italy, and is divided into the seven provinces of Mes- sina, Catania, Syracuse, Caltanissetta, Palermo, G;irgenti, and Trapani. The elementary schools of the island are still inadequate. Secondary education is better provided for, and there are universities at Palermo. Jlessina. and Catania. The population was 2,927,901 in 1881, and 3,.529,- 266 in 1901. Palermo is the capital. Emigra- tion is constantly increasing. The number of emigrants in 1901 was nearly ,37.000, of whom over 13.000 were temporary. The condition of large numbers of the laboring class, especially those engaged in the sulpiiur industry, is deplora- ble. The secret organization known as the JNlafia I (j.v. ) frequently interferes with the execution of the law. History. Sicily was inhabited at the dawn of history by a people who bore the name of sSicuH or Siciini, and who, according to tradition, crossed over into the island from the southern ex- tremity of the mainland. They were members of the great Latino-Italian family. The recordeil liis- tory of Sicily only begins with the establisliment of Greek and Phoenician colonies. The earliest Greek colony, that of Xaxos, was founded B.c, 735 ; the latest, that of Agrigentum, about B.C. 580. During the intervening century and a half, numerous important colonies were established, in- cluding Syracuse, Leontini, Catana, Megara Hy- blica, Gela, Zancle (the later Messana) , Acr;e, Hi- mera, Mylae, Casmena Selinus, and Camarina. We read that these cities attained great coninier- cial prosperity, and that their governments were at first oligarchies, and latterly democracies or "tyrannies;' but it is not till the ])eriod of the 'despots' that we have detailed accounts. Agrigeiituni and C4ela early acquired promi- nence — the former, under the rule of Phalaris (q.v. ), becoming, for a short time, probably the most powerful State in Sicily, and the lat- ter, under a succession of able tyrants, Clean- der, Hippocrates, and Gelon (q.v.), forcing into subjection most of the other Greek cities. Gelon, however, transferred his government to Syracuse (one of his conquests), which now became the principal Greek city of Sicily — a dignity it ever after retained throughout ancient times. Meanwhile, the Carthaginians had ob- tained possession of the Phoenician settlements in Sicily. The first appearance of the Cartha- ginians in the island dates from B.C. 536 ; but the steady growth of the Greek cities in wealth and power long confined their rivals to the north- western part, where their principal colonies were Panormns. Motya. and Solois. The first ojjen trial of strength took place in the great battle of Hi- mera in B.C. 480, where the Carthaginian army was utterly routed by Gelon, and its leader. Ham- ilcar, slain. The Gelonian dynasty at Syracuse fell in B.C. 466, after experiencing various for- tunes. During the next fifty years Sicily had peace. In B.C. 410. however, the war between the Carthaginians and Greeks for the possession of the island was renewed. The successes of the former were great and permanent. Selinus. Hime- ra, Agrigentum, Gela, and Camarina, fell into , their hands in less than five years: and it was not till Syracuse had a new 'tyrant,' the famous Dionysius the Elder (q.v.), that fortune began to cliange. Even he, however, could not wrest from the Carthaginians what they had already won ; and after the war of B.C. 383 a peace was con- cluded which left Dionysius in possession of the eastern and the Carthaginians of the western half of the island. Timoleon won a splendid victory over the Carthaginian generals. Hasdru- bal and Hamilcar, at the river Crimisus. about B.C. 340. Once more Greek influence was in the ascendent, but the rule of the bold and am- bitious tyrant Agathocles (b.c. 317-289) proved in the main disastrous to Greek supremacy. .fter his death Syracuse lost her hold over many of the Greek cities, which established a weak and perilous independence, that only rendered the preponderance of the Carthaginians more certain.
