BABY STATES

Evening Star, Issue 22514, 5 December 1936, Page 6

BABY STATES

FOUR EUROPEAN FOUNDLINGS Did you know that there are in Europe to-day four baby realms, two republican, and two monarchial, whose acreage added together is less than that of Huntingdonshire? (writes K. O. Fearson in an overseas exchange). Oldest of all the secular States in Europe is the little republic of San Marino, which sits on the Adriatic slopes of the Italian Appenniues. Its 38 square miles of. territory, enclosed within a frontier of 24 miles, supports a population of 14,000 sturdy, independent, and intensely proud people. Early in the fourth century a Dalmatian stonemason named Marinus helped to rebuild the fair city of Rimini, an important port on the Adriatic Sea. Whilst working there . Marinus came under the, displeasure of Diocletian, and to escape the persecution as A Christian fled to the summit of Mount Titano, a precipitous crag 2,437 ft high, about 15 miles inland. There Marinus lived the life of a hermit, gradually collecting round him a small Christian community, which grew by degrees into one of the small free States characteristic of medieval Italy, taking the name of San Marino after its founder, who had by then been canonised. In 1739 Cardinal Aberoni, Papal Legate, sought to annex Sim Marino to the Papal States, but failed to persuade the Pope to hack his venture. In later times Napoleon by some caprice left its freedom and constitution untouched.

Perhaps San Marino’s most exciting moment was in 1849, when Garibaldi, harried and nearly surrounded by Austrian troops, crossed the border with the remnant of his followers and gave up his arms. Whilst the Sanmannisi were negotiating witli the Austrian Gommander-in-Chief. Garibaldi, with his wife and about 160 followers, slipped out of th® country to the seaport of Cesentaico. It was touch and go whether San Marino would be invaded and annexed by Austria for letting Garibaldi escape. The State is ruled by a “ Prince and Sovereign Council ” of 60 members; 20 patricians, 20 townsfolk, and 20 country folk.

Another republican State of tiny dimensions—though by far the largest of these little independent kingdoms—is Andorra, whose 175 square miles of territory has a pastoral population of only 5,000 souls, all of these Catalans by race and speech. On the summit of the Pyrenees, about 60 miles from the Mediterranean, none of its rocky valleys lie heloAv 3,000 ft.

How Andorra got her independent status is an interesting story. Charlemagne, after a successful war with the Moors, sent his son Louis the Debonair into Catalonia to remove finally the Moorish threat to Provence. A great victory for tho Christians was won at the spot where now stands Andorra-la-villa, the capital of the republic. Louis

was struck by the wildness of the valley, and called the place by the Biblical name Endor which later lengthened into Andorra. It is possible that Andorra has kept her freedom owing to the fact that she has two.official protectors or overlords, the President of France and the Bishop of Urgel in Spain, both of whom guarantee her independence and are represented in her ’civil government, which is in the hands of 24 members, presided over by the Syndic, the most important man in the republic. An annual tribute of 960 francs is . paid to France, and 460 pesetas to the bishop. Stamps were first issued in 1929. The cultivation of tobacco forms the main wealth of the country. • Smuggling is general and looked upon as an honest national industry. • ■ ■ Four square miles comprise the whole of the Principality of Monaco, whose independence was won in 1489. In 1512 it had its first-coinage. The present Prince of Monaco is a direct descendant of Hpnore 11., who first assumed the title ‘‘ Prince _ Seigneur de Monaco.” For 600 years little Monaco has led an eventful life, envious eyes have been-cast on her, and once she became part of .the Alpes-Maritimes-of France—but, was restored to.freedom through the good offices' of Talleyrand. PAY NO TAXES. Originally Monaco included the towns of Mentone and Roquebrune, but these were ceded to France.in 1861. Any loss of revenue thus occasioned was amply made by the concession granted to M. Blanc, which established Monaco as the casino of the world. Inhabitants of Monaco may not enter the casino, and they pay no taxes. _ / Last of the four is Liechtenstein—a rare case of a country changing its name to that of its ruler. Originally it was two separate territories, the county of Vaduz and the lordship of Schellenberg. In 1699 Prince John Adam, of Liechtenstein, purchased Schellenberg from the then owner, who was pressea for money to pay his many creditors. In 1712 Prince John bought Vaduz also, and in 1719 thetwo countries were raised in an hereditary State of the Holy Roman Empire. The Principality of Liechtenstein covers 59 square miles. , , , Prince John 11., who ruled from 1808 to 1929, saw history made and remade all round his little kingdom. This is reflected in the coinage he struck, for in the early part of his reign he issued German “ Verienthalers ” ; later the coinage was in Austrian currency; and at the end of his reign, when the Austrian Empire had disappeared, the unit was the Swiss franc! The populdtion of Liechtenstein is about 12,000. Alone of all the German-speaking lands the little State has preserved its monarchy for the people are supremely attached to the descendants of the stranger who acquired their country by a payment of ready cash.