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BASEL (Fr. Bale)

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Originally appearing in Volume V03, Page 462 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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BASEL (Fr. See also:Bale) , one of the most northerly of the Swiss cantons, and the, only one (See also:save See also:Schaffhausen) that includes any See also:Jura, and is watered by the Birs and the Ergolz, both tributaries (See also:left) of the See also:Rhine. It is traversed by See also:railways from Basel to Olten (25 m.) and to Laufen (14i m.), besides See also:local lines from Basel to Fluhen (8 m.) for the frequented See also:pilgrimage resort of Mariastein, and from See also:Liestal to See also:Waldenburg (84 m.); From 1803 to 1814 the See also:canton was one of the six "Directorial Directorof the See also:Confederation. Since 1833 it has been divided into two See also:half cantons, with See also:independent constitutions. One is that of Basel Stadt or Bale Ville, including, besides the See also:city of Basel, the three rural districts (all . to the See also:north of the Rhine) of Riehen, Betting= and See also:Klein I-ltiningen (the latter now See also:united to the city). The See also:total See also:area of this half canton is 53.7 sq. m. only, of which 11 sq. m. are classed as " productive," forests occupying 1.5 sq. m., but its total See also:population in 1900 was 112,227 (of whom 3066 inhabited the ruralLdistricts), mainly See also:German-speaking, and numbering 73,063 Protestants, 37,10t Romanists (including the Old Catholics), and 1897 See also:Jews. The cantonal constitution See also:dates from 1889. The executive of seven members and the legislature (Grossrat) of 13o members, as well as the one member sent to the Federal Standerat and the six sent to the Federal Nationalrat, are all elected by a, See also:direct popular See also:vote for the See also:term of three years. Since 1875, 1000 citizens can claim a popular vote (facultative See also:Referendum) on all bills, or can exercise the right of initiative whether as to See also:laws or the revision of the cantonal constitution. The other half canton is that of Basel Landschaft or Bale Campagne, which is divided into four administrative districts and comprises seventy-four communes, its See also:capital being Liestal. Its total area is 165 sq. m., of which all but 5 sq.. m, is reckoned " productive " (including 55.9 sq. m. of forests). In 1900 its total population was 68,497, nearly all German-speaking, while there were 52,763 Protestants, 15,564 Romanists, and 130 Jews.

The cantonal constitution dates from 1892, The executive of 5 members and the legislature or Landrat (one member per, Soo inhabitants or fraction over 400), as well as the single member sent to the Federal Standerat and the three sent to the Federal Nationalrat, are all elected by a direct popular vote for three years. The " obligatory Referendum "obtains in the See also:

case of all laws, while 1500 citizens have the right of " initiative " whether as to laws or the revision of the cantonal constitution. See also:Silk ribbon See also:weaving, textile See also:industries and the manufacture of tiles are carried on. (W. A. B.

End of Article: BASEL (Fr. Bale)

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