The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

RUSSIA.

MOSCOW, August 11. The commission consisting of the deputies, who are arrived here from different provinces of the Empire, charged with the composition of a new code of Laws, made yesterday a solemn opening of their sessions, in the presence of the Empress, in the great saloon of the castle named the Kremlin: after her Majesty, accompanied by the grand duke, and followed by the whole court, together with the said deputies, had assisted at the divine service and Te Deum in the cathedral church.

MOSCOW: The ancient capital of the Russian empire, and the residence of the Czars, is situated in the circle of its own name, 1414 miles N. E. of London. It stands in a pleasant plain, on the bank of the river Moskva from which it is named. It has 1600 churches, in one of which was a bell of 443,772 pounds weight, but the beam on which it hung being burned; it fell, & a large piece was broke out of it. The city is divided into four circles, one within another: the interior circle or the Kremlin, which signifies a fortress; contains the Imperial palace, & a number of other remarkable buildings, the spires of churches are either gilt or covered with silver. The tombs of the Czars are also in this circle. From the above circle you pass over a handsome stone bridge into the second which is called Kitaigorod or the Chinee town. From this circle, the whole empire is supplied with medicines, here are also the Exchange, in which there are 6000 handsome shops, the custom-house, mint, etc. &c. The third circle surrounds the two former, and is named Belgorod or the white town, this circle is mostly occupied by mean houses. The fourth circle called Zemlyanoigorod, that is a town surrounded with ramparts of earth encloses the three preceding circles, it had formerly 26 gates, but at present only two are standing. It contains the Arsenal observatory, a cloth manufactory, etc. &c. The suburbs are of great extent, and make a better appearance than the city. In 1737, there was a fire which consumed 30,000 houses in 18 hours time. The number of inhabitants is very great, and among them such a crowd of beggars and vagabonds, that there is no going out in the night without a guard.