Galatz, Or Galaez, a town of Roumania, in Moldavia, on the left bank of the Danube, between the mouths of the Sereth and Pruth, 120 m. S. by E. of Jassy; pop. nearly 80,000, including many Greeks and Jews, some Armenians, and a vast multitude of foreign residents of almost all European nationalities. The old part of the town consists of filthy and narrow streets, but the new part contains good stone houses, and has a more pleasant appearance. The quay is used as the principal street, and there are extensive warehouses, granaries, and ship yards, and a large bazaar. The new Roman Catholic and several of the Greek churches are large edifices, and there are several educational institutions, a hospital, and an excellent quarantine building. Galatz is a free port, and one of the most important emporiums of the Danube. The opening- of that river to all nations by the terms .of the treaty of Paris of 1856 produced a great influx of merchants and traders, and the population, which had increased from 8,000 in 1835 to 50,000, growing chiefly during the Crimean war, rapidly rose to 70,000, but has of late increased more slowly, owing to the partial diversion of the trade by railways to other points.

About half of the trade by sailing vessels is carried on under the Greek flag, though the English and Italian merchants have become great rivals of the Greeks. The Sulina mouth of the Danube forms the outer harbor for the accommodation of large ships, and the port of Galatz proper is accessible to craft of 800 tons. The exports of 1871 included nearly 400,000 quarters of wheat and about 500,000 of maize, besides flour and other cereals. Deal hoards and timber are exported in great quantities, and tallow, wool, and hides to some extent. One third of the imports are from England, and the total value of imports (including those of Braila), chiefly manufactured and colonial goods and metals, is about £3,000,000. The average annual number of ships clearing for the Black sea is 1,150. Railways running respectively through Braila and Roman connect Galatz with Bucharest and Czernowitz. The Russians took the town in May, 1789, and the Turks gained a victory here in August of the same year. Between 1848 and 1856 Galatz was on several occasions occupied by

Galatz.

Turkish, Russian, and Austrian troops.