FUNCHAL  , the

capital of the Portuguese archipelago of the Madeiras; on the south coast of Madeira, in 32° 37' N. and 16° 54' W . Pop . (1900) 20,850 . Funchal is the see of a bishop, in the archiepiscopal province of Lisbon; it is also the administrative centre of the archipelago, and the residence of the governor and foreign consuls . The city has an attractive appearance from the sea . Its whitewashed houses, in their gardens full of tropical plants, are built along the curving shore of Funchal Bay, and on the lower slopes of.an amphitheatre of mountains, which form a background 4000 ft. high . Numerous country houses (quintas), with terraced gardens, vineyards and FUNCTION 301 sugar-cane plantations occupy the surrounding heights . Three mountain streams traverse the city through deep channels, which in summer are dry, owing to the diversion of the water for irrigation . A small fort, on an isolated rock off shore, guards the entrance to the bay, and a larger and more powerfully armed fort crowns an eminence inland . The chief buildings include the cathedral, Anglican and Presbyterian churches, hospitals, opera-house, museum and casino . There are small public gardens and a meteorological observatory . In the steep and narrow streets, which are lighted by electricity, wheeled traffic is impossible; sledges drawn by oxen, and other primitive conveyances are used instead (see MADEIRA) .

In

winter the fine climate and scenery attract numerous invalids and other visitors, for whose accommodation there are good hotels; many foreigners engaged in the coal and wine trades also reside here permanently . The majority of these belong to the British community, which was first established here in the 18th century . Funchal is the headquarters of Madeiran industry and commerce (see MADEIRA) . It has no docks and no facilities for landing passengers or goods; vessels are obliged to anchor in the roadstead, which, however, is sheltered from every wind except the south . Funchal is connected by cable with Carcavellos (for Lisbon), Porthcurnow (for Falmouth, England) and St Vincent in the Cape Verde Islands (for Pernambuco, Brazil) .