STAVROPOL  , a

town of southern Russia, capital of the govern- ment of the same name, situated on a plateau 2030 ft. above the sea, on the northern slope of the Caucasus, 200 M . N.W. of Vladikavkaz . It is connected by rail (247 m.) with Rostov- on-the-Don . Although founded only in 1776, it has grown rapidly, and had in 1885 a population of 35,561, and of 46,965 in 1900 . Stavropol is an episcopal see of the Orthodox Greek The climate is marked by rapid changes of temperature . The i Church, and one of the best-built provincial towns of the Russian Empire, having wide streets, and houses mostly of stone, with large gardens surrounding the houses . There are public libraries, a people's palace and several scientific societies . Stavropol has flour-mills and various small factories . Large numbers of cattle are sent to Moscow and St Petersburg, while cereals, tallow and sheepskins are exported to Russia, and manufactured wares imported . Armenian, Georgian and Persian merchants carry on a lively trade in local wares .