government regions () headed by a president (). Initially, two such regions were planned (Regierungsbezirk Stettin, comprising Western Pomerania, and Regierungsbezirk Köslin, comprising Farther Pomerania). Hardenberg however, who as the Prussian chief diplomat had settled the terms of session of Swedish Pomerania with Sweden at the Congress of Vienna, had assured to leave the local constitution in place when the treaty was signed on 7 June 1815. This circumstance led to a creation of a third government region, Regierungsbezirk Stralsund, for the former Swedish Pomerania at the expense of the Stettin region. In early 1818, Governor Johann August Sack had reformed the county () shapes, yet adopted the former shape in most cases. Köslin government region comprised nine counties, Stettin government region thirteen, and Stralsund government region four (identical with the former Swedish (districts)). The new parliament () assembled first on October 3, 1824. Based on two laws of June 5 and July, 1823, the was constituted by 25 lords and knights, 16 representatives of the towns, and eight from the rural communities. Subordinate to the provincial were two assemblies, one for former Swedish Pomerania (Western Pomerania north of the Peene River) and one for the former Prussian part. The counties each assembled a , where the knights of the county had one vote each and towns also just one vote. Throughout its existence, the province was a stronghold of the Conservative Parties. Infrastructure In the 19th century, the first overland routes () and railways were introduced in Pomerania. In 1848, 126.8 Prussian miles of new streets had been built. On October 12, 1840, construction of the Berlin-Stettin railway began, which was finished on 15 August 1843. Other railways followed: Stettin–Köslin (1859), Angermünde–Stralsund and Züssow–Wolgast (1863), Stettin–Stolp (1869), and a connection with Danzig (1870). In rural areas, many narrow-gauge railways were built for faster transport of crops. The first gas, water, and power plants were built. Streets and canalisation of the towns were modernized. The construction of narrow-gauge railways was enhanced by a special decree of July 28, 1892, implementing Prussian financial aid programs. In 1900, the total of narrow-gauge railways had passed the threshold. From 1910 to 1912, most of the province was supplied with electricity as the main lines were built. Plants were built since 1898. The Świna and lower Oder rivers, the major water route to Stettin, were deepened to five meters and shortened by a canal