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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1874 Excerpt:...of Brest 500 vessels could safely anchor. Belle Isle, in the bay of Biscay, with rocky cliffs but a fertile interior, was taken by a British force in 1761, and held till 1763. Its population is about 10,000. Noirmoutiers, a little S. of the mouth of the Loire, is rich and fertile, with salt marshes, and about 8,000 inhabitants. Dieu, Hi, and Oleron are the largest islands near this coast. R6 is a good fishing station, and produces much wine. From the mouth of the Loire to that of the Garonne, the surface is flat; the remaining coast of the bay of Biscay to the Spanish frontier is very tame. The coast of the Mediterranean is formed of two curves. Here are the Lerins, two isles well fortified, and Hikes, with a town of this name as capital, which is an active little port. Manufactures.--The general character of French manufactures is, that they are more for luxury than use, exhibiting great variety, combined with delicate manipulation and exquisite taste. Linen has its chief seats at Lille, Rouen, and St. Quentin (table linens). Cotton is manufactured at Rouen. Woollens are made in many places--Amiens etc. Silk is raised in many of the S. E. departments, and manufactured at Lyons and many of the neighbouring towns. Indeed the quantity produced in the country is quite insufficient, and raw silk is imported from Italy, Turkey, and other places. The Lace of Valenciennes, the Porcelain of Sevres, the Jewellery of Paris, the Gloves of Grenoble, are all of unrivalled excellence. Surgical and Astronomical Instruments are extensively made at Paris. Agriculture.--In addition to the ordinary crops of cereals, which are produced all over the country, the products of France, according to climate and productions, may be arranged in three divisions. (1) In the North, the c...