SEINE-ET-MARNE. 



SEINE-ET-MARNE. 



478 



The department is included in the basin of the Seine, which river 

 crosses it from east to west, forming a crescent, convex towards the 

 south, and passing by Bray, Hontereau, and Melun ; it is navigable 

 throughout. The Maine also crosses the department from east to 

 west, not far from the northern boundary; its channel is very winding, 

 and navigable throughout ; it passes La Fert<5-sous-Jouarre, Meaux, 

 and Lagny. The Yonne has a small put of its course in this depart- 

 ment, just above its junction with the Seine, which takes place on the 

 left bank of the latter river, at Hontereau : it is navigable in all that 

 part which belongs to the department. The Loing crosses the 

 southern boundary near Chdteau-Landon, and flows northward past 

 N'emours and Moret, into the Seine, which it joins on the left bank; it 

 is not navigable, except in those places where it forms part of the line of 

 the Loing CanaL The Suzein, the Bez, and the Lunain, feeders of the 

 Loing, have part of their course in this department. The Yores rises 

 in the department, and flows westward past Rosoy and Chalines into 

 the adjacent department of Seine-et-Oise, where it joins the Seine : it 

 receives the Yvron. The Essonne, another feeder of the Seine, just 

 touches the south-west border. The Maine receives the Petit Morin 

 and the Grand Morin on the left bank, and the Ouroq on the right 

 bank ; only a part of the course of these rivers belongs to this depart- 

 ment. The Ourcq and the Grand Morin are navigable; the former 

 throughout that part of its course which belongs to this department, 

 and the Utter from above Crecy. The Grand Morin receives the 

 Aubetin. In the central and eastern districts of the department are 

 a number of pools, in which vast numbers of fish are bred. 



There are two canals in the department, that of Loing, which 

 follows the valley of the Loing. and unites the Loire with the Seine ; 

 and that at Ourcq, which follows the valleys, first of the Ouroq and 

 then of the Marne, to the village of Annet, between Meaux and Lagny, 

 an<l then leaves the valley of the Marne to take another direction to 

 Paris. It opens a communication between the Ourcq and Paris, and 

 is especially designed to supply the capital with water. The total 

 inland navigation of the department amounts to about 225 miles. 



Common roadway accommodation is afforded by 10 state roads, 33 

 departmental, and 25 communal roads. The department is traversed 

 by the Paris-Strasbourg railway, which passes through Meaux and La 

 Kerte-sons-Jouarre by the Paris-Dijon line, which [mses Melon, 

 Fontainebleau, and Montereau ; and by the branch from Monterean to 

 Troyee. A line has been recently authorised to be laid down from 

 Paris across the department, through Rosoy and Provins to join the 

 Troyes line at Nogent^ur-Seme, just beyond the eastern border, in the 

 department of Aube. 



About two-third* of the surface of the department are under the 

 plough. The quantity of wheat grown is more than twice the average 

 quantity produced in the other departments. The produce in barley also 

 is double the average of the whole kingdom. Bye, oats, 



Bye, oats, and potatoes are 



grown in comparatively small quantities. So great however is the pre- 



wheat crop, that 

 from one-fourth to one-third of its 



; : sj . :' .. i. .- . 



i the departoMot is enabled to export 

 m harvests ; the greater part of what 

 is exported is sent to Paris. Hemp and flax, peas, beans, beetroot, 

 and all kinds of pot herbs are also cultivated. 



The quantity of meadow and grass land is above 80,000 acres ; and 

 there are about 23,000 acres of heath or common, or other uninclosed 

 pasturage. A great number of horses are kept The number of 

 horned cattle is considerable ; but it is a dairy rather than a grating 

 country, though a great number of cattle, veal calves, sad sheep are 

 fed for the Paris market* In the number of cows it far exceeds the 

 avenge of the department*. The cheese known s> the Erie cheese is 

 made in Urge qoantjtiee, and is in m>h repute. The number of sheep 

 is very great, nearly a million consisting of merinos, cross-breeds, 

 native-sheep, and English long-woolled breeds. 

 ilsalisl and excellent 



The vineyanls occupy 46,000 acres ; the quantity of wine produced 

 is vary great, but the quality very inferior ; yet some of the best table 

 crapes in France are grown at Fontainebleau, and other places in this 

 deportment The gardens and orchards occupy above 18,000 acres. 

 Some cider is made in the arrondissement of Meltin. The woods 

 oeoopy about 25,000 acres, of which 40,000 acres are included in the 

 forest of Fontaineblean. The oak timber of this forest is very good, 

 sad U abovmds in game. 



The industrial products comprise paper, 

 eaieoea, cotton yam, leather, window-glass, 

 Bagneaux near Xemours tarns oat gUss cylinders and globes 

 largest size, also optical and common glass. The commerce of the 

 department is confined chiefly to agricultural produce, wool, cattle, 

 oharcoal, and wood. 



The ^apartment is divided into five arrondissements, as follows : 



, pottery, porcelain, printed 

 , ftc. The glass factory of 

 cylinders and globes of the 



1. Mtin . 



;... 

 I. 



4. 



' 



It 



7 



100 

 154 



77 



517 



Population In 1851. 



- - - 



'i. :- 

 34,84 

 ' !. HI 



1. Of the first arrondissement and of the whole department the 

 chief town is MELUK. Among the other towns, which are small, are 

 Chaumsa, near the Yeres, a few miles N. by E. from Melun, popula- 

 tion 1685; Brie-Comte-Robert, also near the Yeres, population 2700; 

 and Touman (population 1765), between the Yeres and the Marne. 

 Brie-Comte-Robert derives its distinctive epithet from Robert, Count 

 of Dreux, brother of Louis VII., and lord of the town. Robert, eon 

 of this count, built the castle of Brie, of which the ruins remain. 

 This castle was in the middle ages the object of frequent attack. 

 There is an elegant church of Gothic architecture, which dates from 

 the 13th century, and contains several remarkable tombs. There is 

 also an hospital, almost as ancient as the church. The town is plea- 

 santly situated, and has a considerable weekly market. There are 

 brick-yards and tile-yards, tan-yards and curriera" shops. Considerable 

 trade is carried on in corn, quills, and Brie cheese. Brie-Comte- 

 Robert was the capital of Brie-Francjaise. Tournau is a pleasant town, 

 with two fine mansions and parks, and several country-houses in the 

 environs. 



2. In the second arrondissement the chief town is FONTAINEBLEAU. 

 Among the other towns is CkAteim-Landun, population 2236, 

 situated on a hill above the Suzaia, a feeder of the Loing, 17 miles S. 

 from Fontainebleau. There are quarries in the neighbourhood of hard 

 stone susceptible of a polish like marble. The triumphal arch 

 de 1'Etoile in Paris is built of this stone. Spanish white is made in 

 the town, and trade is carried on in corn and wine. The town is 

 ancient ; Childebert founded here the abbey of St-Seve'rin, and Louis 

 le Gros, A.D. 1119, resided in a castle from which the town takes its 

 name. The church of Notre-Dame, consecrated in 1548, contains 

 some remarkable wood carving. Montereav, or Montereau- Fault- Tonne, 

 population 4450, is on the site of the Roman Condate. It afterwards 

 obtained the name of Monasteriolum, from a religious establishment 

 which formed the nucleus of the modern town. Montereau has 

 acquired historical celebrity from being the scene (A.D. 1419) of the 

 assassination of Jean sans Peur, duke of Bourgogne or Burgundy. The 



town and a strong castle which had been built here, were taken, 

 A.D. 1420, by Henry V., and the duke of Bourgogue ; it was retaken by 

 the French, A.D. 1488. In the civil wars of the 16th century it was 

 repeatedly taken and retaken. On February 18, 1814, a body of allied 

 troops were defeated here by Napoleon. The town U situated at 

 the junction of the Troyes railroad, 12 miles E. from Fontainebleau, at 

 the junction of the Seine and Yonne, both of which are navigable, and 

 eroised by good stone bridges. There are a collegiate church of 

 considerable antiquity, a modern town-hall, and an hospital. The 

 houses are tolerably well built, and there is a pleasant public walk 

 along the Yonne. Earthenware, tiles and other pottery, and leather 

 are manufactured ; and trade is carried on in corn, flour, and firewood, 

 for the supply of Paris. Moret, population 1672, 6 miles by rail 

 from Fontainebleau, is surrounded by a dilapidated wall with three 

 gates : there is one suburb. It has a ruined castle, which belonged to 

 the great Sully, and a tolerably handsome Gothic church, at the dedi- 

 cation of which St Thomaa-a-Becket officiated. The streets are 

 straight and clean, and the booses well built There are several flour- 

 mills and some tan-mills ; and trade is carried on in horses, cattle, 

 wine of middling quality, corn, flour, potatoes, wood, and paring- 

 stones. The Loing Canal passes close by the town. Nemoun, popu- 

 lation 3547, stands 9 miles 8. from Fontainebleau, in a pleasant valley 

 on the river Loing, which is crossed by a fine bridge. It is walled, 

 and has four suburbs ; the streets are well laid out, and the houses 

 well built. The ancient castle of the dukes of Nemours is yet 

 standing, flanked by four towers, and surrounded by a ditch. In front 

 of the castle U a square of some extent The banks of the Loiug 

 Canal, which passes near the town, and of the river, afford some 

 pleasant walks. There is a bridge over the canal. The parish church, 

 formerly the conventual church of the Augustinian friary of St-Jean, 

 is a large and handsome building, with a fine steeple ; but it yields in 

 antiquity to the church of St-Pierre in one of the suburbs. The 

 hospital is attended, like most of the hospitals of France, by the 

 Sisters of Charity. There are several tan-yards and hat manufactories, 

 tan-mills, flour-mills, a brick and tile-yard, lime-kilns, marble-works, 

 and a brewery. Vinegar is made, and trade is carried on in corn, 

 flour, wine, cheese, wood, iron, coal, Ac. There are two considerable 

 weekly markets and five yearly fairs. There is a public library of 

 10,000 volumes deposited in the castle. 



3. In the third arrondissement the chief town is Meaux, which 

 occupies the site of the ancient I at mum, capital of the Meldi, whose 

 name it afterwards took. It is situated in 48 57' 40" N.lat., 2 62' 64" 

 E. long., 25 miles by railroad E.N.E. from Paris, and has tribunals of 

 first instance sod of commerce, ecclesiastical and communal colleges, 

 and 8356 inhabitant* in the commune. It is built on the Marne, and 



tr the Ourcq CanaL The town is well but irregularly built. The 

 cathedral of St-Etienne, founded in the llth century, although un- 

 completed, is considered a masterpiece. It consists of nave, transept, 

 aisles, choir, and sanctuary. Only one of the towers of the facade is 

 finished. In the choir is a white marble monument of Boasuet, who 

 j bishop of Meaux, and of whom some memorials are still preserved 

 In the episcopal residence. In 1854 his tomb was opened, and the 

 body of the great orator was found almost in a perfect state of pre- 

 servation ; his faoe was still recognisable from his portrait Meaux 



