406 BELGIUM. 



of this manufacturing district. It was named in honour of Charles II. of Spain, 

 and fortified by Yauban, but is now an open town, with broad boulevards. The 

 railway station is the most prominent building of this congeries of iron works. 

 Numerous towns in the basin of the Sambre form dependencies of Charleroi. 

 MarcineUe (8,500 inhabitants), Couillet (6,550 inhabitants), Moiitigiti/sur-Sainbre 

 (12,653 inhabitants), Châtelet (9,150 inhabitants), and Chàtelineau (8,050 inha- 

 bitants) lie to the east ; GUhj (17,136 inhabitants) oxiàRansart (5,450 inhabitants) 

 to the north-east; Loddinsart (6,150 inhabitants), Jumct (20,102 inhabitants), and 

 Gosselles (7,850 inhabitants) in the north ; Roux-lez- Charleroi (7,150 inhabitants) 

 and Courcelles (12,532 inhabitants) in the north-west ; Dampremy (7,350 inha- 

 bitants), Marchiennc-au-Pont (11,486 inhabitants), and Monceau- sur- Sa mhre (5,650 

 inhabitants) in the west; and Mont-sur-Marcltienne (6,150 inhabitants) in the 

 south-west. T/ndn (5,450 inhabitants), higher up in the same valle}', already 

 lies beyond the sphere of Charleroi, as does also the ancient town of Fontaine- 

 VEveque (5,050 inhabitants), on the plateau which separates the basins of the 

 Sambre, Haine, and Senne. The country around Charleroi is one of the great 

 hives of human industry, abounding in iron works, forges, glass houses, and 

 chemical manufactories. Numerous railways intersect this coal region, and a 

 canal connects the Sambre with the navigable highway's of Lower Belgium. The 

 small towns of Marienbourg^ Philipj^eville, and Chimay (3,000 inhabitants), to the 

 south of Charleroi, near the French frontier, are frequently referred to in connec- 

 tion with military events, whilst the battle-fields of Fleurus (4,090 inhabitants) 

 and Ligny lie to the north. The plain of Fleurus is partly covered with an 

 efflorescence of sulphate of barj^ta, a substance frequently used in the adulteration 

 of flour. 



The Meuse below Namur winds between gentle hills surmounted by ancient 

 ruins and modern castles. Ancienne (7,050 inhabitants), on the right bank, is a 

 town of paper-mills, potteries, and quarries. Iluy (11,744 inhabitants), lower 

 down, is commanded by a picturesque citadel. It is one of the most ancient 

 cities of the country of the Wallons, and formerly boasted of seventeen monasteries, 

 one of which contained the tomb of Peter the Hermit. Beyond St. Georges-sur- 

 Meuse (5,650 inhabitants) and Engin, a village rendered famous by the prehistoric 

 remains found in its caverns, both banks of the Meuse are covered Avith factories 

 and workino' men's villao-es. 



We have now entered the great industrial district of Liège (115,851 inhabitants), 

 the capital of the Wallons, situate on both banks of the river, below its confluence 

 with the Ourthe. A long-backed hill to the west is surmounted by a huge citadel, 

 and aflbrds a fine prospect, too freqxicntly obscured by the smoke rising from 

 innumerable factory chimneys. The suburbs of the city extend along the valley, 

 climb up the hills, and cover a large island formed by the Meuse and one of its 

 arms. Several bridges span the river, the most famous amongst them being that 

 of the Arches, traditionally sujaposed to occupy the site of a bridge constructed by 

 Ogier, the Danish paladin. 



The centre of Liège lies near this bridge, and there, in front of the town-hall, 



