Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 09.djvu/510

LEFT TOULON 448 TOURCOING Majeure, dating from the 11th century, but greatly altered, a naval hospital erect- ed by Louis XIV., the hospital of St. Mandrier, on the Sepet, a public library, and a handsome theater. The Mourillon tower, built 1848, in six etages, commands a magnificent view. The Bagne for con- victs, established by Colbert in 1682, was removed in 1872. The port militaire, one of the largest in Europe, comprises the old Darsa, formed under Henri IV., the new under Louis XIV., and the Darsa of Castigneau; three repairing docks and three arsenals: (1) The arsenal mari- time, built by Vauban, with a general magazine, a cordage factory, a foundry, a naval museum, a park of artillery, and an armory. (2) That of Castigneau (area 17 hectares), with bakeries, copper works, forges, etc. (3) That of Mouril- lon, with steam sawmiils, covered slips, and large fosses for the conservation of timber. The naval port, the equipment of which is singulai'ly complete, and the cost of which amounted to upward of 160,000,000 francs, is separated from the roadstead by hollow bomb-proof moles, lined with batteries. A great number of the inhabitants (some 10,000) are employed in the arsenal works, and of recent years there has sprung up a con- siderable trade with Algeria. Toulon has an agreeable climate; at its Jardin des Plantes palms grow in the open air. Toulon is said to have been founded by a Roman soldier, Telo Martius, and was known as Telo in the 4th century. It was destroyed by the Arabs in 889, and again in the 12th century, but in the 16th century it had become a stronghold of some importance. On Aug. 27, 1793, it was taken by the English, who were forced on Dec. 19 following to surrender it to the Republicans after firing the shipping. Napoleon, a simple olficer, then first evinced his genius for war. Pop. about 107,000. TOULOUSE, a city of France, the capi- tal anciently of Languedoc, and now of the department of Haute-Garonne ; 160 miles S. E. of Bordeaux and 466 S. by W. of Paris. It is situated in a broad and pleasant plain, on the right bank of the Garonne river, with the Canal du Midi sweeping round its E. and N sides. The Garonne is crossed here by a beau- tiful bridge (1543-1626), nearly 300 yards long, which connects Toulouse with the suburb of St. Cyprien. The city, with the exception of the S. faubourg, is not particularly handsome (though the broad quays have rather an imposing ap- pearance), nor has it many fine public buildings. One may note, however, the cathedral, containing the tombs of the Counts of Toulouse ; the Capitole, or town hall (1769) ; the church of St. Sernin (11th to 15th century) ; and the Musee, with its interesting collection of antiqui- ties, forming an almost uninterrupted chain in the history of art, from the Gal- lo-Roman to the Renaissance period. Tou- louse is the seat of an archbishop, has a university academy, an academy of "flor- la games" (Societe des Jeux Floraux), claiming to date from a troubadours' con- test in 1323, academies of arts, sciences, antiquities, etc., schools of law, medi-- cine, and artillery, an observatory, bo- tanic garden, and a public library of 200,000 volumes. Toulouse manufactures woolens, silks, leather, cannon, steam engines, tobacco, brandy, etc., and car- ries on a great trade with Spain. Its liver and truffle pies are celebrated throughout the S. of France. Pop. about 150,000. ToLOSA was, in Caesar's time, a city within the limits of the Roman provincia, and had been originally the capital of the Volcse Tectosages, a Gallic tribe not- ed for its wealth and consequence. In A. D. 412 the Visigoths made it the capital of their kingdom; and after the time of Charlemagne it was under the sway of counts, who made themselves independent about 920, but in 1271 the "county of Toulouse" was reunited to the crown of France by Philippe le Hardi. Its literary celebrity reaches as far back as the Ro- man empire. Early in the Middle Ages, under the Counts of Toulouse, it became a seat of Provencal poetry, and it suf- fered terribly in Simon de Montfort's crusade against the Albigenses. The Parliament of Toulouse had a great rep- utation, but unhappily it is likely to be remembered by one of its most iniquitous decisions, that delivered in the case of the Calas family. In the battle of Tou- louse (April 10, 1814) the French un- der Soult were defeated by Wellington. Cujacius was born, and Fermat died, in Toulouse. TOURAINE, an ancient province of France; bounded N. by Maine, E. by Or- leanais and Berry, S. by Berry and Poi- tou, and W. by Anjou and Poitou. It now forms the department of Indre-et- Loire. TOURCOING, a town of France, de- partment of Nord; 9 miles N. N. E. of Lille; is a well-built thriving manufac- turing town, the staple manufactures be- ing woolen, cotton, linen, and silk stuffs, ' besides dye works, soap works, sugar re- fineries, machine works, etc. It was cap- tured and almost destroyed by the Ger- mans in 1914. Pop. about 82,000.