Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 16.djvu/213

Rh M E T Z 203 Protestant and Jewish consistories, and a chamber of com merce. The general appearance of the town is quaint and irregular, but there are also many handsome modern streets. The Moselle flows through it in several arms, crossed by fourteen or fifteen bridges. In the south-west corner of the town is the esplanade, an extensive open space com manding a fine view of the fertile &quot; Pays Messin &quot; around Metz. The most interesting of the ten city gates is the Porte d Allemagne or Deutsches Thor, a castellated structure erected in 1445, and still bearing traces of the siege of Charles V. Metz contains seven Roman Catholic churches, two Protestant churches, and a synagogue. The cathedral, with huge pointed windows, slender columns, and numerous flying buttresses, was begun in the 13th century, and finished in 1546, and belongs to the decadence of the Gothic style. The Gothic churches of St Vincent and St Eucharius, and the handsome garrison-church, completed in 1881, also deserve mention. Among secular buildings the most important are the large covered market, the town-hall, the palace of justice, the theatre, the governor s house, and the various buildings for military purposes. The public library contains 35,000 volumes, including an . Palace of Jus, ice. Metz and Neighbourhood. 2. Prefecture. 3. Cathedral. 4. Town-Hall and Governor s House. extensive collection of works relating to the history of Lorraine. In the same building is the museum, which contains a picture gallery, a numismatic cabinet, and a collection of specimens of natural history. Metz also possesses several learned societies and charitable institu tions, a gymnasium, three seminaries, and a military academy. The cemetery of Chambiere contains the graves of 8400 French soldiers who died here in 1870. The commerce and industry of Metz have not yet entirely recovered from the blow inflicted by the with drawal of French capital in 1871. The principal articles of manufacture are leather, coarse cloth and canvas, gun powder, arms, needles, billiard tables, hats, and artificial flowers. There are several large iron-works in the neigh bourhood. The trade of Metz is chiefly carried on in leather, timber, wine, brandy, liqueurs, beer, preserved fruits, and hardwares. A large annual fair is held here. The civil population of Metz, which in 1869 amounted to 48,066, sank in 1872 to 33,134. Since then it has steadily increased, and in 1881 was 43,275, about half of whom were Germans. The garrison of Metz consists of 10,000 men, or including the surrounding forts nearly 16,000. The total of 58,813 includes 17,000 Pro testants and 1600 Jews.