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several open spaces of considerable area. The old cathe dral (founded iu the 12th century, and recently restored), the Catholic church of the Holy Cross, the Protestant church of St Elizabeth with its lofty tower, the Jewish synagogue, and the bishop s palace are the principal ecclesiastical buildings. The Jiatkhaus (a fine specimen of the architecture of the 14th century), the townhouse (of quite recent erection), the royal palace (now used as the Government buildings), the chamber of the states, the exchange, the barracks, the theatre, the post-office, and the new court-house and prison are the more important of the secular structures. At the head of the educational institutions for which Breslau is celebrated stands the university, which was founded in 1702 by Leopold I. as a Jesuit college, and was greatly extended by the incorporation of the university of Frankfort-on-Oder in 1811. Its library contains upwards of 300,000 volumes ; and among its auxiliary establishments are botanic gardens, an observatory, an anatomical and an antiquarian museum. In 1873 its professors and teachers numbered 103, arid its students 962, the majority in the Faculty of Arts. Among the minor institutions are four gymnasiums, a higher girls school, a normal school, a school of arts and manufactures, several orphanages, a deaf and dumb institute, and a blind asylum. There are also seventeen hospitals and numerous charitable foundations. The town is the seat of several provincial courts, a chamber of mines, an independent llomaii Catholic bishopric, and a Protestant consistory. Its manufactures, which are both varied and extensive, comprise machinery and tools, railway carriages, cast-iron goods, gold and silver work, carpets, woollen cloth, cotton goods, paper, and musical instruments. A very active export trade is carried on ; and a number of large fairs for particular kinds of goods are held every year. The popula tion, which was 110,702 in 1849, had increased to 171,926 in 1867, when about 33 per cent, was Komau Catholic, 58 Protestant, and 7 Jewish. In 1871 the total

amounted to 207,977.

Plan of Breslau.

3. St Elizabeth s Church (Protestant). 4. Hathhaus. 5. Burse (Exchange). G. Stiindehaus. 7. Koyul Palace. 8. Synagogue. 9. Lieblichs Hohe. 10. Lobe Theatre. A, Konigs Platz. B, Bliicher Platz and monument. C, Ring Platz. D, Hitter Platz. E, Exercier Platz (Parade Ground). F, Taucnzien Platz. G, New Market. 1. University 2. Court-house.

Breslau (Latin, Vratislavia) is first mentioned by Ditmar, the chronicler, in 1000 A.D. ; and its foundation seems to be of slightly earlier date. It became the scat of a bishop in 1052, and the capital of an independent duchy in 1163. In 1241 it was reduced to ashes by the Mongolian invaders ; but it soon recovered its prosperity, and, its population becoming largely Germanized, it joined the Hanseatic League in 1261. On the death of Henry, the last duke, in 1335, the lordship of Breslau passed to the Bohemian crown ; and several of the Bohemian kings bestowed numerous privileges on the city, which began to extend its commerce in all directions, to Russia and Tartary, Greece and Italy, the Netherlands and Flanders. Under the stimulus of prosperity the citizens soon showed themselves disposed to assert their independence, both against the aristocratic element within their walls, and against their feudal superiors without. From 1482 to 1490 they suffered severely from the oppressive measures of Stein, the minister of their king, Corvinus of Hungary, whom they had preferred to George Podiebrad of Bohemia. After the battle of Mohacz, Breslau passed with the rest of Silesia to the house of Austria, in whose possession it continued till 1741, when it was captured by Frederick II. of Prussia. In 1757 it Avas retaken by the Austrians under Charles of Lorraine, but in the same year the Prussians again made good their claim by force of arms, and took no fewer than 21,000 men prisoners. The attempt of Laudon in 1760 to surprise the city was a failure. It was forced, however, after a lengthened siege to yield to the French in 1806-7. Their subsequent invest ment of it in 1813 was interrupted by the peace.

Roadstead of Brest.

BREST, a strongly fortified seaport town of France,

capital of an arrondissement in the department of Firiistere, in 48 22 N. lat. and 4 32 W. long. It is situated to the north of a magnificent land-locked bay, and occupies the slopes of two hills divided by the River Penfeld, the part of the town on the left bank being regarded as Brest proper, while the part on the right is known as Recouvrance, from the chapel of the Virgin, to whom the shipwrecked sailors used to address their prayers for the recovery of their property. The hill-sides are in some places so steep that the ascent from the lower to the upper town has to be elfected by flights of stairs ; and the second or third story of one house is often on a level with the ground story of the next. The town proper has three long parallel streets, of which the chief bears the name of Hue de Siam, in honour of the Siamese embassy sent to Louis XIV., and terminates at the remarkable swing- bridge, or Pont Imperial, constructed in 1861, which crosses the mouth of the Penfeld. .Running along the shore to the south of the town is the Cours d Ajot, one of the finest promenades of its kind in France, named after the

engineer who constructed it. It is planted with trees and