“ The manufacture of beetroot-sugar, oil and alcohol distilling, iron-working, dyeing, brewing, paper-making, and various branches of the textile manufacture, are foremost among the industries of the department. Boulogne, Calais and fitaples fit out a considerable number of vessels for the cod, herring and mackerel fisheries. Calais and Boulogne are important ports of passenger-transit for England; and Boulogne also carries on a large export trade in the products of the department. ”

“ Vast plains, open and monotonous, but extremely fertile and well cultivated, occupy most of the department. To the north of the hills running between St Omer and Boulogne, to the south of Gravelines and the south-east of Calais, lies the district of the Wattergands, fens now drained by means of canals and dikes, and turned into highly productive land. The cHmate is free from extremes of heat and cold, but damp and changeable. ”

“ Besides some of the towns mentioned, Lievin (22,070) , Henin-Lietard (13,384) , in the neighbourhood of Lens, are large centres of population. Other places of some importance are: Lillers (pop. 5341) , which carries on boot making and has a fine Romanesque church of the 12th century ”