Paris was surrounded. under, Louis Philippe, with fortifications extending 30 miles round, and costing £5,500.000 sterling, and, in addition to these, 16 detached forts have been erected at definite distancesfrom one another. The Champ-dc-Mars is a vast sandy plain near the Qual d'Orsay, on which reviews and other military displays and national festivals are held. Close to it stands the Ecole militaire, founded in 1752, and used as barracks for infantry and cavalry, of which it can accommodate 10,000 men, with space for 800 horses. The hotel des in valides, founded in 1670 for disabled soldiers, is situated on the left bank of the river. The crypt of the church contains the sarcophagus, hewn from a huge block of Russian granite, in which lie the remains of Napoleon, deposited there in 1840.
Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements. The prefect of the Seine is the chief of the municipal government, and is appointed by the government. There is a large municipal council, chosen by popular election. Each arrondissement has a maire and two assistant councilors. The prefect of police is at the head of the civic guard or gensdarmes, the tire brigade, and the sergents de ville, or city police, who are armed with a sword. The cleaning. sewerage, and water supplies of Paris are under the charge of the prefect.
Paris is now abundantly supplied with pure and wholesome water; since 1854 the length of vaulted sewers has been doubled, and now amounts to upwards of 250 miles. The same may be said in regard to the paving of the city, and the street-lighting is now ade quately effected by means of some 15,000 gas-lights. In 1818 public slaughter-houses, or abattoirs, were established at different suburbs, where alone animals are allowed to lie slaughtered. Large cattle markets are held near the licensed abattoirs (q.v.). There are in the heart of the city numerous halles, or wholesale, and marches, er retail markets. The principal of these is the Indies centrales, near the church of St. Eustacte, covering nearly 20 acres. Among the older markets, the halle aux vins, in which 500,000 casks of wine can be stowed, and the marehe aux flews, are perhaps the most interesting.
For an account of Paris, see Le ,Youceau Paris, by Labedoliere; Paris Mastro en 1870, by Ad. Joanne (Paris. 1870 and 1871); and Morin's Path sous la Commune (Paris, 1S71). A great work, which was to include all the principal documents connected with the history of Paris, was commenced during the late empire, under the supervision of M. Ilaussman. Seven large quarto volumes had appeared when the work was inter rupted by the events of 1871.