HERAT', capital of the most westerly of the three divisions of Afghanistan, stands on the river Heti, at the height of 2,500 ft. above the sea. Let. 34° 50' n., long. 62' 30' e.; distance from Cabul, 390 in. west. Situated near the boundaries at once of Afghan istan, Persia, and Independent Tartary, Herat is one of the marts of central Asia, carrying on at same time extensive manufactures of ifs own in wool and leather. 'rim vicinity, naturally fertile, bas been artiticialRyrendded ftrueli more so by means of irrigation. But the city claims notice mainly on political and military grounds..
Long the royal seat of the descendants of Timm, and often a bone of contention between the warlike tribes all round it is fortified by a ditch and wall, and is commanded on its. n. side by a strong citadel. In more modern times, the place has acquired a kind of European importance, being, towards Persia, the key of Afghanistan, which, again, in turn affords the only approach by laud to western India. In this connection; Herat has been viewed as an outpost of England's eastern empire against Russian intrigue and encroachment. Hence it has been alike the subject of treaties and the occasion of wars between Great Britain, as the mistress of Hindustan, and Persia, as virtually a vassal of Russia. This feature of the history of the city was more specially developed in connec tion with the last conflict between Persia and England. In Nov., 1856, the shah, regard ed by the British government as the vassal and agent of the czar, captured Herat, while actually conducting negotiations for an amicable adjustment at Constantinople; but he was within a few months constrained to relinquish his prey and renounce his claims by a British expedition directed against the opposite extremity of his empire. According
to different estimates, referring, however, to different, epochs, the population has varied from 20,000 to 70,000.
IlfRAULT, a maritime department in the s. of France, bounded on the s.e. by the gulf of Lyon, is oval in form, and is 84 m. in greatest length from e. to west. Area 2,436 sq. m. ; pop. '76, 445,053. It is occupied in the n. and n.w. by the Lower Cevennes, from which several branches of moderate elevation run toward the s., gradually subsid ing as they approach the sea. The principal rivers are the Herault (from which the department derives its name), the Orb, and the Lez, which, rising in the Cevennes, pur sue a generally southward course to the Mediterranean. The coast-line is about 66 m. in length; and along the shore, from Agde to the Vidourle, are numerous &Lugs, or marshy lakes, united by the Canal-des-etangs, and .communicating with the sea. In the neigh borhood of the etangs the climate is unhealthy, especially in summer, when agues and fevers- prevail; but elsewhere throughout_the department it is unusually fine. About a fourth of the entire area consists of arable land, and about a sixth is under vineyards. The department of Herault stands, for quantity at least, at the head bf the wine-growing departments of France, 46,552,000 gallons being the average annual produce. From the shore-lakes and the sea immense quantities of fish are obtained. silk, and cotton fabrics, in great variety, are largely manufactured. Coal and copper mines, as well as quarries yielding variously veined marbles, building-stone, granite, etc., are worked. This department supplies a great quantity .of the salt used iu France. It is divided into four arrondissements. Montpellier is the capital.