MON !'REAL, a town of North America, in Lower Canada, is situated on an island formed by the river Ottawas and the river St. Lawrence. The island is 32 miles long by 10 broad, and is very productive in all kinds of grain, vegetables, and fruits.
The town, which derives its name from a high moun tain in the middle of the island, forms an oblong square, surrounded by a lofty but decaying wall. It is divided into the upper and the lower town. The old streets are narrow and gloomy, but the new ones are more open, ex tending parallel to the river, and crossed by others at right angles. Many of the houses are large and well built, of a greyish sort of stone, and in general are roofed with sheet iron or tin. The Place d'Armes, which is the only square, excepting the two market places. is situated on the side of the town farthest from the river, and was originally built for the purpose of military ex ercise. Montreal contains six churches, an Episcopa. liar, a Presbyterian, and four Roman Catholic churches. The cathedral church, which belongs to the Catholics, stands in the Place d'Armes. It is a spacious stone building, containing five richly decorated altars. The other public buildings and establishments are, the lintel Dieu, for relieving the destitute sick, managed by a su perior and 36 nuns ; the convent of Notre Dame, lot female instruction, managed by a superior and 60 nuns; the convent of the Grey Sisters and the Hospital of In valids ; the Seminary of St. Sulpice, for the education
of youth ; and the New College, which is a handsome building. The civil and criminal courts are held in a plain but neat building, in Notre Dame Street, and near it stands the jail, erected in a salubrious situation, on the site of the one which was burned down in 1803. The government house is an old and elegant building. The barracks, encircled 1$ ith a lofty wall, and capable of con taining 300 men, are agreeably situated near the river.
The harbour of Montreal is commodious : there are fifteen feet of water close to the shore, near the market gate. Montreal is the great depot for the fur trade, of which we have already given some account in our arti cles CANADA and HUDSON'S BAY. The population of Montreal is stated, by Morse, to have been 16,000 in 1809, and by Gray to be 10,000, while others make it little more than 6000. For farther information respect ing this place, see the works quoted under the article CANADA. West Long. 73° 35', and North Lat. 45° 31'.