LAVAL, la'var, France, capital city of the department of Mayenne, on the Mayenne River, 46 miles east of Rennes and 188 miles by rail southwest of Paris. The town is built upon both sides of the river, the ancient portion occupying the hills to one side while the mod ern town stretches over the plains on the op posite banks. The river is 124 feet wide at this point and is spanned by a railway viaduct ; the stone bridge, Pont Neuf, and the Pont Vieux with its three pointed arches, which dates from the 16th century. The town is considered one of the most beautiful in France. In the ancient portion with its narrow, twisting streets are the cathedral, built in the 16th century; the castle of the counts with a donjon built in the 12th century; the 14th-15th century church of Notre Dame; the 12th century church of Notre Dame d'Aventires and the 15th century church of Saint Venerand. It has many houses of the 15th and 16th centuries. There are also an art museum, a museum of natural history and archaeology, a library and a linen hall. The modern town has fine promenades and modern educational institutions. The town existed in the 9th century. It was taken by Talbot in 1428, and suffered considerably in the Vendean war, the Vendeans under Rochejacquelin here defeating the Republicans 24-25 Oct. 1793. Its
chief and oldest industry is the manufacture of cotton and linen cloth, introduced from Flan ders in the 14th century. There are other manu facturing interests, including foundries, flour mills, shoe factories, tanning and dyeing. There is a trade in marble and in grain. The bishopric was created in 1855. Pop. 25,540.
Francois Xavier de, fran-swa. ksix-E-A de 15.-val-mdii m6-rOn-se, French Roman Catholic prelate: b. Laval, France, 30 April 1623; d. Quebec, 6 May 1708. He became a priest in 1645 and in 1651 was appointed missionary bishop of Cochin China, a post which he declined to become arch deacon of Evreux. In 1659 he came to Canada as apostolic vicar, with the dignity of bishop of Petra in partibus. There he established (1663) the Quebec Seminary. In 1674-83 he was titular bishop of Quebec. He was an active and in fluential figure in governmental affairs. He op-, posed the sale of intoxicating liquors to In dians. He is regarded with great veneration by the French Canadians. Vaval University is named in his honor.