The university library, a fine Romanesque building, erected in 1893, contains over 150,000 volumes. It is particularly strong in history. The museum, erected in 1882, is rich in geo logical collections. The observatory is the centre of much valuable work in astronomy. Connected with the university are the Presby terian, Wesleyan, Anglican, Diocesan and Con gregational colleges. There is also in Montreal the Medical Faculty of Bishop's College, Len noxville.
Laval University was founded in 1852 by the Quebec Seminary, which itself was founded in 1663 by Mgr. de Laval Montmorency, the first bishop of Quebec. Laval operates under a royal charter signed at Westminster 8 Dec. 1852 and under the bull, Inter Varias Sollicitu dines, promulgated by the Sovereign Pontiff Pins IX, 15 April 1876. In conformity with the decision of the Propaganda a branch of Laval University was established in Montreal in 1877, enjoying all the privileges of the mother university at Quebec. A new building which is a modern adaptation of the Renais sance was erected on Saint Denis street out of the large funds of the seminary. The first floor is occupied by the law faculty, the second by the faculty of medicine. This faculty was formed by an amalgamation in 1891 with the Montreal School of Medicine and Surgery, which had existed since 1843. It is attended by 300 students.
The Seminary of Saint Sulpice undertakes the theological teaching for the Montreal branch of Laval University, and a portion of the work in arts. Its buildings extend from Sherbrooke street up the slope of the mountain and include the grand seminary and the Semi nary of Philosophy. There are more than 450 students in residence with 28 professors. Two towers, the remains of the fort constructed in 1671, still stand in front of the seminary.
Saint Mary's College is conducted by the Jesuits and adjoins the church of the Gesu on Bleury street. Here 400 students are assembled and receive an excellent training in classics.
The Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame was established in 1653. These sisters have 91 educational establishments in Canada and the United States nuns and over 30,000 pupils. The mother house, Villa Maria, was burned in 1895, but it is now being replaced on a new site.
The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary inhabit the Hochelaga Convent for a mother house. They have 36 minor houses in which 10,000 children are taught.
Hotel Dieu, 253 beds, founded in 1643, occupies a pile of buildings erected in 1859. During the Iroquois Wars and ever since this hospital has done good service. It is attended by the surgeons of Laval. The Montreal General Hospital (484 beds) was founded in 1819, and opened in 1E22. The Royal Victoria Hospital (355 beds) was founded, erected and endowed between and 1893 by Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal and Baron Mount-Stephen. Other hos pitals are the Notre Dame, with 148 beds, which is now erecting new buildings with accommodation for contagious cases, the West ern General Hospital and the enormous hos pital of the Soeurs Grises for foundlings and the aged infirm. The 'Alexandra Hospital" for contagious diseases was erected by the Prot estant community at a cost of $200,000.
Other public buildings are the city-hall, an imitation of the Hotel de Vile in Paris; the courthouse, in a classical style with a dome; the Art Gallery, with some good pictures but not equaling those held in private collections; the Fraser public and reference library with accommodation for 300,000 volumes, opened by Field Marshal Joffre on 1 September; the Canadian Pacific Railway Station, a fine castel lated structure. Many of the private residences are fine, and the general material of construc tion being gray limestone gives to the city an appearance of dignity.
Navigation and Trade.—The Montreal Quebec channel, with a minimum depth of 31 feet, accommodates vessels of 15,000 tons, and the port handles one-third of Canada's com merce. Montreal has eight miles of deep water in the harbor, and it is well equipped for the expeditious handling of traffic. Port statistics for 1917 show 6,921 arrivals, of which 579 were Atlantic ships, 68 from the Maritime Provinces and 6,274 from inland waters (gross tonnage, 5,217,309 tons). The total value of the imports for year to 31 March 1916, $129,139, 817, and of the exports of Canadian products, $173,436,739. The customs receipts for 1917 were $37,857,723, and the inland revenue re ceipts, $15,685,451.