VERSAILLES, ver-salz' (Fr. v4r-si-y), France, capital of the department of Seine-et Oise, 11 miles southwest of Paris, is a town of royal construction, having risen up rapidly, reg ularly and with great magnificence under the directions of the sovereigns of France, par ticularly Louis XIV, who made it the seat of his court, and lavished immense sums on its embellishment. It is justly regarded as one of the handsomest towns in Europe, and, having many conspicuous objects for attack by air planes, was extensively camouflaged during the World War. The palace is the most conspic uous edifice, though somewhat monotonous in appearance, the buildings being more than 2,000 feet in length. It was built by Louis XIV, but ceased to be a royal palace at the revolution of 1793, and Louis Philippe converted it into a national museum. It is filled with an im mense collection of statues and paintings in tended to represent all the principal personages and events connected with French history from Clovis downward. The principal facade bearing the inscription, A toutes les Gloires de la France (uTo all the Glories of France), and fronting the gardens and park, is over 400 yards long. A conspicuous feature is the Battle Gallery, 400 feet long, lined with paintings representing French victories. The window spaces are filled with the natnes and titles of the military heroes of France, with the dates when they gave up their lives for their country, and names of the battles where they fell. The fountains are
famed for their beauty; the water to supply them was brought 100 miles. The Orangery was planned in 1685 by Mansart, and is still one of the most delightful features of the grounds, being surrounded by observation gallenes. In numerable statues and vases grace the grass plots and the shrubbery is highly cultured. The palaces of the Grand and Petit Trianon are in the north of the park. There is also in the town a fine hippodrome, military hospital, pub lic library and there are excellent technical and private schools. The industries are unimportant, shoe manufacture and market gardening being the largest. The treaty of .peace between the United States and Great Bntain was signed at Versailles in 1783. The city was also the Ger man headquarters during the Franco-German War (q.v.) from September to March 1870-71, and here Wilhelm I was declared emperor of Germany. It was also the seat of the French govermaent from the peace until 1879. There fore it was especially appropriate that Versailles was selected for the peace conference in 1918. The permanent population is about 65,000. Con sult the English translation of Nolhac's (Ver sailles and the Trianon) (New York 1912).