VIENNE, HAUTE, a department of France, is bounded N. by the departments of Vienna and Indre, K by Crease, S. by Correze and Dordogne, and W. by Charente. Its greatest length from north to south is CO miles; its greatest breadth at right angles to the length is 50 mile.. The area is 2130 square miles; and the population in 1851 numbered 319,379.
The Gatine Hills, which extend from the greet central mountain group of Auvergne towards the month of the Loire, crosss the south of the department from east to west. Mont-Jargeau, their most elevated point, is about 3114 feet high. Another chain, nearly parallel to these, crows the centre of the department, separating the valley of the Vienne from that of its feeder the Gartempe. The most elevated point in this chain is Le-Puy.le-Vieux, 3190 feet high. The mountains have generally round tops. The whole department is occupied by the primary and lower secondary formations. Iron, copper, lead, anti mony, and coal-mines are worked. There are numerous iron-works. Porcelain-clay and granular felspar are obtained. Good granite and other building-stone and limestone are dux.
The department is chiefly included in the basin of the Loire. The southern elopes of the Gatine Hills belong to the basins of the Charente and the Garonne. On these slopes the Tardoire and the Bandiat, which unite and flow into the Charente--and the Dronue, the Isle, and the Lone, which belong to the system of the Garonne— rims; but only a small portion of the upper course of these rivers belongs to this department. Of the tributaries of the Loire, the Vienne is the only one belonging to thla department, which it enters on the east side, a few miles from It. source (in the department of Correa.), and crosses from east to welt Into the department of C'harento, receiving several small feeders on both banks, and passing the city of 1.1mogaa The Gartempe, a feeder of the Cracow, drains the north of the department. None of the rivers named are navigable in this department. Ponds are numerous, but none of them is large.
The department is traversed by 7 imperial, 9 departmental, and 34 parish roads.
From the general elevation of the surface the air is colder than the latitude would lead one to expect The atmosphere is moist, and the temperature changeable.
The area of the department in round numbers is 1,370,000 acres, of which about 533,000 acres are under the plough. A conaidemble quantity of rye and buckwheat is grown; the growth of corn is how ever insufficient for the support of the inhabitant+, but the deficiency is made up by the abundance of chestnuts. The meadows and paature-lands amount to above 320,000 acres, besides 230,000 acres of heath, common, or other open pasture, and grazing forms the most Important branch of agricultural industry. Great numbers of mules, horses of the best Limousin breed, and of horned cattle, are reared.
Hone-races and a cattle-show are held yearly at Limoges, and prizes are distributed. Pigs are tumorous. The vineyards occupy only about 7000 sere*, and produce only ordinary red wine. The lands occupy above 90,000 acres, chiefly in small clumps or In copses. Clisstnnta and walnuts' are grown in great abundance, and there is a considerable quantity of oak-timber. Game is plentiful. A great number of bees are kept. Besides iron, which is the most Important industrial product of the department, coarse woollens, flannel, blan kets, linen, leather, paper, nail'', glass, and pottery are manufactured.
The department is divided Into four arrondissements, which, with their subdivisions and population, are as follows:— L In the first arrondissement the chief town is Limoges, which forms the subject of a separate article. (latoors.] Ai-re, a small place 7 miles S.W. from Limoges, has some Roman remakes and the ruins of a castle of the middle ages. St.- Lionord, on an eminence on the right bank of the Vienne, over which there is a handsome bridge, is a tolerably well-built town, with about 5600 inhabitants. Its boulevards command a pleasant prospect. The church is of very great antiquity. There are paper-mills and copper works, and the townsmen manufacture wollen-stuffs, common hats, porcelain, and sheepskin and other leather. At Eymoutiers (or Airnontier), which is on the left bank of the Vienne, in a mountainous district, there are tan-yards ; and cotton-yarn is manufactured : population of the commune 3500.