OM ER, St., a fortified town in France, in the department of Pas de-Calais, 26 miles S.E. by railway from Culais, is situated in 50' 44' 53' N. lat., r 15' 20" E. long., at au elevation of 75 feet above the level of the sea, and has 19,226 inhabitants in the com mune, but including the suburbs the populatiou probably exceeds 25,000. SL-Omer is surrounded by fortifications between two and three miles in circuit, constructed of red ]ricks. It is strengthened by four forts and by entrenchments, and further protected by marshes, which can easily be flooded. There are four gates, of which only two will admit carriages. The town is traversed by the Aa, and by the canal which unites the An to the Lys. The principal streets are broad ; the houses are chiefly built of yellow or gray bricks, except some of the public buildings, which are of red bricks. The Place d'Armes at the west of the town is the only large square ; the town hall occupies the east aide of it. Tho former cathedral of Notre Dame, and the church of the former Jesuit college, are the finest of the public buildings. Other remarkable objects are—the ruins of the church of St.-Bertin, formerly the finest gothic church in French Flanders; the hospitals; the theatre; and the public library, which contalles 20,000 volumes. The town has tribunals of first instance
and of commerce, a consultative chamber of manufactures, a college, an ecclesiastical seminary, and an English college for the education of British Roman Catholics. The ramparts, which are planted with elm-tree*, the quays on the banks of the canal, and the Calais road form handsome public walks. There are many fountaius. Woollen cloth, blankets, thread, oil, glue, fishing-nets, paper, brandy, beer, leather, and salt are the leading manufactures of the town, which is also the centre of a considerable commerce in wool, corn, wine, flax, coal, itc. The inhabitants of the two suburbs Haut-Pont and Lizel to the north of the town retain the Flemish language, and are mostly engaged in raising garden stuffs on spots of grounrj which they have recovered by draining from the marshes near the Aft. Between these imburbe and the neighbouring village of Clairmarais were not long ago several floating islands, on which cattle might be seen grazing and trees growing: when the cattle were wanted the islands were drawn to the shore like a boat. Several islands that formerly floated in these marshes have become fixed.
OlIERCOTE. [Hienusrate) Ul1ERCUNTUG [I lie urese.] 0310A. Plosfeursas.) [SIneeta.]