The Seine enters Paris at Bercy, on the south-east, and flows with a gentle curve convex towards the north, and leaves the city at Passer, ou the extreme I sat, after a course of about five miles. Near the middle of the distance it forms two islands, the He-St.-Louie and the 11e-de-1a-Cite, which are covered with buildings. The former Isle of Louvier, which was used as a depot for firewood, is now united to the quay. In all its length the river is lined with broad atone quays, backed by many fine buildings. The quays, which have been recently enlarged, repaired, and levelled, are fenced with parapets, and furnished with numerous wharfs and landing-places. Barges of large tonnage are towed up the river from Rouen and Havre with colonial and other produce for the supply of the capital; steamers also ply on the Seine. In 1854 a vessel, built at Bordeaux for the purpose, sailed from Rio Janeiro direct to Paris, and unloaded her cargo on the quays. The winding course of the river however, and the of the navi gation [Saxes], prevent Paris from being a sea-port; the advantages of such a position are already conferred upon the city by the railways that connect it with all the principal sea-ports of France. The Seine is kept clear from all impurities ; it flows between its beautiful quays in a stream so pure that, after traversing the whole length of Paris, one may see the bottom in a clear day. Thera are numerous baths and swimming echeols upon it, and places resembling roofed boats with open sides, in which linen is washed and got up. The river is spanned by above twenty bridges, many of which have been repaired or partly rebuilt since the re-establishment of the empire. The most celebrated of the bridges of Paris is the Pont-Neuf, which crosses the Seine at the north aide of the ile-de-la-Cite, and is embellished with a statue of Henri IV. A new bridge, to be called Alma, is now (March, 1S55) being constructed between the Pout-des-Invalidos and the Pont de-Jens. which is to be connected by new avenues with the barracks of the ]tole Militaire and with the triumphal arch de-l'Etoile. The bridges of Paris afford many noble views, and the quays form cheerful and healthy promenades.
Commencing on the left hank of the Seine, at the distance of a mile and a half south froin the termiuns of the Orleans railway, which is in the Boulevard de-1'1161>RA on the south aide of the Jardin-des Planter, the great bastioned wall that girds Paris runs westward across the plain on the south side of the city, and a little to the northward of Ivry, Arcueull, Grand Gentilly, 3lontrouge, Vanvres, and Taffy, striking the Seine again opposite Le-Point-du-Jour ; here starting from the right bank of the river, it sweeps round sharply to north-north east along the eastern side of the Bois-de-Boulogne, which it separates from the suburbs of Auteuil and Pasay ; having crossed the high road to Nenilly about three-quarters of a mile west of the triumphal arch De-l'Etoile, it runs north-east and east, inclosing the plateau of Monceau: and the heights of Batignolles and Montmartre; in the angle between the Se-Denis and the Ourcq canals, which it epaua respectively a little north and east of the suburb of La-Villette, the wall turns south along the eastern aide of Belleville and Pere-la-Chaise, and to the east and south of Bercy, between which and Charenton it again reaches the right bank of the Seine. At distances varying from one to three miles from the walla series of detached forts are built, one of which, Fort-do-Chareuton, stands in the angle between the Seine and the Marne, near the Veterinary School of Alfort ; five between Ivry and lasy command all the approaches on the south; the castle of Vincennes, and four forts erected among the bills that intervene between the Marne and the Oureq Canal, commend the approaches from the ease ; to the north of Se-Denis are two strong forte, one of which spaps the great north road, and the other commands the Seine opposite lleeSte Denis ; ou the left bank of the Seine, which to the west of the city runs parallel with the bastioned wall, and at n distance of between one and two miles from it, a strong fort with bombproof casematee, and large barracks, are built on Mont-Valericn.
The outline of Paris, defined by the wall of 17S7, approximates to an oval, having its longer diameter from west-uorth-west to east-south end about 5.1 miles, and its shorter diameter 3e miles. The circuit of the wall is 15 miles. The included area is 8500 acres. The number of barriers, or entrances, through this well is about 50. Most of these barriers have toll-houses attached to them, at which the local duties on goods entering the capital are levied. Round this wall, on the outer aide, is a road plantei with fine rows of trees, forming the outer boulevards. Most of the barriers are approached by wide roads lined with double rows of trees, forming magnificent approaches to the city.
The wall of 1787 incloses several portions which, as being without the walls demolished b' Louis XIV., were designated faubourgse or suburbs, and which stdl retain that name. Of these suburbs and quarters the following are the principal :—On the west, Chnillot, adja cent to the Champs-Elyedes ; on the north-west, the Faubourg Ste Honore and the Faubourg Du-Roule; on the north, the Chews-gee d'Antiu (one of the handsomest and most regularly-built quarters in Paris), the Faubourg Montmartre, the Faubourg Poissonniere, the Faubourg St.-Deuis, and the Faubourg St.-Martin ; on the north-east, the Faubourg Du-Temple; on the east, the Faubourg St.-Antoine : all these are on the right or north bank of the Seine. On the opposite bauk, iu the south-east part of the city, is the Faubourg Se-Victor; on the south part are the Faubourgs St.-Marcel, St.-Jacques, and St. Michel ; and in the south-west are the Faubourg Se-Germain and the quarter of Gros-Caillou. The suburbs which surround Paris on the outside of the wall of 1787 are—Auteuil and Paesy on the west; Batignolles, Montmartre, and La Villette, on the north ; Belleville, 51enihnontent, Charonne, and Bercy, on the cast; Montrouge, Vangi rani, and Greuelle, on the south. All these suburbs, with a wide belt of fields, gardens, and uninclosed land, are now girt by the bastioned wall ; they are noticed under the article on the department of SETNF Before 1789 Paris was divided into three parts, named City, Town, and University; and subdivided into 20 quarters. In the year just mentioned an ordinance of Necker divided it into 60 districts, each of which furnished a battalion of national guards, and elected a deputy of the Tiers-Etat. For this arrangemeut the Constituent Assembly in 1790 substituted the division into 48 sections. A few years later the city was divided into 12 arrondissements, each administered by a mayor and corporation, and subdivided into 4 quarters'. This arrange ment still subsists. The general government of the city is vested in two prefects—the prefect of the department of Seine, and the prefect of police.