3. In the third arrondissement the chief town, Issoire (the ancient Issiodurum), is situated near the confluence of the Couze and the Allier, in 45' 82' 37" N. lat., 3° 15' 13" E. long., 1309 feet above the sea, 20 miles S.S.E. from Clermont, and has tribunals of first instance and of commerce, a college, and 5735 inhabitants in the commune. It is in general a well-built, clean, and regularly laid out town, all the prin cipal streets abutting on a great central square in which markets are held. The pariah church, which has a curiously-decorated exterior, and has been numbered among the historical monumeuts of France, is the principal structure. Copper ware and nut-oil are the chief industrial products. The mineral springs of Liens, and the numerous volcanic rocks in the aeighbonrhood of the town, deserve mention. A rdes,12 miles S.W. from lasoire, in a country bristling with volcanic rocks, stands on the Grande-Couze, and has about 2000 inhabitants. Besse, 16 miles W. from Issoire, built on an enormous mass of black basalt, of which substance the houses ore constructed, stands on the Couze, and has 2096 inhabitants. In this town is a curious circular structure, which some think to be a temple of the sun, others an ancient baptistery. Two miles N.W. from Besse is the Lake Pavia, which occupies the crater of an extinct volcano, on a high mountain peak of the Mont-Dores. St.-Gerntain-Lembron, 6 miles S. from Issoire, has a population of 2135. Saux-Manges, 5 miles E. from Issoire, is a small place of 2049 inhabitants, who manufacture camlet, scythes, saw-blades, reaping-hooks, and leather.
4. Of tho fourth arrondissement, the chief town, Riots, is built on a hill above the Ambone, a feeder of the Allier, in 45° 53' 39" N. lat., 3' 6' 54" E. long., 1173 feet above the level of the sea, 9 miles N. from Clermont, and has 10,269 inhabitants in tho commune. The town is the scat of a High Court for the departments of Allier, Centel, Haute-Loire, and Puy-de-Dame ; It has tribunals of first instance and of commerce, and a college. The streets are wide ; the houses arc constructed with lava, and have an ancient look ; the courts of justice, the hospitals, and the residence of the prefect, are built in a good style. The whole town is surrounded by shady walks, one of which is adorned with a column in honour of Desaix, the hero of Marengo. Tim chapel built by Jean de Berry, first duke of Auvergne, in 1382, for the service of the ducal palace (now the court-houso), still remains entire, and contain magnificent windows of the boat period of glass painting. The other structures worthy of note are the cathedral, the oorn-market, and the reservoir, which is fed by an aqueduct. Linen, leather, and brandy are the chief manufactures; these article., together with wine, corn, hemp, fruits, nut-oil, and preserees, form the items of a considerable commerce. A igue-Perse, the birthplace of the chancellor Do l'Ilopital and the poet Delille, is • welidmilt little town, situated In a fertile wheat district, 9 miles N.E. from lliotn, and has 9053 inhabitants. Near it there is a miucral..pring gushing out from the
foot of a bill called Buttade-lontpensier, the summit of which com mands a magnificent view, and Is covered with the ruins of an ancient castle, demolished in 1637, by order of Cardinal Richelieu. The other towns are Kauai : among them is Ilandans, 15 miles N.E. from Riom, population 2149. Madame Addlaide, sister of King Louis Philippe, who was owner of the fine estate and splendid mansion that formerly belonged to the Polignacs near Randane, was a great benefactress to this town. The mansion commands fine views over a level country, with the mountains of Forez, the Puy-do-Dame, and the Mont-Doves in the distance.
5. The fifth arrondissement takes its name from Thiers, which stands on the crown and slope of a high hill, above the Durolle (a feeder of the 1)orel, 24 miles F.N.E. from Clermont, in 45° 51' 15" N. lat., 3' 83' 5" E. long., 1312 feet above the level of the sea; and has tribunals of first instance and of commerce, a consultative chamber of manufactures, a council of prnd'hommes, a college, and 99S4 inhabit ants. The town is very irregularly built, though some of the houses are good; and the streets are narrow, steep, and crooked. The sum mit of the hill presents a splendid view of the whole of the fertile district of Limagne and of the majestic mountains of Auvergne. The vicinity abounds in wild and picturesque sites, in juxtaposition with vine-clad hills and rich meadows. On the Lill slopes, and among the rocks along the left bank of the Durolle, are numerous small habita tions, all resounding with the noise of the hammer or the file. The Dnrolle, which runs through a narrow gorge called Trou-d'Enfer, close to the town, forms several small cascades, and drives the machinery of numerous iron-forges and paper-mills. The church of St.-Jean is the most remarkable building in this town. The leading manufactures are entlery, hardware, and paper ; broadcloth, sewing thread, ribands, playing-cards, chessmen, and leather are also made. CourTi2re, 8 miles S. from Thiers, on the left bank of the Dore, has a population of 3502, and manufactures of woollens, small wares, and pottery. Lezoux, situated in a fertile plain, 8 miles W. by S. from Tillers, is a pretty well-built town, with 3601 inhabitants, who manufacture pottery and leather. Meringues, situated 12 miles 1V. by N. from Thiers, near the confluence of the Merge with the Allier, is a well-built town, with numerous tan-yards for the manufacture of shoe- and glove-leather : population, 4109. St.-Remy, 3 miles N.E. from Thiers, has 4031 inhabitants, who manufacture superior cutlery.
The department forms the see of the bishop of Clermont ; is included in the jurisdiction of the High Court of Riom, and within the limits of the University-Academy of Clermont-Ferrand ; and belongs to the 20th Military Division, of which Clermont-Ferraud is heed quarters. It returns five members to the Legislative Chamber of the French empire. [AUVERGNE; CLERMONT•FEIIRAND.] (Didionnaire de la Prance; Annuaire pour l'An 1853; Annuaire du Commerce; O(lfcial Papers.)