SEINE-ET-3IARNE, a department of France, bounded N. by the department of the Oise, N.E. by that of Aisne, E. by those of Marne and Aube, S.E. by those of Yonne and Loirat, and IV. by Seine-ct Oise. Its greatest length from north-north-east to south-south-west is 74 miles; its greatest breadth 45 miles. The area is 22811 square miles. The population in 1841 was 833,311; in 1851 it amounted to 345,076, giving 15P23 inhabitants to a square mile, or 23'35 below the average per square mile for the whole of France. The department is named from its two chief rivers, and formed out of portions of Brie and (Mina's, divisions of Champagne and Ile-de-France.
There are no mountains in the department, nor any hills of consi derable elevation ; the highest are in the southern part. The surface is generally undulating. The south-east part is occupied by the formations of the eretaeequs group ; the rest by the tertiary forma tions of the Paris basin. Good building-stone is quarried at Chateau Landon and Nemours, and sandstone fitted for pavement in the neighbourhood of Fontainebleau. The best millstones in Europe are dug at La Fertd-sous-Jouarre, on the Marne, and good alabaster is quarried. Peat is dug iu come parte ; and sand, which is valuable for making flint-glass, is procured near Fontainebleau. There are mineral waters at Provins.
The department is included in the basin of the Seine, which river crosses it from east to west, forming a crescent, convex towards the south, and passing by Bray, Montereau, and Matto ; it is navigable throughout. The Marne also crosses the department from east to west, not far from the northern boundary; its channel is very windiug, and navigable throughout ; it passes La Fert6-eous-Jouarre, Meaux, and Lagny. The Yonne has a small part of its course in this depart ment, just above its junction with the Seine, which takes place on the left bank of the latter river, at Montereau : it is navigable in all that part which belongs to the department. The Loing crosses the southern boundary near Chiltesu-Landon, and flows northward past Nemours and 3Ioret, into the Seine, which it joins on the left bank; it is not navigable, except in those places where it forme part of the line of the Loing Canal. The Suzein, the Be; and the Lunain, feeders of the
Loing, have part of their course in this department The Ydrea rises in the department, and flows westward past Rosoy and Chalines into the adjacent department of Seine-et-Oise, where it joins the Seine : it receives the Yeron. The Essonne, another feeder of the Seine, just touches the south-west border. The Marne receives the Petit Morin and the Grand Morin on the left bank, and the Ouroq on the right bank ; only a part of the course of these rivers belongs to this depart, :vent. The Ourcq and the Grand Morin are navigable; the former throughout that part of its course which belongs to this department, and the latter from above Cr6cy. The Grand Morin receives the Aubetin. In the central and eastern districts of the department are a number of pools, in which vast numbers of fish are bred.
There are two canals in the department, that of Loing, which follows the valley of the Loing. and unites the Loire with the Seine; and that of Ourcq, which follows the valleys, first of the Ouroq and then of the Marne, to the village of Annet, between Meaux and Lagny, and then leaves the valley of the Marne to take another direction to Paris. It opens a communication between the Ourcq and Paris, and is especially designed to supply tho capital with water. The total inland navigation of the department amounts to about 225 miles.
Common roadway accommodation is afforded by 10 state roads, 83 departmental, and 25 communal roads. The department is traversed by the Paris-Strasbourg railway, which passes through Meaux and La Fert4S-sons-Jouarre by the Paris-Dijon line, which passes Melon, Fontainebleau, and Montereau ; and by the branch from Montereau to Troyes. A line has been recently authorised to be laid down from Paris across the department, through and Provins to join the Troyes line at Nogentour-Seine, just beyond the eastern border, io the department of Aube.