CHERBOURG, A fortified seaport town and arsenal of France, in the Department of Manche, at the mouth of the Divette River and at the head of a deep bay on the northern ex tremity of the peninsula of Cotentin, on the Eng lish Channel (Map: France, E 2). Among its prominent buildings are the Church of Sainte 'I'rinit(' (Fifteenth Century), lately restored, in front of which is a bronze statue of Napoleon I.; that of Saint Clement; the de Ville: the marine library, containing 25,000 volumes; the museum and theatre. It owes its: importance to its defensive and naval works. Napoleon I. began to build the great defenses of this northern stronghold of France. His nephew. Napoleon III., developed his plans, but not with the original view of an invasion of England. Occupying a prominent position on the French coast, only some 60 miles removed from the southern shore it England, the harbor works have been extended, strengthened, fortified, and provided with cannon, the doekvards improved. and facilities of em barkation afforded. The vast breakwater of Cherbourg ineloses a space of nearly 2000 acres. In connection with its fortifications, this breakwater assumes an importance that attaches to no other work of the kind in ex istence. At the apex of the angle formed by the meeting of the two branches of the break water, or dignc, there is a central fort or bat ter•, measuring 509 feet On the inner line 01 the parapet, which forms a flat senii-ellipse. The circular forts at the extremities of the breakwater are remarkably well placed for pur poses of defense. Behind the centre battery there is an elliptical tower, measuring 225 feet. on the major and 123 feet on the minor axis. The en trances to the harbor are around the. end of the mole; and the passages are further defended by the fortitieations of the Ile and by the bat teries of La Roche CU vaignae and Fort Querque ville. A series of coast redoubts, and the two large fortifications of Les Roches des Flamands and 4111 Miot, are situated behind this outer zone of defense. Besides batteries on the mole,
Cherbourg is defended by many regular forts and redoubts. The town itself is commanded by the towering fort and mountain of La Locale, and Fort. d'Octeville, on the heights behind. The military port of Cherbourg, comprises it small outer harbor the entrance to which is 206 feet wide at its narrowest point. This harbor coin nmnientes by means of a lock with a floating basin, 957 feet long by 712 feet wide. The outer harbor has four building slips for fir•t class ships, besides some smaller slips and a fine graving-dock. In August, 185S. an inner floating harbor was opened. This harbor, entirely cut out of solid rock, has a length of about 930 yards and a breadth of 437 yards, and is sur rounded by building slips and capacious graving docks. Cherbourg has a safe and commodious commercial port quite distinct from the other, situated on the southeast. Among its numer ous industries are ship-building. sugar-refin ing, lace-making, tanning, and dyeing. The United States is represented by a consular agent. Population in 1901, of town, 36,326; of com mune, 42.935.
Cherbourg is a town of Gallic origin, and is identified with the Roman CorioUnto. In the Ilundred Years' War it was captured by the Eng lish (1418) after a siege of four months, but was regained by Charles VII. in 1450, after which it remained in the hands of the French. Louis XIV. attempted to make it a military fort, but the works were dismantled in 1659. In 1758 the English inflicted severe damage upon the fortifi cations. On June 19, 1864, the Confederate cruiser Alabama steamed out of Har bor to meet the Federal war-ship Kearsorgo, and during the historic fight that ensued was de stroyed about nine miles from the harbor.