Marseille

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

a city, principal commercial seaport of France, on the Mediterranean, and capital of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône; on the Gulf of Lyons. It lies in the form of an amphitheater round a natural harbor of moderate size now known as the Old Harbor. From the inner end of the harbor runs inland one of the finest of the city thoroughfares, called the Cannebière next the harbor, while at right angles to this another great thoroughfare or broad avenue runs through the city. Though a handsome city as a whole, Marseilles is not rich in public edifices. The most deserving of notice are the large new cathedral in the Byzantine style; the Church of Notre Dame de la Garde, on a hill of the same name; the Church of St. Victor; the Hôtel de Ville; the Prefecture; the Palais des Arts de Longchamp, with picture gallery and natural history museum; the exchange; public library; and town is entered on the side of Aix. The the triumphal arch through which the harbor is strongly defended by various works. What is called the New Harbor consists of a series of extensive docks along the shore to the W., with a protecting breakwater in front. In recent times Marseilles has made great progress in its extent, street improvements, population, and commerce, largely owing to the conquest of Algeria, and the opening of the Suez Canal. The most important manufactures are soap, کھا soda, and other chemical products; also olive and other oils, sugar, machinery, iron and brass work, candles, glass, earthenware, etc. The trade is chiefly in soap, olive oil, wine, brandy, corn, flour, dried fruits, tobacco, wool, skins, iron, cotton, etc. Marseilles was founded by a colony of Greeks from Asia Minor about 600 years before Christ, the original name being Massalia. It attained great prosperity as a Greek colonial cenand the Greek language is said to ver, ter, have been spoken here till several centuries after Christ. It was taken by Cæsar in 49 B. c. On the decline of the Roman Empire it became a prey to the Goths, Burgundians, and Franks. In 735 it fell into the hands of the Saracens, and in the 10th century it came under the dominion of the counts of Provence, and for some centuries after followed the fortunes of that house. During the World War of 1914-1918 Marseilles became a great military and naval port. Pop. about 600,000. MARSEILLES-RHÔNE CANAL. This important waterway was authorized in 1903 and completed in 1916. The remarkable feature of the canal is a tunnel made necessary by the Nerthe range. The canal opens waterways in France and central Europe starting from Marseilles. It is without locks and is main. tained at sea-level throughout its course of 50 miles. With its tributaries it forms a series of waterways navigable for the heaviest barges for 350 miles.