Brest

Brest, a strongly fortified city in the department of Finistère, one of the chief naval stations of France, is situated 389 miles by rail W. of Paris, on the north side of the Bay or Road of Brest. One of the finest harbours in Europe, the roadstead is formed by the promontory of Finistère on the north and Kelerun on the south, and is broken up into various bays formed by the mouths of streams as they enter the bay. The only entrance to the bay is by a narrow channel called Le Goulet, which is scarcely a mile wide, and is strongly defended by batteries; the difficulty and danger of access to hostile ships being increased by rocks in the middle of the channel. The roadstead from this entrance to the mouth of the Elon is about 6 miles in length. Under Napoleon III. £600,000 was expended on harbour and fortification works, and a further sum of £1,500,000 between 1883 and 1894. The small river Penfeld flows through the town; on its left bank is the town proper, on its right the suburb of Recouvrance, connected by a splendid iron swing-bridge (1861), 65 feet high, and 347 long. Brest is, on the whole, irregularly built on an uneven site, and has steep, narrow, dark, and very dirty streets. In some places, communication between the lower and upper parts of the town can be effected only by stairs. The fine promenade known as the Cours d'Ajot runs along the shore to the south of the town, and is planted with trees. There are an old castle, an exchange, town-house, naval hospital, lyceum, observatory, and public library. The manufactures include leather, wax-cloth, paper, and rope; the exports are chiefly beer, grain, brandy, and fish. Brest has extensive shipbuilding yards, rope-walks, storehouses, &c.; extensive quays, arsenals, and dry-docks; its industry is chiefly confined to the equipment of the navy in its various branches. It has telegraphic communication with America by a submarine cable. The Bagnes or hulks were closed in 1860, and the prison is now used as a storehouse. The splendid position of Brest made it an object of contention to French, English, and Spaniards. The Count of Leon ceded Brest to the first Duke of Brittany in 1040; it was given up to the English by Duke John IV. in 1372, but again came into the hands of the dukes; it was held by an English garrison till 1397. Again held by the English, it was retaken by the French, to whom it passed on the marriage of Louis XII. to Anne of Brittany. In 1631 Cardinal Richelieu resolved to make it a naval station, and commenced the fortifications, which were completed by Vauban, but have since been greatly extended. In 1694 the English under Lord Berkeley were repulsed here with great loss. In 1794 the French fleet under Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse was defeated off Brest by the English fleet under Admiral Howe. Pop. (1872) 66,272; (1886) 70,778; (1891) 75,854.