Meurthe-et-Moselle

Meurthe-et-Moselle, a department in the north-east of France, formed, after the treaty of 1871 with Germany, out of what remained of the former departments of Moselle and Meurthe. It has four arrondissements—Briey, Lunéville, Nancy, and Toul—an area of 2020 sq. m., and a pop. (1872) of 365,137; (1891) 444,150. The capital is Nancy. The department belongs to the plateau of Lorraine, has very fertile soil, producing corn, wine, potatoes, fruit, beet-root for sugar, hops, &c., and is drained by the Moselle and its tributaries. It has valuable iron-mines, and is the first department in France for iron and steel, and the third for glass; there are also important manufactures of pottery, woollens, cottons, chemicals, tobacco, paper, beer, artificial flowers, and embroidery-work. Rock-salt is mined in large quantities. In point of popular education it ranks second amongst the French departments, Doubs being first.