Quebec, capital of the province of that name, is situated on a steep promontory on the north-west bank of the St Lawrence at its junction with St Charles River, 300 miles from the Gulf of St Lawrence and 180 miles below Montreal (172 by rail). The highest part of the headland is Cape Diamond, 333 feet above the level of the river. Quebec is the most important military position in Canada. The citadel occupies an area of 40 acres, and commands a magnificent view. The harbour is spacious, and the docks and tidal basin are perfect specimens of engineering skill. On the Levis side of the river is the extensive graving-dock. The city is divided into an Upper and Lower Town. In the latter are situated the banks, warehouses, and wholesale and retail stores. In the Upper Town are the principal residences, public buildings, churches, gardens, and retail shops. Towards the west are the thriving suburbs of St John, St Louis, and St Roch's. The last named has become a place of commercial importance, with its immense warehouses and stores. To the south-west of St John are the Plains of Abraham, the historic battlefield, where a column 40 feet high has been erected to the memory of General Wolfe. Another monument, 65 feet high, dedicated to Wolfe and Montcalm, is situated in the Governor's Garden, and immediately overlooks the St Lawrence. On the Ste Foye Road is an iron pillar crowned by a bronze statue, commemorating the deeds of the British and French under Murray and Levis in 1760. There is a shaft also to the memory of Cartier and the Jesuit Brébeuf. In 1898 a statue to Champlain (q.v.), founder of the city, was unveiled by Lord Aberdeen. In the Upper Town is Dufferin Terrace, 1400 feet long, commanding a noble view. The Grand Battery is also picturesque situated. Three handsome modern gates have replaced the old gates. The principal edifices are the parliamentary and departmental buildings, court-house, post-office, custom-house, city hall, masonic hall, basilica, the archiepiscopal palace, the Anglican Cathedral, Church Hall, and Young Men's Christian Association building. Laval University, named after the first Roman Catholic bishop of Quebec, who in 1663 founded the seminary, is an important institution, holding two charters, one from Queen Victoria (1852) and the other from Pope Pius IX. The building is spacious, well equipped, and contains a library of 90,000 volumes, a museum and art gallery, laboratory, &c. The faculties are theology, law, medicine, and arts. At the Grand Seminary theology is taught; the minor seminary is devoted to literature and philosophy. Other Roman Catholic halls of instruction are Laval Normal and Model School, the Ursuline Convent, the Convent of the Good Shepherd, and several nunneries. Morrin College, Presbyterian, is affiliated with McGill University. The principal benevolent institutions are the Marine Hospital, the Jeffrey Hale Hospital, the Hôtel Dieu, the Finlay Asylum, Church of England Female Orphan Asylum, Ladies' Protestant Home, St Bridget's Asylum, the Grey Nunnery, and the lunatic asylum at Beauport. Eight daily newspapers are published, five in the French language. The supply of water is continuous and good, and comes from Lake St Charles. The city is lighted with gas and electricity, the power for the latter being afforded by the Falls of Montmorency, 9 miles distant.
Quebec is connected with all the cities in America by various lines of railway, and is at the head of ocean steamship navigation to Europe. Shipbuilding has fallen off considerably of late years. The principal manufactures are worsted goods, iron-castings, machinery, cartridges, cutlery, nails, leather, musical instruments, boots and shoes, paper, tobacco, steel, &c. The chief exports are timber and lumber. The city has suffered from disastrous fires, which have led to improvement by the re-erection of finer buildings. The city elects three members to the Canadian House of Commons and three members to the Quebec House of Assembly. Quebec is the seat of the Roman
Catholic cardinal-archbishop and the see of the Anglican bishop. It was originally called Stadaconé, and was visited by Cartier in 1535. In July 1608 Champlain founded the town and gave it its present name. It continued to be the centre of French trade and civilisation, as well as of the Roman Catholic missions in North America, till 1759, when it fell into the hands of the British (see WOLFE). In 1763 it was ceded to Great Britain by the treaty of Paris. Pop. (1852) 42,052; (1881) 62,446; (1891) 63,090; in 1889 to the city proper was annexed the suburb of St Sauveur, with its population of 15,000.