NANTES, a city of France, the capital of the arrondissement of the same name, in the department of the Lower Loire. It is one of the principal sea-ports of the kingdom, and owes much of its importance to its local situation. It stands in a fine country on the right bank of the river Loire, about thirty miles from its mouth, and opposite to the point where the river Sèvre falls into that stream. The entrance to the Loire is very dangerous, on account of the many sunken rocks near its mouth. Of these, the most remarkable are, Le Turque, uncovered at low water; La Couronne, a most dangerous reef, having ten fathoms of water close to it; and the Lamborde, a rock level with the water at low spring tides. These are all on the north-west side of the entrance; but on the southwest side the dangers to be avoided are, the Leven, a rock nearly covered at half tide; Pierre Percée, an islet, elevated about thirty feet above low water; the Bague-nard, another rock nearly covered at half tide, upon which a bank of sand is visible; the Grand Charpentier, Petit Charpentier, and La Vieille, three rocks of nearly equal height, and even with the sea at neap tides; and Les Mo-rées and La Truye, appearing about eight feet above the water at neap tides. The commercial importance of Nantes depends in a great measure upon the length of the river Loire, which is nearly 500 miles, and the means afforded, by the help of canals, which connect it with the Seine, the Rhone, and the Soane, of conveying to its harbour a portion of the productions of every department in France.

The trade by sea is shown by the number and tonnage of vessels which entered the port in the year 1831; the one being 3344, and the other 146,258 tons. Of the foreign ships, seventeen were British, estimated at 1780 tons. The amount of duty on exportation and importation, including that on salt, which is very heavy, was, in 1831, 15,100,374 francs, or L.575,000; in 1832 it amounted to 13,907,400 francs, or L.522,000. Nantes is also a place of considerable manufacturing industry. One of the most prominent branches is ship-building, includin g thefabrica-tion of cables, cordage, sailcloth, and anchors, wit h other articles made of iron. Weaving and spinning of woollen, linen, cotton, and silk, occupy a great number of hands. Glass and earthen ware are also made, and many hats, and much leather of all kinds. Sugar-mills, and other engines used in the sugar colonies, are extensively prepared, and the refining of sugar is a vast branch of trade. There are also many distilleries, in which the most delicious cordials are prepared, and possess great celebrity.

Nantes is finely situated on the banks of the river, some islands in which are covered with houses. Though many of the buildings are old and not regular, some are handsome, especially in the parts recently erected. „The fortifications have been destroyed, and are now formed into fine promenades. The river, which is very wide, is crossed by a succession of bridges connecting the five islands, and the passage over them is nearly three miles. The city has seventeen churches, and several other public buildings, amongst which is the cathedral built in the Gothic style. There is a university, a lyceum, an anatomical and naval school, a public library, a botanic garden, and a cabinet of natural history. There is likewise a theatre. This place is remarkable in history for the edict which gave freedom to Protestantism, and for the horrible cruelties perpetrated in it during the Revolution, by means of the noyades. The city contains 87,500 inhabitants. The arrondissement in which it is situated extends over 776 square miles, and is divided into seventeen cantons, and sixty-seven communes, containing 205,627 inhabitants. Long. 1. 22. 44. W. Lat. 47. 13. N.