e of
steamers using the port is the South American service of the Messageries
Maritimes. The total value of the exports and imports of Bordeaux
averages between 25 and 26 millions sterling yearly. Of this amount
exports make up 13-1/2 millions, of which the sales of wine bring in about
one quarter. The city is the centre of the trade in "Bordeaux" wines,
and the wine-cellars of the quays are one of its principal sights. Other
principal exports are brandy, hides and skins, sugar, rice, woollen and
cotton goods, salt-fish, chemicals, oil-cake, pitwood, fruit, potatoes
and other vegetables. The chief imports are wool, fish, timber, rice,
wine, rubber, coal, oil-grains, hardware, agricultural and other
machinery and chemicals. A large fleet is annually despatched to the
cod-fisheries of Newfoundland and Iceland. The most important industry
is ship-building and refitting. Ironclads and torpedo-boats as well as
merchant vessels are constructed. Railway carriages are also built. The
industries subsidiary to the wine-trade, such as wine-mixing, cooperage
and the making of bottles, corks, capsules, straw envelopes and wooden
cases, occupy many hands. There are also flour-mills, sugar-refineries,
breweries, distilleries, oil-works, cod-drying works, manufactories of
canned and preserved fruits, vegetables and meat, and of chocolate.
Chemicals, leather, iron-ware, machinery and pottery are manufactured,
and a tobacco factory employs 1500 hands.

Bordeaux (_Burdigala_) was originally the chief town of the Bituriges
Vivisci. Under the Roman empire it became a flourishing commercial city,
and in the 4th century it was made the capital of Aquitania Secunda.
Ausonius, a writer of the 4th century, who was a native of the place,
describes it as four-square and surrounded with walls and lofty towers,
and celebrates its importance as one of the greatest educational centres
of Gaul. In the evils that resulted from the disintegration of the
empire Bordeaux had its full share, and did not recover its prosperity
till the beginning of the 10th century. Along with Guienne it belonged
to the English kings for nearly three hundred years (1154-1453), and was
for a time the seat of the brilliant court of Edward the Black Prince,
whose son Richard was born in the city. An extensive commerce was
gradually developed between the Bordeaux merchants and their
fellow-subjects in England,--London, Hull, Exeter, Dartmouth, Bristol
and Chester being the princ