MALO, Sr, a city of France, in the department of the Ille-et-Vilaine, the capital of an arrondissement, to which it gives the name, containing 9981 communes or parishes, with 120,560 inhabitants. The city is forty-six posts or 220 miles distant from Paris. It is a sea-port, having the best harbour on this part of the coast of France; but it is difficult of access, from being surrounded by numerous islets and rocks. The town itself stands upon a rocky island called Aaron, connected with the continent by a tongue of land at the bottom of the bay. To this place there are several channels formed by the rocks, some of which extend three miles from the shore. The river Rance or Dinan enters the sea at the town, and ships are there secure on the sand, where at low water they are left dry. It is fortified both upon the land and sea side, and is defended by powerful forts, some of them on the rocks, the most formidable of which are called Vauban and Conche. The city contains
four churches, a marine hospital, a maritime court of law, an exchange, and a nautical college. The houses are 1600, and the population 9930. It has some foreign trade with England, Holland, and the Baltic; but one of its most lucrative branches is the Newfoundland fishery, to which many ships are annually despatched. The fishery on the shore of France is also, as well as the coasting trade, a source of employment. In time of war many privateers are fitted out here. There are several slips for building ships, and some manufactures of sail-cloth, cordage, and the other kinds of materials for furnishing ships. It is in longitude 2. 1. 11. W. and in latitude 48. 39. 3. N.