an ancient and strong town of France, in the department of Gironde. It is situated on the river Gironde, has a harbour much frequented by foreigners, and the ships which sail to Bordeaux are obliged to leave their guns here. The river is 3800 yards broad at Blaye; for which reason a battery was built upon an island in 1689, to command the vessels that sail up. The city is built on a rock, and has a citadel with four bastions, which is called the Upper Town. The lower town is separated from the upper by a small river; and in the lower town the merchants reside with their magazines. The neighbourhood produces a great deal of corn, which they send abroad when the exportation of it is allowed. W. Long. 1. 23. N. Lat. 45. 6.