Alsace-Lorraine

Province of the German empire, ceded by France 1871. Area, 5,668 sq. m. Pop., 1890, 1,603,506, of whom ab. one-eighth are of French origin. It sends 15 representatives to the Reichstag. More than three-fourths of the people are Catholics. Alsatia. Sanctuary for debtors and law-breakers in White friars, London, till 1697; described in Scott's Fortunes of Nigel