The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1870-08-25

it had not been taken, and even after
the treaties of 1915, and the occupa-
sion cf Palis by the foreigner, Metz
was enabled to preserve her uhsta!ne''
reputation, and BY the capitulaticn the
reircating armies Of Germany and Rus
sja were preclulcd rrom entering the
city. 1t is situated on the River No
sclle, which divides here, and leaves an
island and fortifcation includes not only
the city proper, hrt extend to con
sidcra5l. distancc beyond the opposite
bank Of the river. 1t is strongly car,
risoncd, and thongh the Prnssl1n plan
of campaign seems to be to leave all
their ror,rcsscs strong places in their
rear, ana to nlarch forward, this pan:
50 valaab!c in success, will lead to some
terrible consGducMccs snou!d fortune
turn agl;nst ilmm. Then Metz and
other French fortrcsscs would vomIt
for h their defenders on III retreat n
foe, AMI cxtcrminatc then utterly. 1t
may be Part of Napo'e Ms scheme t.
draw them OF into the in!tr Or, whcr4
a lost battle would bc fatal AMI over
whclming, especially as if their presence
would rouse the spirit Of the whole
French people at the outrage OF for
cion invasion of Tic sacred soil.
Chalons, the chief city in the depart:
ment of Marine, 107 miles from Paris
on the direct railroad line, has 1900
inhabitaats. The city is handsomely
built, but owes its present celebrity
less to its beauty either Of architecture
sor of situation than to the Circumstance
of its being the point chosen by Lou $
Napoleon for his training camp and
Champ de Mars of the French army,
Here it was that in the days of the
Presidency he won the affection of the
so!diery by his soliciiude for their com
forts, cyinccd even in triling additions
of luxury and allowances to their IA.
tions. The camp has been laid out and
arranged in a way that should faci tate
the rapid requirement by the recruit of
the soidicrly habits with the least posi-
bic outlay of wealth or convenience. The
soldiers were instructed not oniyin the
minute ofrGrill.and discipline, but in all
the little economies aud arts Of the
manage which go to make the'scanty
allowances of the private and non-com-
missioncd officer in the French army suf-
icient fcr'his simple wants. Chalons
was curious spectacle; not only field
of arms and military exercises, but
military colony, in which the arts of
civil life were carried on and soldiers
we're domcsticatcd as nation OF celc'
brates. They cooked, washed, baked,
gardcned, and tailored, aud did simple
mechanical trades for themselves.
Besides its modern rcpute'as train
ing school, Chalous has its memories OF
history. Great battles have been fought
against barbarian invaders. Here in
275, Aurelian, the con4ueror of Zeno,
bia, gave Terticus and his rcbcllious le-
sions a desperate defeat. Here, too,
in 451 Eiius, the great Roman Gene
raj of the Lower Empire, the last of the
patriots, defeated Attila, the Hun,
with overwhelming slaughter. Chalons
had its share in the intestine wars Of
France, in the civil dissensions Of the
Froude, ard the subsequent contentious
of Catholic and Protestant that ended
i siinstsssn coronation Of uenrz- LLlk.-lsr-I.he-
Curious mlddle-age satlsieai cuftoli, q .,
the Bishop of Fools was preserved at,
Chalons, in which priests made fools OF
themselves before the people, who Tor
the noncc were permitted to laugh at
and mock the prctcnsions and abuses OF
Holy Mother Church, Among the
public establishments CT Chalons the
military and training school are instruc.
tion of students in the intellectual and
scientific departments Of knowledge,
but for preparing them in the arts, and
Qualifying them as professors and
prac;icblc teachers of industries. The
Camp works include artillery, cavalry
and Infantry barracks-pcrmanent build
ings-with the headquarters, churches,
magazines, administrative departments,
hospitals, coifee-houses and restaurants,
theatre, stores, street railroad, gas
and water apparatus. The camp OF
Chalons has sometimes been incorrectly
called and entrcnched camp, but it is
rather vast military school than either
Il camp or defensive work. In the
vicinity are the remains Of the camp OF
At,ila, consisting Of ditch and parapet, in
carthworks similar to those laid out by
the Roman lcgionarics, of which des-
cri2tions arc to be found in all Latin
military books.
W.. II - evident