The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-10-05
Elsa ne and I.hrrainE


As from indications, Prussia will absorb these prov
inces, even if much more be not damanded of France
in the form OF money contributions" we append
brief statement Of their extent and population, pre-
missing that they contain the modern departments o
! Muse, MoseIle, Meurthe, Vosges, Lower Rhine ant
| Upper Rhine.
The department Of Meuse has 6l03 square kilome
tres "a kilometre is about two-thirds of mile)
about 400 900 inhabitants 1t is subdivided into fou
districts, arrondissements-Bar, Commercy Verdun
Northumberland produces iron olives, grain, marble
and stone in abundance, and is great manufacturing
centre principally Of linen and cotton goods, bonnets
and sweetneats.
In the department of Moselle there is population
of near half million and an area of 1927 square ko
metres. It is another manufacturing centre of grea
Importance. Its capitol is Metz. This city has eve
been regarded very important stronghold lsitua
ted Just in the middle Of the territory comprising tn'
six above named departments and is the only lmpor
tant point now held by the French in either OF tn
two provinces It is two hundred and twenty mile
northeast of Paris, and has population OF $4,000
engaged in extensive manufacturing and commerce
The reader of history will remember that Metz ha
frequently played important part in the earlier Ger
man wars In 923 it fell into the hands of the I'm
peror of Germany, Henry the Bird, and remained ii
the power of Germany until 1862, when the Frencf
conquered it. Charles attempted to recover it III
the next year. but was successfully defended by the
Duke of Guse though up to 1850 the bishops OF Metz
continued to consider themselves the subjects or Vas
sails of the German empire.
The depsrtment of Meurthe has 6100 square kilo
metres of territory and population of 100000 in.
habitants. Nancy is its capitol
Vosges is the next department to the south, with
nearly large population and area of $500 square
kilometres.
The Lower Rhine department was formed out of the
north of Alsace, has population of 100000 and
area of 4647 square kilometres The agriculture Of
this department is said to be the most perfect in
France every kind of grain, vegetables the beet root
mustard etc., growing there abundantly. Its caret
wines celebrated. CAN kinds of linen and cotton
goods, playing cards. straw hats Candles thereben.
thine, tartar mineral acids and chemical products gen.
orally firearms mineral waters are largely exported
Strasbourg is its capitoStrasbourg, the great com.
mercia centre--the heart whence radiates the main
arteries of trade of that region 1t is moreover eel
ebrated for its numberless works of art among which
the marvellous clock Of which every school boy has
read. The bombardment and destruction of this city
is crime against civilization, for which Prussia will
will stand arragned before posterty if as commended
by some military critics the editor of the New
Orleans Times among them-ts bombardment was
useless upon the ground that the French garrison was
not large enough to threaten the line of communica-
pnfth no prpS nd in
bourg would necessarily fall into their hands.
In the Upper Rhine the population exceeds $50, 900,
and the is about 1000 square Kilometres Its
principal city is Colmar.
Thus to recapitulate, that the territory COW
eted and likely be acquired by Prussia comprehends
the following departments: