The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-18
THE SCENE OF WAR.
METZ AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.


ment-Metz, Thionville. and Forbach-The
Strategic Points.
The cable kilograms from Europe this morn
ing represent the French army as teing concen-
trated at and around Metz, in the Department
of Moselle. This city is the strongest strategic
point in the eastern part of France, and even if
the reports already received of Prussian ad-
vance upon it are premature, it will undoubtedly
be made the objective point of the first move
ments of King Williams forces. One report
speaks of Prussian advance into Moselle by
way of Forbach, on the railroad from Nancy to
Mannheim, but it is said to be only detached
corps and but little importance is attached to it.
Another report, however, which lacks confrma-
tion at this writing, speaks of an encounter be-
tween the French and Prussians near Forbach,
resulting in the defeat of the latter with loss
of 5000, while the French loss Is put at 1000
only. If this reported engagement should
prove to be unfounded it is quite probable that
a battle will take place in this locality within
short time, and we therefore present the follow
ing interesting matter in relation to the locality:
The Department of MoselIe
is situated on the frontier of France, and is
formed of parts of the old provinces of Lorraine
and French Luxembourg. 1t is located between
the Departments of Lower Rhine, Meurthe and
Meuse, and is bounded on the north by Belgium,
of 2O34 square miles, and a population Gin 1861
of 446, 457. The surface of the country is partly
covered with contreforts of the Ardennes and
Vosges mountains, forests also extending over
great portion of the soil. Through the Depart
ment flows the river Moselle from which it
takes its name, rising in the department of
Vosges and passing in its course Remiremont,
Epinal, Toul, Frouard, Pont-a-Mousson, Metz
and Thionville. 1t separates the duchy of Lux
embourg, now subject to the sovereignty of the
House of Orange-Nassau, which occupies the
throne of Holland, from Rhepish Prussia and
Joins the Rhine on the left of Coblentz. The
course of the river is tortuously N. n. E., and
its length 32S miles.
The Fortress of Metz,
the chief town of the department, is situated at
the confluence of the Moselle and the Seile,
and at the head of branch of the railway from
Paris to Strasbourg, 10 miles east of Paris.
Under the Romans Metz rose to considerable
importance, being traversed by six grand mill
tary roads. Under the descendants of Clovis it
became the capital of the kingdom of Austrasia
passing to the Emperor of Germany on the de-
cline of the House of Charlemagne. 1t wa
then strongly fortified as a barrier against
France, and allowed to possess an almost re-
publican freedom. In 1862 it ceased to be free,
claiming in that year the protection of France.
BY the revocation of the edict of Nantes it re-
ceived a blow from which it has never recov-
cred. In 1861 it had population of 56,8SS,
which has increased at the present time to about
$500.
Independently of its strategic aud military
Importance, Metz is place of some repute. 1t
has gothic cathedral whose spire towers to the
height of 373 feet, tribunal of commerce, a
national college, school of engineering, a
primary normal school, botanical garden, an
Academic UniUersitaire for the Departments of
Ardennes and Moselle, and public library con-
tanning 10000 Volumes. 1t has also important
manufactures of coarse woollen cloths, muslins,
thread, machinery, and musical instruments,
and an active trade, the town being general
el trepot for colonial and foreign merchandise.
Up to the year 1928 the town was nothing but
an assemblage of narrow streets, dirty and badly
built. 1t was under the active administration
of the Marshal of Belle Isle that it began to be
rejuvenated and ornamented. This impulse
once given was not arrested perhaps, indeed it
went too far More than one souvenir of the
ancient ages has been destroyed, which might
have given us some precious relics, for which
people search now in vain. But we cannot
regret the transformation which has given Metz
beautiful streets and courts, good wharVes we'll
built and delightful promenades The houses
are constructed solidly of stone, are generally
of very simple architecture, and have rarely
four floors. A great number have gardens
attached. Some streets on the right bank of the
Moselle are very steep, and are impossible fol
carriages. Confined now in narrower limits
than it was formerly, the city of Metz beholds
part of Its monuments, its abbeys, and it
churches replaced by immense fortifcations.
It has become not only one of the mos
strongly fortified places in France, but in al
Europe.
The FortffcatIous of Metz.
The fortified wall of Metz, ON which they
have not ceased working since French domina
ton began, and which the celebrated Cormon
saigne almost entirely altered q Little mof,
than hundred years ago, is so important, OF