The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-11-01
A DESERTED CITY IN ALsACE.
Strasburg in the Hands Of the Ger
mans-What Bismarck Means
by Annexation.
A WAR ON FRENCH COMMERCE..
Reports from Herald Corresp0ndents-An
Extraordinary Chapter Of the
History Of the Century.

NANCY, Oct 10, 1872.
am afraid this is rather sad story which has
been assigned to your correspondents here-ths
history OF the exodus from Alsace and Lorraine.
Your correspondents have made digent inr0ads
into every part OF the territory, and rendezvous
here with abundant information, material enough
for book II book writing were our business 1t is
very hard to separate what Is true from what Is
false in these Stories so as to give America fair
and true account of what has been done and what
Is now doing in Asace and Lorraine. Let 1t be our
business, however, as best we can, to sort this
mass OF evidence and information thoroughly and
weave together true story OF the annexation, its
effects upon France and Europe, the manner Of 1t,
what the future threatens and promises, and, above
all, to record that unexpected and astonishing
manifestation of patriotic feeling which now ex-
cites admiration and disappointment and pain
throughout Europe.
ALsACE AND LORRAINE.
Take an old map of France and look at what
might be called the right shoulder OF the map and
you will find a strip Of land about large appar-
emily, in comparison with France, as New Hamp-
shire is to country and not unlike it In shape,
stretching from Luxembourg and the Belgian
frontier down to Switzerland, buging out on tbs
line towards Paris as to include Metz, and taper
ing almost to point near Switzerland, SO as to
exclude Belfort This irregular patch, looking like
an inverted Indian club, includes the province Of
Asace and great part Of what Is called Lorraine,
and is now, perhaps, the most famous strip of
ground In the world; for the eyes of the world
are looking here amazed at certain phenomena
and historical transactions, and trying to solve
their meaning. AS you know, it is now disputed
land 1t has been In dispute fo2 twenty centuries,
and its fertile soil has been enriched with the
blood of generations of slain men, from the time Of
70 lboly Of Druss hnnd Trad
years ago Clovis conquered it, and although Charlie
magne was q benefactor the wars that
came with his successors channelled and
furrowed its fair fields. The Hungarians
went through 1t with fire and sword and
1t suffered under the religious wars which
swept over Europe in the sixteenth century, the
Swedes ''honoring God" in the most extravagant
and bloodthirsty manner. Then Louis XIv.-about
1600--to0k 1t. The Germans came to retake 1t, but
were defeated by Turenne. Again they made the
effort, but the great Condo drove them over the
Rhine. That ended German effort for nearly two
hundred years, and Alsace rested at peace under
the French rulers until Sedan undid the work OF
Condo and Turenne, and France, with Prussan
cannon at her gates, surrendered it to Prussia.
THE VALUE OF THE PROVINCES
In extent this dismembered shoulder of France
Is about five thousand five hundred and eighty
English square mles-not more than three per
cent OF the total area OF France; in population
about one million six hundred thousand souls or
nearly five per cent OF the total population. You
will see therefore that the rate OF population ex-
ceeds the average of the country. 1t has fine
canal system and many forests OF pine and oak.
There are quarres and coal mines, iron and stone
deposits, lead and copper, in limited guam
titles. In the earlier times there were
gold and silver, but not enough to ex-
cite any one in these Californian days. In the
Southern Department of Asace there are $4,000
acres given to the vine, which produced at the last
enumeration 80, 900 gallons Of wine. In the
Northern Department there are about $4,000 acres
In vines, yielding $4,000, 600 gallons OF wine. You
may know how generally the land is divided
thanks to the Revolutionl when you are told that
these $4,000 acres owned by $4,000 proprietors
The total revenue from cattle and stock raising in
the year last on record ISL 900 American dol
lars, while from agriculture the return showed
$2s,ooo oo0-onehalf from cereals 1t might be called
o land OF milk and honey remembering that there
are In this province alone 25 900 beehves where in
dustry Is not interrupted, take it, by any questions
OF authority or annexation. An ancient record
notes that the people, as become honest farmers,
were OF cheerful temper and much given to dane
ing and and adding. Among other points note that
the population is little more than twice aslarge 1t
was in 1900, and that If all France had kept grow
$4,000 900 instead ofneary 100000 that the books
have written down.
This briefly is the extent, appearance, character
and wealth OF that Alsace Lorraine which France
gave to Germany by treaty signed with the Prus-
sian sword at her heart The two columns upon
which the province rests are the cities OF Stras-
burg and Metz.
THE EXODUS FROM METZ.
The city OF Metz In ITS brightest days must have
been an unlucky town, smothered over with forts
and bitches and all the elaborate mechanism OF en-.
cheering art The great vauban accomplished
these results In Louis XIv.'s days. when that King
was doing little royal stealing his own account
and was anxious to protect his acquisition. Within
few miles Of It's gates the great battle OF Grave
lOtte was fought, where Prussia burst the French
army asunder, driving one fragment, under b.
zaine into Metz, to starvation and surrender; the
other fragment, under MacMahon, up into Sedan,
20 surrender with Its Emperor at the head. Grave
lotte looks very calm and fruitful this Autumn
morning, and shows no trace Of the gigantic strife
OF two years ago. The fields are giving
forth corn and hops and vines, and the
merry laugh OF the harvesters is heard where the
cannon sounded upon that dreadful day. AS your
correspondent passed down the road along which
the King Of Prussia advanced. looking out over the
rolling hilly plain thinking his own thoughts, there
came group which would have been made into q
nne picture by the pencil OF Teniers. donkey,
with ribbon or two around his neck by way OF
encouragement, was doggedy pulling small rude
cart. This was heaped with baskets Of ripe grapes.
In one corner, cunningy protected from self-de.
struction by an ingenious arrangement Of baskets,
was wide-eyed infant, just old enough to stand,
not knowing what the demonstrations meant, and
Its eyes firmly fixed on It's mother, who came plod.
ding behind, clappng her hands and chanting nur-
sery rhymes. An old man. with his stan, mar
shaIled the group with grave aspect, thinking no
do doubt, OF sadder things than grapes and wine.
Then came q struggling PROCESSION Of boys and