New-York tribune., 1910-01-30
A large subsistence of the

floods over wide areas of the Continent. be-
gar over three weeks ago. That Paris
with the region round about. should be the
frst and chief sufferer. is due largely +o
her geographical situation The country in
which the city lies is a shallow sIIuvisI
basin. much of ii, like the lower Mississippi
valley below the river level. Through this
pIaln winds the Seine, concentration of
several large tributaries rising in widely
separated mountain regions and uniting in
the Seine above Paris It. therefore. takes
comparatively little rain or melting snow
In the uplands TO swell the Seine TO food in
its lower course. Among these tributaries
are the Aube, Disc, Yune, Loing and the
Marne
from It's mounta in source to the city the
seine follows direct course, keeping to its
broad main channel Entering the city,
narrowed between high masonry. 1t begins
series OF windings. Thus the concentrat-
ed floods OF all the wide drainage area in
Central and Eastern France pile up till
they leap over into the low waterfront
streets of the city, flood and burst its sew
ers and supways and undermine buildings
Add to these conditions the numerous ISL
ands that block the stream during its course
through the city and banks at its mouth
and the tidal hores that back up from the
sea, impeding the onrush in the channel, and
the conditions of disaster are complete.
PROGRESS OF THE WATER.
Day by day for the last week througs
have watched from the city's bridges as
the flood surpassed record after record.
Now, beginning above where the Seine en-
ters the fortiication, every quay is under
water, and practically the entire I1th Ar
rondissement. the largest in the city. is
submerged. the food extending back from
the Quai de Bercy and the Quai de la
Rapee to the Place de Ia Nation and the
Place de Ia Bastile- AS far as the Place du
Chatelet. behind the Quai des Celestins and
the Quai Henri " the old marsh is under
twelve feet Of water. The lower quarters
Of the lie st. Louis and the lie de Ia Cite.
where N0tre Dame is situated, and those
opposite are covered, as are the streets in
front of the Tuileries Gardens, the Louvre
and the Museum. The same is largely true
of the Place de Ia Concorde.- From there
in a rectangle bounded by the river and the
Champs Elysees. water surrounds the pal
aces to the depth Of four feet. -. -
The food stretches out below the Troca-
dero until at Auteuil II reaches back half
a mile On the left bank Of the Seine the
water reaches greater depth. Beginning
above the city, it covers most OF the 1oth
ACCOMPLISHMENT back as far as the Gonelln
factory, and thence except for Sainte-Gene-
We've Hill on which the Pantheon STANDS,
il is bounded by Saint-Germain Boulevard
10 a point back of the Palais Bourbon
This is the old Latin Quarter, including
the law courts. the Institute des Beau&
Arts. the Mazarin Palace aRd scientlhc pup
fishing houses.
The Foreign Office is likewise surrounded
The Esplanade des Invalfdes and all De-
,.,eer these and the Champ Mars, where
the FiffeI Tower stands. is covered FROM
there 70 the fortifications the Javel district
=. e,,hr,arped as far as the Rue Leourbe,
mile from the river In the Bois de Bou-
Ioene fortihcation the flood has reached the
Grand Cascade, and below the river Is
third Of q mile wide over the entire plah
opposite the Palisades
Among the buildings for which fear mas
beer entertained during the week are,
o,,vre. Tuileries, Hotel de Vile ana
T.Isis des Arts. on the right bank PalaiS
dc Justice. Hotel Dieu and Notre Dame Oh
the island: and ChamDer OF Deputies t4lIlei
Tower. Ingtitut de France, Hotel de Ia MOT
maze and Ecole des Beaux Arts on Ihe leiI
1ark II is now believed that their fouh-
da+;ons are safe and that the damage u
,be structures will be comparatively sLlgnl-
Perhaps the Parisans greatest apprehen-
sion has been for the Louvre, which WIN
the Tuileries, is their city's greatesI nl'
,orie treasure in secular architecture
crvpt of Notre Dame is flooded out ~
fear is felt for the cathedral Iouiion'''''
OUAYs AND SEWERS
one Of the greatest surprises OF tiie -
ent disacter has been the oreaAlhs u""
the quays. the system OF pro1eo. 49,,
NaDOieOn-
- scroe twenty-five feet above mean