The Alaska daily empire., 1914-08-22

J 1t was the residence of the Roman Emperors and later became the seat of the powerful archbishops of Treyes, who held temporal sway over vast territories.
 Franee's Fortified Cities.
 Beginning again in the south, just west of the Swiss boundary, and fol lowing the line of French forts which oppose the German strongholds above mentioned, one meets first the rock built Besancon which rises, grim and threatening, above maze o fpeace, ful vinyards. Caesar knew the place, but he called it yesontio or Beson- tium, and drove Sequani from it's na- tuarl fortress in 5S B. c.
 The city is one of the strongest and the best built in all France represent ing the finest work of Vauban. Forts have been erected on all of the hills about the city and every possible means of approach by hostile forces is safeguarded. It is a beautiful city, with its wide we'll laid streets, it's fountains, its statuary and it's gardens. Chief among its industries Is the man. ufacture of time pieces, and statistics show that 100000 watches are ship ped from Besancon annually. The Arch of the Emperor Aure- Han erected in 275 still stands and Is one of the many points of interest in Besancon,
 Belfort, 47 miles northeast of Bes, ancon, has long war history which will preface the tales of the present struggle in the annals yet to be writ ten. In 1874, just one hundred years ago, it successfully withstood the on- slaught of the Allies. In 1870 after holding out with great bravery again st the Germans, it was forced to capi- tulate, though the records state that such was the bravery of the garrison defending it that they were allowed to march out with full military hon ors. This defense is commemorated by the huge "Lion of Belford," the work of Bartholdi, which stands in front of the Citadel.
 Beliort, with the district immediate ly surrounding 1t, Is the only part of the Department of Haut Rhin which remained to France after the cession of Alsace to Germany in 1871. The principal trade of the district Is con- cerned with wines and grain.
 Next north in the line of defense Is Epinal, situated in very narrow val ley on the Moselle, another well built town protected by modern fortifica- tions of great strength which are To- cated on the surrounding hills. A monument commemorates the victims of the war of 1870 when the Germans occupied the town after a brief battle. Wine, grain, and cutlery form Its chief exports.
 Almost due north of Epinal is Lune- vile where was concluded the famous Peace of Luneville in Frebruary, 1901, the treaty which sounded the death knen of the Holy Roman Empire, which confirmed the peace of Campo Formio, and which gave to France the left bank (west) of the Rhine upon the notifications of which she is today passing her hope of success against Germany. Luneville is at the point of confluence of the Meurthe and Ve- souze rivers, 16 miles east-southeast of Nancy, and among other points of history, it's records claim the birth of Emperor Francis l.
 Nancy is divided into old and a new town, the former quaint, irregular and winding, the latter spacious, well biult, and claiming many fine public buildings and handsome residences. Nancy is the headquarters of the 2Oth Army Corps, is the capital of the De partment of Muerthe-et-Moselle, and is built on a fertile plain on the left bank of the Muerthe 21S miles east of Paris.
 The most memorable event in the annals of the city is the battle fought under it's walls by Rene II who sig nally defeated and killed the Duke of Burgundy, sometimes known as Charles the Bold. In August, 1870, it was surrendered to the Germans who occupied the city for three years.
 Its population is largely Alsation, much of 1t being acquired after the annexation of Alsace to Germany.
 Directly west of Nancy is the fort ress of Toul which Is one of the chief strategic points on the eastern frontier of France. Toul has many fine ex- amples of renaissance architechture which are still quite perfect, perhaps the most important of these Is the Church of St. Etlenne, the "church of the twin towers"
 For years Toul was the seat of a bishopric. During the middle ages It was an imperial free city and was taken by Henry II of France in 1552, being formally annexed to France in 164S. In 1870 1t was besleged by the Germans and capitulated in Septem- Der. Toul is one the Moselle IA miles due west of Nancy and is very strong ly fortified
 Verdun and Chalons the one of the Mouse and the other on the Marne, are the two forts which form the end to Frances long parallel lines of de- fense. As a city, Verdun is another example of the fineness of yauban's work, it's history beginning in the ten tn century when it passed to the hands of the Germans. Later it was made an imperial free city and in 1851 was occupied by Henry II of France.
 With it's territory 1t was annexed to Erance in 16AS and dnrlng the wear