Evening journal., 1914-09-07

Under the Roman Empire, Bordeaux /
became a flourishing commercial city, !
and the capital of Aquitania Secunda.
II belonged 10 the English kings from
1854 to 1853, when it was taken by
Charles VII, of France. 1t was the
Headquarters Of the Gironists during
the Revolution, and during the Reign
of Terror suffered severely. In 1870
the French government was transfer
red TO Bordeaux from Tours Ito which
| Il had been moved from Paris) on the
approach Of the Germans to Tours. The
citv is the center of trade in "Bor-
deaux" wines. other principal ex-
ports are brandy, hides and skins,
sugar rice. wooden and cotton goods,
salt fish. chemicals, oil-cake, pit
wood. fruit, potatoes and other vege-
tables. There are also flour mills,
sugar refineries, chemical works, a.
chine shops and potteries.
AMIENS-A city of northern France,
capital of the department OF Somme,
| 81 miles north of Paris by rail and 80
miles from the English Channel. Its
population is approximately $4,000
The city was once a place OF great
strength, but boulevards, bordered by
handsome residences, have replaced
! the ramparts which surrounded It. The
famous treaty between Great Britain
, France. Spain and Holland, which
took its name from Amiens, was sign
ed there on March %, 1902. During
the war between France and Germany
Amiens, after an important action, fell
into the hands of Prussians on NO
vember %, 1870. Textile industries,
| for which Amiens has been celebrated
since the Middle Ages, include manu-
features of velvet, cotton, wool, silk,
hemp and flax-spinning and the weav-
ing of hosiery and a variety of mixed
I fabrics. Machinery, chemicals, black
1 ing, polish, and sugar are also manu-
featured. Amiens occupies the site OF
the ancient Samarobriva, capital OF
the Ambinai, from whom it probably
derives its name.
} PERONNE-A town of northern
France on the right bank of the
Somme, at its confluence with the
Cologne, 80 miles east by north Of
Amiens by rail. In 1886 Charles V.
besieged Peronne, but without sue
cess. In its defence a woman called
, Marie Foure greatly distinguished
herself, and a statute of her stands in
the town. Peronne's greatest misfor-
tunes occurred during the Franco
German War, when it was invested
and bombarded from December 2S,
1870, to January 8, 1871, upon which
date. on account of the sufferings OF
the civil population, among whom
} smallpox had broken out, it was COM
PEELED to capitulate. It's population
approximates 5000.
LAON-A town of northern France
e. 81 miles northeast of Paris. with q
population Of about 1000. It is sit
uated on an isolated ridge which rises
some $50 feet above the surrounding
plain and the little river OF Ardon
From the railway station a straight
staircase of several hundred steps
leads to the gate Of the town, and al
the roads connecting Laon with tht
surrounding districts are cut in zig
/, Gags on the steep slopes. Laon forms
I with La Fere and Reims, a triangle o
important fortresses. It's fortification
= consist of an inner line of works OF
! the emince of Laon itself, and TIVE
! groups of detached forts, one SOM
two and a half miles southeast abou
= the village of Bruyeres, the othe
- about three miles west Of southwest
near Laniscourt. In 1914 Napoleon
tried in vain to dislodge Blucher from
Laon. In 1870 an engineer blew NJ
the powder magazine of the citadel a
the German troops we're entering tn
town.
RETHEL--A town Of northern
France, 81 miles southwest of Meziere
by rail. and 23 miles northwest o
Reims. on the right bank of the Aisn
and the Ardennes Canal. Wool spin
ming, the weaving of light woolen ia
brics. and the manufacture Of farn
implements are the principal indus
tries. The town is of Roman origin
Its population is approximately 5000
LA FERE-A fortified French towr
a'h about 5000 inhabitants, on tn
NFse River. 13 miles west Of south O
st. Quentin. an equal distance fror
Laon. and 65 miles northeast of Pari:
It was bombarded and taken by tn
Germans in 1S70A school of artiller
founded in 1913 is located here. A
art collection of five hundred paint
ings, a few OF which are of great valu
and several of which we're injured b
the bombardment, is owned by tn
town.
DANZIG-A strong maritime fort
ress and seaport, the capital Of Yves
Prussia, on the western bank Of tn
Vistula, 253 miles northeast Of Bel
lin by rail. It's population is close
175.0O0. The strong fortification
which, with ramparts, bastions an
watered bitches, formerly entirel
surrounded the city, we're remove
on the north and west sides in 1885,
1896. The remainder of the massiy
defences remain with 20 bastions.
the hands Of the military authoritie
the machinery for flooding the SUI
rounding country on the eastern sit
has been modernized. The wester
side is defended by a Gordon Of for
crowning the hills. There are lars
establishments for the manufacture
arms and artillery. Vessels of Il
largest size are built in the Dams
ship yards. The city suffered sever
ly through various wars in the IL
and 18th centuries. In 1870 IL w
captured by the French, and NapOle'
declared II free town. 1t was Civ
back to Prussia in 1914.
THORN-A fortress town OF We
Prussia, on the Vistula. IL miles fro
the Russian frontier. It's positi
commanding the passage OF the v
tula makes il a point Of strategic Il
portance: it was strongly fortified
1918, and in 1878 was converted into