The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-09-21
National Geographic
Society's War Primer

I. T
BORDEAUx-A city Of southwest.
ern France. 359 miles south of south
west Of Paris, on the Gironde river,
so miles from the sea. and 125 miles
from the Spanish frontier. In 1911.
the city had = population OF 261,67S.
Under the Roman empire, Bordeaux
became Z hcurishing commercial city
and the capital Of Aquitania Secunda.
It belonged to the English kings from
1854 to 1853, when It was taken by
Charles WI. OF France. It was the
Headquarters Of the Girondists during
the revolution, and during the reigh
OF terror suffered severely. In 1870
the French government was transfer
red to Bordeaux from Tours Ito
which It had been moved from Paris)
on the approach Of the Germans to
Tours. Tho trade OF Bordeaux. the
fourth port OF France, Is chiefly car
ried on by sea. From 1000 to 1900
vessels can be accommodated in the
harbor. The most important industry
Is ship-building and redtting. Iron
clads and torpedo boats, as we'll as
merchant vessels are constructed.
The city is the center Of trade In
Bordeaux" wines. Other principal
exports are brandy, hides and skins.
sugar. rice. WOODEN and cotton goods,
salt fish, chemicals. oil-cake, pitwood.
fruit, potatoes and other vegetables.
There are also -four mills, sugar re-
fneries. chemical works, machine
shops and potteries.
; AMIENSA city Of. northern
Ffahce, capital of the department. Of
Somme, on the left bank of the
Somme. 81 miles north OF Paris by
rail and IS miles from the English
channel. It's population Is approx
mately $4,000. The city was once a
place Of great strength, but boule-
wards, bordered by handsome resi-
dences, have replaced the ramparts
which surrounded It. The famous
treaty between Great Britain, France,
Spain and Holland. which took its
name from Amiens, was signed there
on March 25. 1902. During the war
between France and Germany, Amiens,
after an important action, fell into
the hands Of Prussians on November
%, 1870. Textile industries. for which
Amiens has been celebrated since the
middle ages, include manufactures of
velvet. cotton, wool, silk, hemp and
fiax-spinnfng, and the weaving Of hos
iery and variety OF mixed fabrics.
Machinery, chemicals. backing, pol
fish, and sugar are also manufactured.
Amiens occupies the site OF the an
cient Samarobriva, capital OF the Am
binai, 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, 35 miles east by north Of
Amfens by rail. In 1886 Charles v
besieged Peronne but without sue
cess. In its defense woman called
Marie Foure greatly distinguished
herself, and a statue OF her stands In
the town. Peronne's greatest misfor-
tunes occurred during the Franco-Ger-
man war, when 1t was invested and
bombarded from December %, 1870,
to January 8, 1871, upon which date,
on account Of the sufferings OF the
civil population among whom small
pox had broken out, 1t was compelled
to capitulate. It's population approxi-
mates 5000.
LAON-A town of northern France,
81 miles northeast Of Paris with a
population OF about 10000 It is stu
atsd on sansisolated 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
all the roads connecting Laon with
the surrounding districts are cut In
zigzags on the steep slopes. Laon
forms. with La Fere and Reims, q
triangle OF important fortressei. It's
Notifications consist Of an inner line
e