El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-07
SFIGURING
IN THE WAR NEWS
Facts in Connection With
Places Often Mentioned
in European Fighting.

washington. D. c., Sept THE Ma
tional Geographic society has prepared
the following facts concerning places
that are figuring prominently in the
news Of the military operations in the
European war
RORDEAUX-A city Of southwest
ern France. $50 miles south Of south
west Of Paris on the Gironde river, bU
miles from the sea, and 10 miles from
the Spanish frontier. IN 1871 Ine CITY
had a DOpulatiOn Of 2bl,blo- Under
fbe Roman empire. Bordeaux became
a fIourishing commercial city, ana the
capital Of Aquitanla Secunqa- II De-
longed to the English kings from
1151 10 lA53. when IL was taken Dy
CHARLES VII of France. It was the
Headquarters Of the Girondists during
the revolution, and during me Iel5n
OF terror suffered severely IN 4otU
the French government was trans
ferred to Bordeaux from Tours (to
which Il had been moved from ParlsJ
on the approach Of the Germans 20
Tours. The trade Of Bordeaux, lle
fourth port of France is chiefly car
ried on by sea From 1000 to lzOO
vessels can be accommodated IN the
harbOr The most important Industry
IS Shipbuilding and retltJlng- IRON
clads and torpedo boats, as well as
merchant vessels. are constructed The
city is the center Of trade in Dor
deauX wines. Other principal exports
are brandy, hides and skins, sugar,
rice, wooden and cotton goods, salt
fish. chemicals. oilcake, pitwood, fruit
potatoes and other vegetables Ihere
are also flourmills, sugar refinerless
chemical works, machine shops and
City Of Amieas.
AMIENS--A city Of northern France
capital of the department Of Somme,
on the left bank Of the 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 q place OF great
strength, but boulevards, bordered by
handsome residences, have replaced
the ramQarts which surrounded Il.
The famous treaty between Great
Britain, France, Spain and Holland,
which took its name from Amiens, was
signed there on March p, 1902. Dur
Ing the war between France and Ger
man, Amiens, after an important ac-
ton. fell into the hands OF Prussians
on November IS 1870. Textile indus
tries, for which Aniens has been cele-
brated since the middle ages, include
manufactures Of velvet, cotton, wool,
silk, hemp and flax spinning, and the
weaving OF hosiery and a variety Of
mixed fabrics Machinery, chemicals,
backing, polish and sugar are also
manufactured. Amiens occupies the
site Of the ancient Samarobriva. CAPT
tai Of the Ambinai, from whom ii prob
ably derives its name.
Ancient battle-ground.
PERONNE-A town of northern
France on the right bank of the
Somme, at its confluence with the
Cologne, IS miles east by north of
Amiens by rail In 1885 Charles V.
besieged Peronne but without success
In its defence a woman called Marie
Foure greatly distinguished herself,
and a statue Of her stands in the
town Peronne's greatest misfOrtunes
occurred during the Franco-German
war. when IL was invested and bonn
har~ 7gIH Tn.a.- 70 Tn~n
uary 9, 1871. upon which date. on &C
count OF the sufferinss of the civil
population, among whom smallpox
had broken out, it was compelled to
capitulate- Its population approx
mates 5000
a Commanding City.
LAON--A town Of northern France,
81 miles northeast OF Paris, with
population Of about 1000 II 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 q straight
staircase OF several hundred steps
leads 10 the gate OF the town, and all
the roads connecting LaOn with the
surrounding districts are cut in zig
ZaES on the steep slopes LaOn forms,
with La Fere and Reims. a triangle Of
important fOrtresses- It's Notifications
consist Of an inner line Of works on
the eminence Of Laon itself and two
groups of detached forts. one some
two and a half miles southeast about
the village of Bruyeres, the other
about three miles west Of southwest,
near Laniscourt- In 1913 Napoleon
tried in vain to disIodge Butcher from
Laon. In 1870 an engineer blew up
the powder magazine Of the citadel
as the German troops were entering
A Wooden Center.
RETHEL-A town Of northern
France. 81 miles southwest OF Ne
ziereg by rail and % miles northwest
Of Reims on the right bank Of the
Aisne and the Ardennes canal Wool
spinning, the weaving Of light wooden
fabrics, and the manufacture of farm
implements are the principal indus
tries The town is Of Roman origin.
It's population IS approximately 5000.
Ia FERE-A fortified French town,
with about 5000 inhabitants, on the
Disc river. Is miles west of south of
St Quentin. an equal distance from
Laon, and So miles northeast Of Paris