The Washington herald., 1914-09-04
Roye, Outpost of Paris,
May Feel German Steel
Broad Grain Fields of This Little French Forti-
fled Town May Be Tramped Under Feet
of Invaders Pushing NoW on Capital
Other Places Described by National
Geographic Society.

Roye. a town Of Northern France. not
far from Paris, which is likely to be the
scene Of an important engagement in tn"
defense OF the French capital, is one OF
the towns described in the primer OF the
National Geographic Society. The primer
follows:
"Reims (Rheims)-A city Of Northeastern
France. eightyfive miles east Of northeast
OF Paris, situated in a plain on the right
hank OF Nesle, and on the canal which
connects the Aisne with the Marine. II
Is one OF the six cities, each of them
with numerous forts, constituting the sec
ond line Of defense to the north and east
of Paris. In 1874 the construction of
chain OF detached forts was begun in the
vicinity of Reims. Thirteen fortresses
have been built in a perimeter not quite
tU enty-two miles in length and at a mean
distance of six miles from the center Of
the city. The hills on the Paris side are
open and unguarded. The city is the chief
wool market in France. The manufac-
ture of champagne, machinery, chemicals,
safes. capsules, bottles, ca ks, candles.
soap and paper is carried on extensively.
In the foreign invasions OF 1914 Reims
was captured and reCaptured. In lS70-n
1t was made by the Germans the seat of
a governor general and impoverished by
heaTy requisitions-
"Roye-A town Of Northern France
twenty-five miles south of east of Ami
ems twenty-four miles southwest of st.
Quentin. and fifty-nve miles northeast of
Paris. 1t is the apex of a triangle point
ing northward, with Montdidier and Noy-
on at the other two angles. The town
has about 5000 inhabitants, and carries
on an extensive trade in the grain raised
on the Santerre. the fertile plateau in
which the town is located. The church OF
in n
eleventh century and completed in the
sixteenth century.
"Przemysl-A town OF Galicia, Austria,
ffty-seven miles west of Lemberg, thirty
six miles south of the Russian Poland
border, and eighty-one miles south of
east OF Tarnow. In 1910 il had popula-
ton of 54,562. 1t is situated on the River
San and is one of the strongest fortresses
in Ga1icla. Its industries comprise the
manufacture OF machinery. hqueurs, the
refining OF naphtha. corn-millinf, and the
saving Of timber. 1t is one Of the oldest
towns in Galicia, claiming to have been
founded in the eighth century, and was
at one time capital Of large independent
principally. In the seventeenth century
its Importance was destroyed by inroads
Of Tartars, CosSacks. and Swedes.
"Rastenburg-A Prussian town. lying on
fiat. sandy plain on the Guber, sixty
four miles by rail southeast of Konigs-
berg. forty-eight miles from the eastern
border of East Prussia. and furty-three
miles north of where East Prussia s
border touches Russian Poland. Its popu
lation is about 1S0O0. and rs principal
manufactures are flour, sugar. oil, beer
and machinery.
"Kulm-A Prussian town, twenty-thrce
miles north OF Thorn, the same distance
northeast Of Bromberg, and twenty-siX
miles from the Russian Poland frontier, |
with a population Of about 1900. II is !
surrounded by old walls, dating frcn I
the thirteenth century. There are large |
oil mills, iron foundries and machine |
shops, while the town has an importdn; |
trade in agricultural produce, fruit and |
BY the second peace of Thorn |
IN 1856. Kuhn passed from the Teutonic |
Order to Poland. and it was annexed to |
Prussia in 1772.
'Marienwerder-A Prussian town three |
miles east of the Vistula, twenty-three |
miles south of Marienburg. and forty
miles from Russian Poland. Its popula-
ton is approximately 1900 The town
was founded in 1888 by the Teutonic Or
der. Its industries include iron foUn-
dries, saw mills, sugar refineries, brew
cries. and printing works.
"Beuthen-In the extreme southeast OF
Prussian Silesia- three miles from the
Russian Poland frontier and fourteen