Norwich bulletin., 1914-11-19
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

Poperinehe or Poperingen--Vast hop
 fields surround this town of Weht Flanders in Belgium, 19 miles south west of Dunkirk, seven miles west of Ypres and two and half miles from the French frontier. One of the oldest of Belgian towns, having held charter
 since 1147. it was sacked and burned
 by French troops in 1882 and by the English in 1436. Fires practically de-
 vastated the place in 1613 and 1868.
 The place reached a population of 10.- 900 in 1840 and at present. only mum bers slightly more than 12,000. There Is considerable manufacture of coarse woolens, thread, leather, soap tobac-
 co. chocolate, pottery, crockery, pipes,
 salt and vinegar, and the town is known for its cotton weaving, dyeing and bleaching. The cultivation If hops, however. is the chief industry of the neighborhood. and this product is | the principal article of commerce. The town is on a small branch of tho Yser river.
 Warneton--One of several Belgian Villages in West Flanders whose In-
 habitants suddenly dropped the Elem
 lsh language at the beginnin~ of the
 18th century and began speaking
 French. It is estimated that at this
 time 12,000 people changed their lan-
 guage, among them being the residents
 of the netghboring towns of Ploeg-
 
 ton is mile from the French border, nine miles northwest of Lille and eight
 miles east of south of Ypres. Half
 century ago it had 6,000 inhabitants;
 today there are but few more than 4,o00. The people manufacture linen
 and lace. and there are extensive dis
 tiliertes and tanneries.
 Veurne-One of the westernmost towns of West Flanders, Belgium, also a e l,Ff f4T, rDP
 about 5000, but hardly more than a village in it's activities. It is old fashioned and uninteresting except for a spectacular pageant depicting the F
 principal events in the life of Christ, held there annually since 1850. The country around is noted for it's fertil- ity and supports large herds of cattle and horses. The inhabitants trade in corn, stock, hops and dairy products. The town is six miles west of south of Nieupoort, and is three miles from the coast.
 MiddeIkerke--A town of about 1000
 inhabitants in West Flanders, Bel g1un, five miles southwest of Ostend and one mile from the seacoast. Here Is the starting point of a, submarine cable to the English coast, q watch
 mans hut on a sandhill being the only
 marker of the spot. Near by is an 1n- sttution for invalid children.
 ReeeIare-A small town in West
 Flanders, Belgium, six miles east of Ypres. five miles from the French bor~ der and Is miles north of Lille. The town Is in a fertile district given over to the raising of hops, hemp and some grain Extensive woolen factories are located in the place. Its present popI- lation, slightly exceeding 5000, is but about l,GOo more than it possessed 75
 years ago.
 
 Flanders, four miles northeast of Dix 1 nude and F miles south of Ostend It has population of approximately 5000. Its inhabitants are engaged in
 the manufacture of oil.
 Marianne or Ladrones-A sroup of Islands in the Pacific ocean 1850 miles east of the Philippines, of which all bit Guam, owned by the United States, are German possessions. The name La | them by the sailors of Magellan be- | cause of the inclination of the early
 natives to steal. Excluding Guam. there 1 are 14 islands, of which only seven are
 inhaoited: Volcanoes are scattered
 over the 10 northern islands, while the southern members of the group are | coralline in structure and fringed with 1 coral reefs. Their total area is about | 260 square miles. and their population close to 4,0o0. Climate and soil lend IHSLlSSIVSS T6adlly Co a&rIcQIIural pu~- I suits. but the inhabitants have failed | to realize their opportunities in this regard. Coffee. sugar, cotton, tobacc ,, 1 cocoa. mother -of-peari, sweet potatoes | and cocoanut are produced, aud cop1 a, i the dried meat of the cocoa.nut, is ex- ported Germany paid Spain approxi- nnately $4.9o0,0oo for the archipelago,
 with the exception of Guam, in fs9s La Bresse-A village of northeastern France, beautifully situated in the val ] ley Of the Moselotte. Tn the shadow of 1 the Yosges mountains, it has remained | practically unchanged for many years, I It's inhabitants being their best to up- 1 hold the reputation of their 6orefathers l as the best cheese and butter makers l of the district. They are also skilled in wood carving. Lower down on the | river are several cotton mills. The | and but four miles from the border of