Evening journal., 1914-09-01

VALENCIENNES.--A French from
tier town with a population of about I
2so0O. 30 miles southeast Of Lille. al
the confluence of the Rhonelle and tile
Scheldt. II is IN the heart of a great
industrial district near the Amin coaf
region. II is a French edition of the
city of Liege, except that II Is unfortf-
fled, the old Notifications having been
transferred into pleasure grounds ana
drives In 1892. IL has a long military
history: in 1917 it was taken by Louis
XIV, after an eight-day siege In 1893
II surrendered after a bombardment of
4S days, and in 1915, 1t defended itself
successfully.
SOltNlES-A ilourishing town of the
\ provincve of Elainaut, Belgium, owing
/ its prosperity to the important blue
| granite quarries in the neghborhood.
The forest of Soignies extended in the
middle ages over the southern part Of
Brabant up to the walls of Brussels
and is immortalized in Byron's "Childe
Harold" The first blow toward its
gradual contraction was struck when Ma
poleon ordered 220O0 oaks to be cut
down in it TO build the celebrated Bou-
logne ilotilla for the invasion of Eng
land. A considerable portion Of the for
est in the neighborhood of Waterloo
was assigned in 1915 to the Duke of
Wellington, and TO the holder of the
title as long as II endured.
MAUBEUGE-A town in northern
France, in the Department Of Nord
about two miles from the Belgian from
tier. As a fortress Maubcuge has m
old enceinte OF hastion trace whicl
serves as the center Of an importan
entrenched camp of Is miles porimetel
constructed for the most part after tn
war of 1870 but since modernized an
! , augmented II is an important manu-
featuring center, with a population O
approximately $4,000, The city wa
razed n number of times and was ur
. successfully hesieged in 1914, but wa
I compeled 10 oapitulate after a vigorou
resistance. in the Hundred Days.
] BOulLLON--A small town in south
I ern Belgium, 10 miles northeast of IN
! French town of Sedan. u is situate
q in the beautiful valley Of the Semoi
I and is overlooked by the famous cast
!. of Godfrey of Bouillon. The fifth Got
4 frey Of Bouillon was the great crusade
!. and the captor Of Jerusalem He sol
e his castle 20 finance his crusade. nj
e poleon III. after his capture at Seda
4 spent the night here as prisoner.
q SEDAN-A town Of nearly 200I
\ population. in Northern France whe
i the French and the Prussians met
1870. and where tho French were forc'
into an unconditional surrender, incu
!, ing their king. an army of $1,000, 81
! guns. and an immense amount Of store
The Germans lost 1000 and the Fren
: 1900 Marshal Macmahon gather
= his retreating army there on August
! but made no attempt TO communion
Z with Ninoy's corps at Mezieres. nor
= break through the gap between the CO
! man Third and Meuse armies. T
Germans surrounded the city. Macm
n hon was wounded, and command +
n upon General Ducrot. lie decided
he move the whole army 10 the west
q the direction Of Mczieres. AT this iuT
IS ture, after the orders went out, Genei
d. Wimpfen. who had arrived from Algi'
Id the preceding night, took command a
ty odered the army to move in the opp'
OF te direction The confusion that
he suited ended with the hosting OF
al white flag in the village church steer
and the surrender Of the French