The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-10-02
National Geographic
Society's War Primer

/ h
TOULA northeastern French gar
rison town, fifteen miles west OF Nan-
cy, and twenty-three miles from the
Lorraine border. It's population IS
about 1900. II is bordered on the
south by the Moselle river and on
the north by the Marne-Rhine canal.
Immediately after the Franco-German
war, the whole system of frontier de-
fence was revised in France, ana
Toul was made the most formidable
Of all the new fortresses of the Mouse
and Moselle. The psrimeter OF the
Toul defenses proper is nearly thirty
miles, and their mean distance from
the town about six miles. The city
Is connected with the fortress OF Yer
dun by the "Meuse line" OF barrier
forts. The towns industries include
the manufacture OF porcelain; its
trade Is in wine and brandy. 1t IS
one Of the oldest towns in France.
After being sacked successfully by
Goths. Burgundians. Vandals and
Huns, Toul was conquered by the
Franks in 450 The town capitulated
LII 4OtO hAlOx ~ 49,
days.
MEAUX-In northern France, on
the right bank OF the Marine, the CHIEF
town of the agricultural region OF
Brie. twenty-eight miles east Of
northeast of Paris by rail, with
population OF about $4,000. It was
here in 1867. that the protestants
tried to sieze the French king Charles
TX and his mother, Catherine de-Medi-
CT. The plot failed, the king and
queen escaping with their courtiers
to Paris. 1t was the first town which
opened its gates to Henry ~ in 159A.
On the highway to Paris, its environs
were raycged by the army OF Lor-
raine in 1862 and it was laid under
heavy acquisitions in 1914, 1915 and
1870. The town has large trade
in cereals, wool, cheese and other
farm produce, and manufactures
flour, lumber, mustard. hosiery plas-
ter and machinery.
COUJOMMIRRS-A French town,
forty-five miles east of Paris by rail,
in the Brie district, with a population
of about 1000. The towns chief in
drstry is printing. 1t also carries on
tanning, flour-milling and sugar-mak-
ing, and trades in agricultural prod
ucts, especially in cheese named at
ter the town. The town contains
statue to Copmandant Beurepaire,
who, in 1892, killed himself rather
than surrender Verdun to the Prus-
slams.
PARIS TO CHALONS-S SUR MARINE
The country over which the contend
ing armies are fighting, to the east
of Paris, is full of interest. Eight
miles out is the town of LIE Raincy,
built in the park OF the chateau
which belongs to the Orleans family
and was pillaged in 1S4S. At this
point an electric tramway runs to
Mcntfermeil. two and half miles
away Eeleven miles out of Paris at
Chelles was the villa OF the Merov-
ingian kings, in which Fredegunda
caused Chilperic to be murdered. The
town was celebrated for its abbey,
destroyed after 1890. A few miles
further on is the town Of Noisiel,
where one Of the largest chocolate
factories in the world is located.
Seventeen miles out of Paris is the
town OF Lagny with population OF
about COCO, situated on the River
Marine. Here is found the early
Gothic church of st. Pierre which is
really the choir OF an immense abbey
church which was begun but never
finished. Beyond this place the river
makes a detour of ten miles, which
vessels avoid by short canal cut
through tunnel running parallel to
the railroad tunnel. Six miles further
on is the town CT Esbly. on the Grand
NORM. a picturesque river which fire.
quently floods the environs of Paris.