Evening journal., 1914-09-19

AHAEaAND - lfttOAN ~ ALAhDs AA'
country between Amiens and Reims.
within earshot Of the greater portion
Of the fighting armies IN France to-
day, is populous and contains many
of the most prosperous of the me-
dium-sized towns, I'm France. Ten
miles east of Kmiens 10 VILLERS-
BRETONNEAU. an Industrial town
with about 5000 inhabitants. which
was the scene Of one of the main
engagements I'm the battle of Amiens,
in which the French northern army
was routed by the Germans in 1870.
The route now takes one through the
fertile district of SANTERRIl. HAM.
with a population of approximately
$500, stands in a marshy district 36
miles from Amiens. It's castle, now
used as a barrack, has frequently
been used as a State prison, and has
held many of the most noted people
OF France. The list of those incar-
cerated there includes Joan of Arc,
Louis of Bourbon, and Louis NapO-
leon. The latter. after having been
prisoner for six years. escaped in
the disguise of a workman. la
FERE. 16 miles further on. captured
by the Germans in 1870. has one OF
the Oldest schools of artillery I'm the
world. Il was founded I'm 17l9.
LAON. 10 miles beyond La Fere. situ-
ated on an isolated ridge some $50
feet above the surrounding plain,
forms with La Fere and Reims a
triangle OF important fortresses. Ma
poleon tried in vain to dislodge BLU
cher from the town IN 1914 Be
tween Laon and Reims the Aisne and
the Suippe are crossed.
IS-SOISSONS-REIMS CHAR 81
IEVILLE. The route from Paris 10
Charleville, by way Of scissors and
Reims, takes one through a territory
rich in historical and present-day
interest Six miles out from Paris
is found LIE BOURGET. where the
Germans repulsed the French in tho
sanguinary struggles of 1870. Twen-
~ miles further on. in the park OF
the chateau OF ERMENONVILLE. is
the original tomb of Jean jacques
Rousseau, whose remains were ie-
moved to the pantheon al Paris in
1894. CREPY-EN-VALOIS, the an
cient capital of a district which be-
| longed from the 14th century 10 a
/ younger branch OF the royal family
of France, and with present day
population of about 1000 lies 10
miles to the north. VILLERS-COT-
| TERETS, with about 5000 inhabi-
| tants, eight and half miles away. was
I the birthplace of Alexandra Dumas
! the Elder A little further on is
/ LONGPONT. which has a ruined alb.
hey dating from the 18th century
/ Sixty-five miles from Paris. SOlS.
] SONS, an ancient town formerly for.
titled, with a population of about
! $4,000. is reached Here is the Alb.
baye Notre-Dame. now used as q
barrack, founded originally in $50 In
S5S il contained no fewer than 21l
nuns. who possessed a valuable col
lection Of sacred relics. including z
shoe and a girdle Of the Madonna
The route from scissors to Reiml
takes one up the valley OF the Aisn'
I ana its tributary, the Veles. REIMs
Is one Of the most interesting cities
of France Christianity was preached
here in the 4th century. About q
miles out of Reims. halfway to Char
leville, Is RETHEL an industria
town, with about 1900 inhabitants
situated on a hill to the right of Oh
Aisne. Three miles further on
! AMAGNE, a railway junction with
large sugar factory as its princips
industry. A few miles on, the roa
enters the wooded and mountainou
district of the Ardennes. and IN
scenery increases in beauty. To tn
right is BOULZICOURT. with It
large powder factory, and at MO
! HON, another village, are large wor
shops. Two miles further on !
CHARLEVILLE, an uninterestin
town, with about 10000 inhabitant
and Matchmaking. type-founding, an
hardware goods factories
ARGONNE.-A rocky, forest-cla
plateau, extending along the border
of about So miles, an average breadt
of 10 miles. and an average heigh
of 1850 feet. There are few goo
roads in this district. and it is har
territory through which 10 carry o
military operations of large proper
tions. It lies between tho valley q
the Aisne on the west, and the vale
of the Meuse on the east. and is on
of the natural bulwarks between Ger
many and France There are mn
. meroUs forests clothing both the ea'
and the wesI slopes Of tn plateau
the chief of them being tEa, Of Al
gonne. extending for % miles b.
tween the Aire and the A'sls
ARDENNES.-A department. 9
France on the northeast frOntie
with an area Of 2,02S s,nare mile
and a population exceeding 350,00
rs rivers ere the Mouse and th
Aisne. It's agricultural products ar
wheat, oats. potatoes. rye and man
kinds of forage. Ardennes is
France what the Blue Grass regio