The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-10-30
Primer fthe War Geography

MervIlIe-A small town of norther
France, six miles southeast of Hezs
brouck and II miles west of Lille
on the left bank Of the Lys, at 1t
juncture with the Canal-de-la- Bourre
The town is we'll built and has exteu
sive establishments for the manufac
ture of linen, velvet and starch, an,
also oil mills, breweries, salt erfineriei
wax works. tanneries, tile and bricl
works. Cattle and grain are its prin
cipal articles Of commerce. Original
ed from a monastery built by st. Mau
rand in GA, the town was annexed BY
France in 1867. Its population Is abou,
1000. .''t
ReuhaIx--A thriving. weil-built IN
dustrial city Of France. two and Z halt
miles from the Belgian border, and six
miles northeast of Lille. on the Rou
baix Canal. The town Is one Of the
chief seats of the French textile in.
dustry. more than $4,000 people being
employed in It's mills. Its rate Of In.
crease in population has been more
than 1000 people annually for the last
century. The city now has popula.
ton of about 100000. In addition to
its textiles, Roubaix produces machine
cry, rubber goods and beer.
Beise-A small town of northern
France, eight miles east of Reims and
81 miles west Of north of Chalons,
picturesquely situated on high plat.
eau between the Suippes and Vesle
rivers. The town is practically the
same as it was rs years ago, its pub.
lie buildings, business houses and
dwellings having undergone no materi-
al change, and the number of its inhab-
itants not having increased more than
300. Its present population is about
1900. The spinning of wool and cloth.
working are the chief industries.
Maianeourt-A small town of north
ern France, IL miles east of northeast
Of Varennes and Is miles west Of north
Of verdun, on small tributary of the
Mouse. to the east Of the Forest of Ar
gonne. The town has button factories
and produces lace and embroidery. 1t
has a population of about 1900.
Nieuport-A Belgian town, half a
mile from the sea coast and halfway
between Ostend and the French bord-
err. The town is on the User river 1t
is badly built and unhealthy situated,
yet many people are attracted there
every summer by its bathing facilities.
The town was reduced to ruins by the
English in 1888, but was rebuilt two
years later, and fortified by Philip the
Bold The French captured it in 1745,
1892 and 1894. The famous battle of
the Dunes, in which Maurice of Nassau
defeated the Spanish, was fought here
in 1900. It's lighthouse was erected
in 1884 Shipbuilding, rope and net
making, and fishing are it's chief indus
tries. 1t has population of about
1000.
Dixmude-A town in West Flanders,
Belgium, in the fertile district called
Freyeland, IA miles south of Ostend
and IL miles north of Ypres, on the
User river. 1t is a typical old-fashion-
ed Belgian place, which has changed
comparatively little in the last cen
fury. In 1850 its population was 5000,
today>it has few more than 1000 in
habitants. Dixmude is known for its
butter, cheese and beer, and has an &C
tive trade in salt, horses and cattle.
The citizens Of Bruges besieged the
town in 1880. and the people of Client
stormed it few years later. The
French took Dixmude in 1647, 1853,
1863 and 1895. It's church of the 18th
century contains many famous works
Of art.
Ostroie nka-A town of Russian Po-
land, on the left bank of the Narew
river, So miles west of north of War
saw, % miles south of west of Tonga.
and 25 miles from the Prussian border
The town is situated in marshy re-
ion, with high wooded hills on the
west. 1t is modern in most respects
and has shown a healthy rate of in
crease in population in the last two
decades. It's inhabitants, a large por-
ton Of whom are Jews, number close
to 10000. A Russian corps suffered
a severe loss in an action with the
French here in February, 1906, and
the place was the scene OF the violent
encounter between the Russians and
Poles in 1881. The manufacture Of
cloth is the principal industry.
stry--A Galician town. we'll forti-
fed, 40 miles south OF Lemberg. on the
left bank Of the river Stry. The sur
country is mountainous and
woody. and agriculture is much neg