The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-01-02
METZ STRONGHOLD
HAS NEVER BEEN
TAKEN BY FORCE
From Days Of Romans to Pres
ent Tine, Position in Ger.
men Lorraine Has Been Re
garded as Impregnable.


Washlngtcn. Jan. 1.-The National
Geographic society has Just prepared
the Following statement concerning
Meta. the objective Of the French In.
y nsion Of EoFraines
The fortress II Mcts from Roman
days hhH never been carried IS storm.
rhrouShout history down 10 1879 a.
successfully. dencd all b~calcgers. and
the French IN 1870 surrendered 10
famine and disease rather than 20 q
preasiRg enemy. This almost Inn
pfegnable FORTRESS has changed hands
now and a8ain. and these changes
have been effected hy treaty and
t~reachcYy and famine. but never by
force OF arms. The Romans anew
Metz. Divodurum. AZ the stronghold
OF the soda t
"Mctz IL tne capital OF German Ior-
rainc, AID Il j. considered to possess
n Of the most powerful fortinca-
tions IN Europe. A is M pivot point
In the broken frontier dividing the
Franks, Celts and Gauls OF the west
ana south from the Germans OF the
east and north. The ce-nturies-long
contest between Latin and German
has surged hack and forth over this
city. broken in eddies around Il. and
the contestants have continually re-
grouped with Metx az the central
point IN the plans OF their opposius
strateglcs: for Metz Is the most i'm
portant key IN the barrier between
Latin and Germanic civilizations
Met1 ana Strasburg are the two west
orn gates to Germany.
The ROmans used Metx ~ their
northern base against the Germanic
barbarians. and they connected Il by
military roads with Toul. Vcrdun, and
other camps in Roman hintorlaad
From Nets the Roman iegions made
their incursions into the impenctraDie
Black forest. TO the east, and into the
forest and swamp lands OF the north
and west. by the treaty OF Mersen.
In $40. Metz came into the possession
Of East Franconia, nov Germany. Il
rapidk gained importance as an In
dustriai and outpost city. and. In the
thirteenth century, was made "a free
imperial city. The Reformation, an
other element Of she Lat!n-Gcrmal
struggle, ragged around Metz as a SEN
ter. During these dimes Of religious
unrest, Metz fell into the power of
France. and the French were confirm
ed In their Possession by The Peace OF
Wcstphaiia (i6fsJ. IL remained un-
ques, In 1870.
strasegic. and, consequently. forbid
den ground. Tourists. with pronounce
ed camera %tendeiities have never
been encouraged around tho fortress.
The city lies In a fertile, pleasant val
ley. which widons out among the hills
To the north OF which aarroWs toward
the mountainous French frontier. ~
is upon the heights. the cragey hills,
the pssses. the gorgo-Droken. nr-coy-
cred, razOr-back spur hills that the
powerful detached forts which guard
the city OF Metz and its valley running
between France and Germany are
planted. These works have been con-
structed around the city by the score,
and they stretch Ia a wide. concealed
fan more than six miles before the
outskirts Of Metz.
THE city itself D. situated on the
confluence OF the scillo and Moseile,
about II miles east Of the French
frontier. Il IL built between the two
rivers and upon The Islands Of the
Mosclle. Much OF the city Is COM
posed OF narrow. irregular streets.
lined with ancient. picturesque build
iaes. There are some new and im-
posing structures IN the town. how
ever, and some straisht streets. Even
IN times OF peace, Metz makes plain
that its calling is war. Though II
has about $4,000 civil population, the
peace garrison VI $4,000 men mon
opolizes the attention on every thor
oughfare and promenade. Around the
city. and within II are the huge bar
racks Of the soldlery.
"rhe country around Metz q rise
and fall Of evergreen woodlands, u
beautiful. The heights aud hills are
not only heavily forested. bur are also
unusually broken and irregular COM
posing q ground about IS u~ufayorable
as possible FOR attacking military op-
e~rations. The forts ~ Meiz were be-
gun on a large scale D. the French.
and they have been strengthened
through all their years OF possession
hy the G%erninns'