The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-10-06
FAMOUS old PORT
MARsEILLEs A POINT OF lMPoR-
TANcE FOR CENTURIES.
French City, Older Than the Country
: Itself, Is Now the Naval Base Of
the Forces OF the Entente
nst6 Allies.

sAiarsellles. the unwearied contes-
I tant for Mediterranean trade during
28 centuries, and the city wherein the
earliest naval traditions Of France
were formed, whence fleets We're sent
before Romes day of power to chal-
lenge the great Mediterranean port
city. Carthage, is today the principal
naval base for the allies upon the MID
die ocean; and, with the shifting or
the stress of the world-war toward
the east. to the Balkans, to Turkey-in-
Europe, to Syria and Mesopotamia, 1t
is become 4 place of first strategic con
sequence, while from its harbor,
steady stream Of the 'sinews of war
fare is pouring into the vital fields
bordering the Eastern seacoast," be-
gins the primer on war geography is.
sued today by the National Geographic
society.
"Marseilles has been an important
city through all of Europe's historic
ages. Ii has been in competition for
the commerce of ifs inland sea from
earliest times; has seen its competi-
tors, one by one, reach their zenith
and decline, while it still remains a
foremost Mediterranean port. Its RI
walls today are of the younger set Of
cities, Genoa, comparatively youthful,
and Triesr, a newcomer into the fold
of contending world-pOrts.
"Gcnoa, though of about equal age
with Marseilles as harbor, first came
into commercial fame during the early.
middle ages. Sidon, Tyre, Athens, Co
rinth, Carthage Ragusa, Pisa, Venice
and a host Of other cities have at one
time and another fought bitter rival
ry with Marseilles, and Of some of.
these even the history of their efforts
IS forgotten, while their one-time rival
has passed through several declines to-
ward an even greater future.
'"Tracing its descent from early
Phenician times, the fortunes of Mar
seilles have fuctuated with the for
tunes Of civilization upon the Medfter
ranean coasts. The Phoceans Greek
people whose trading instincts carried
them beyond the confines of the known
world Of their day, came after the
phenicians, took Marseilles from
them and made it the New York Of
the ancient world. Due to their en-
terprise Marseilles became the first Of
trading cities, and, during the Punic
wars, its aid saved Rome.
"Situated in the center of things
Mediterranean on the Gulf of the Lion,
enjoying the advantages of an excel
lent harbor, well equipped, together
with rich and productive hinterland,
MarseIles has again become the first
port on the inland sea, the first port
of France, the second city of the re-
public and one of the wealthiest com
munities in Europe. 1t lies 534 miles
south-southeast of Paris, with which
1t is connected by the Paris-Lyon-Medi-
terranee railway. The manufacturing
city Of Lyons lies 219 miles to the north
upon the River Rhone, whose princi-
pal channel reaches the Mediterranean
sea, 25 miles west of Marseilles.
"Whlle Marseilles possesses few ar
chitectural extravagances, it is well
and SOlidly built and Thoroughly mod
ern. 1t has preserved no interesting
remains from ancient times; for the
modern spirit, which has characterized
its long life, has left it. little appetite
for "reminiscences, and the wars that
have swept over it have destroyed
much Of its heritage. The public
works.of the city and its conveniences,
however, are on a par with those Of
the best-administered municipalities
of today
@The port does a vast export and
import In peace times; buying cattle,
coffee, raw cotton and silk, hides and
grain, and selling cotton and woolen
goods, ribbons, soap, silk, sugar, grain,
fruits wine, oil and perfumes. Its
shipping business is carried on along
12 miles of model quays where $500
vessels can be accommodated at one