Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-26
IMPERLED VERDUN
GATEWAY TO PARIS;
STRONGLTNK IN CHAIN
Menaced for Months by Long
Range Cannon of Grown
Princes Army, In
trenched to North
BIG RAILWAY CENTRE E

PARIS. Feb. &c.
Verdun, the great fortress on the Meuse
River about which one of the greatest
battles of the war is now raging. is known
| as the gateway to Paris" It Is one of
a chain of fortresses lying across eastern
France, the others being at Belfort and
Epinal. The fort at Maubeuge, which was
the northernmost link, was captured by
the Germans early in the war.
Before the war Verdun had a popula-
tion of $4,000. It is split by the Meuse
and also by a canal which flows into the
Meuse from the west. The city Is grdled
by 81 forts, all of modern construction
and protected with the heaviest ordnance
in the French army. The railway lines
pass through Verdun. one from east to
west, the other from north to south In
addition. eight important highways centre
there. One-half these run south along the
Meuse to st. Mihiel. where the Germans
hold salient on the west bank of the
river: another leads eastward to st. Meme
hould and connects with the famous old
Roman road; another reads through the
Argonne TO the northwest, while others
pass into network of highways which lie
in the Woevre district
MENACED FOR MONTHS.
of the battle lines since the German drive
on Paris was halted and the Crown
Princes army intrenched itself north of
the city. II has been shelled by long
range German mortars and also by Ger
man air craft, but had suffered little from
this fire.
The military Importance of Verdun lies
chiefly in the fact that 1t is one Of the
few good crossing places on the Meuse.
1t lies on range of hills, and the guns
of its forts not only control the Meuse
and its bridges, but also the railroads and
important highways leading to the west
In order TO advance through such country
as that surrounding Verdun, highways
are absolutely essential and If Verdun
could be taken the Germans would ac-
quire the roads.
The city Is picturesque old place. with
crooked, narrow streets and historic build
ings. Verdun holds an important place
in early European history, for in the
treaty of Verdun in S43, the possession
of Charlemagne were divided among the
three grandsons, Lothaire, Louis the Ger
man and Charles the Bald. The French
and German members of the Empire were
never again united.
CITY IS HISTORIC.
The city was early the seat of a bishop,
and remained free and imperial until 1862,
when it was taken by the French, al
though it was not formally ceded to
France until the peace of WestphaIia, i'm
l64s, by which Austria gave up the three
famous bishoprics of Toul, Verdun and
Metz.
Verdun was bombarded by the Pussians
in 1892 and, having surrendered after a
few hours, the inhabitants accorded an
amicable reception to the conquerers. The
Revolutionists recaptured the city after
the battle of Valmy. The city was again
bomharded by the Germans in 1870 and
after a gallant resistance Of three weeks
was captured.
In the court of the Hotel de Vile, on
the east side OF the Meuse. are four can
non presented to the city by the French
Government in recognition of its brave
resistance to the Germans in the Franco
Prussian war
The Cathedral OF Notre Dame, on the
west side of the Meuse. dates back to the
eleventh century