Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-23
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

Cette, the French harbor which has been assigned as the port of entry for merchandise destined for Swiss use is classed next to Afarseilles in commercial importance among the ports on the sou tn coast of France, says today's bulletin of the National
 Geographic Society.
 "The town is divided by the canal de Cette into two parts, the older lying at the base and extending somewhat up the slope of Mount St. Clair, an-
 ciently know as Mons Setius, and
 bounded on the north by the Etang de Thau and on the south by the. Medi- terranean. The newer portion lies be- tween a lateral canal to the north
 and the harbor to the south- and is,
 in turn. divided by the Canal Mari
 time. which extends from the lateral
 to the Nouveau Bassin. The situation
 of Cette presents to the eye de-
 lightful prospect and supplied Vernet
 with a subject for one of his most celebrated pictures. The harbor, in- more than a. hundred acres and con- sists of the Nouveau Basin and the
 Ancien Bassin-the latter connected with the Etang de Thau. thus making Mediterranean, via the canal Gu Midi. to the Atlantic. The entrance to the harbor is defended by the Mole St.
 Louis the Brise e-Iames, or break
 water, ana the JGILG Q0 An extensive trade is carried on through this port with Spain and
 South America, especially with Ar gentina.
 "The blood of the people is as mixed as their patois, which is a pot pourri of Celtic Latin. Gothic. Ara bic and French. according to the areas
 where Gaul gave way to Roman, Roman to Goth, Goth to Arab. and Arab to French.
 hair nh iG mir nd tinctive. It has been remarked that the eye of most of the inhabitants are badly affected by their dust-laden winds which sweep almost continu- ously down the Valley of the Rhone-
 "Cette was aroused from its slum- bers of the Dark Ages in 1881 by the completion of the Canal du Midi. The port had been created in 1666 by the ter of Louis XIV. The idea of the canal had long before been discussed; and in the memoirs of Sull ythe plan vii be found clearly mapped out. It quet, however. to make this dream a reality; and considering the obsta- cles to be surmounted at that period, it's construction was a marvellous achievement. The greatest difficulty was to obtain water in the high levels between Carcassonne and Toulouse with which to feed the canal. The story is told that Rfquet, while re- clining one day upon the slope of tfse hill near Castelu audary, the highest point between the two seas, saw trick ling from beneath the green turf a tiny thread of moisture. Guessing this to be evidence of a hidden stream, he traced it to the foot of the hill. there problem was solved; water was pro- curable; the canal was feasible; and Riquet built it entirely at his own expense at a cost of some seventeen million francs.
 Though Cette was anciently the scene of many sanguinary contests be- tween freebooters and 1andlubbcrs, and between mind and materialfsrn, ny, it does not now offer great deal to interest the student of antiquities. The high conical hill behind the town, half clad with villas and gardens, and crowned with an old fort, stands out alone with redeeming grace; and may be seen from the quays, the square and the market-pIace. A pretty walk along the Quai de Bose, skirting the Canal de Cette, leads north to the wonderful geological station of Mont pelIier University The Muese Muni- cipa1 contains many paintings, chief ly modern; and from the pilots tower on the Citadel may be had a noble sea view.
 But it is as "a prelude to a brighter world' that Cette is of chief con- cern to the traveller; for it is the gateway to the architectural wonders of the Languedoc. throughout which the fortress style of church construc- tion prevails. It's origin is thus des- cribed by Bar Ferree:
 'As late as the Twelfth Century buccaneers gained a livelihood by preying on the peaceful and unofend. ing inhabitants of the villages and cities. The cathedrals, as the most important buildings and the most conspicuous, were strongly fortified, both to protect their contents and to serve as strongholds for the citizens