The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1918-09-26
City of Metz is one of Cermany's
Strongest Fortified Cities

Metz in &c past two weeks at least,
eyes Of the Army has been in the
of the fact that t,an people, because
are driving in thatdng and his men.
is believed by many .~tion. and il
soldiers will attack this 1.-THE u. s
time in the very near fH-e some
it is quite natural that we fsiand
learn something about that partio
lar place. The Associated Press OF
few days ago gave out the following
information regarding this place
which will be Of interest to many OF
our readers especially those who dc
not have an opportunity of getting
magazines or the daily papers:
Offensive operations toward Metz
strike at one of the most important
German bases in the West. The city
and the twenty-eight encircling forts
comprise what has been regarded as
one Of the most formidable fortresses
in the world Metz also is the center
of important iron fields, which before
the war supplied France and Germany
with more than two-thirds Of the ore
used in their iron manufactures.
Metz is on the Moselle iOh miles
west of the French border The city
lays astride the Moselle river as well
as on both sides Of the Seille. Part
Of the city is on islands in the Moselle
To the east. north and northwest are
the iron and coal fields Of French and
German Lorraine. Deprived Of these
fields Germany could not conduct the
war another three months, it is asser-
ted.
The chief iron field Of the Rhine
district is that Of Lorraine, including
the Basin de Briey. 1.-THE center Of
which is the little village of Briey.)
the greatest iron-producing region in
the world. II is located mainly in AL
sace-Lorraine and overlaps into Bel
GUM and Luxembourg. II extends
along the Franco German frontier for
miles, almost up to Point
a-Mousson.
Germany's possession of the major
portion Of this productive area follow
ed the signing Of the Treaty of Frank
fort in 1871. Previous TO tho present
war Germany obtained from the
mines on her side OF the frontier. a.
900. 600 tons Of her total annual pro-
duction Of 2s,O00.00O, while France
got 100000 out Of total produc-
ton of 22.000.000.
Since her occupation in 1914 Of the
mines on the French side of the from
tier Germany has added to her miner
Al wealth the i5.000.000 tons annual
" obtained by the French. bringing
her total production from Lorraine
alone up to 100000 tons year.
The only practical road to this inn
ocrtant region, military authorities
agree, is the valley Of the Moselle,
At the head Of the valley and barring
he way lies Metz. RANGING with
as one of the two great
Of the German southwestern
'rontier Metz. is city Of 10000
it, chief industries being
he manufacturing Of weapons.
'lothes, shoes and hats
As n fortress Metz has been impor-
ant since the Roman era. Since that
lime Il has never suecumbed 10 from
al attack. Its present system Of fort
fications includes 20 detached forts |
which eneircle the city proper The
utter chain Of defenxes. built within
he last two decades. and undoubtedly
'erfected since the outbreak Of the
resent war, extend 10 relnville on
he north. and Gravetts on the west
West and southwest Of Nsiz the
curse N the Neselle Il lined with
|lsh.weoded hills The Herman for.
fess also II pfalee,sd hy heights and
'euds unf'hvsfd on The south. how
ysN the terrain. I, more onsn with |
e~ hII's and little Neei