The Arizona copper camp., 1920-01-17
Y REASON of it's situation, Its

A ID 1IS ulSlUTy; NlOIH Is Ou6 Ol TIC
most interesting cities of west
ern Europe. Built on high hill at the
junction of the Moselle and of the
Seille, Metz, when Caesar undertook
his invasion of Gaul, was already an
almost impregnable position, on which
the Mediomatrics, one of the most
formidable tribes that Caesar under
took to conquer, proceeded to establish
their capital, which they called Duo
dorum Mediomatricorum, says the
Christian Science Monitor.
The humble huts of these warriors
man temples and by the palaces of the
kings of AuStrasia. For in spite of their
strength and courage, the MediOmatrics
were unable to resist the Romans,
who transformed Duodorum into one
of the most important strategical
points of their empire.
Great roads crossed the city in di
verse directions, leading to Reims,
Toul, TreveS, and Strasbourg. In the
year 451 Attila and his hordes did not
spare Mettis, as the city was then
called, and their example was followed
by the Vandals. During the Merovin-
gian dynasty it became the capital of
the kings Of Austrasia; Charlemagne
granted to the bishops of Metz-fOr.
the city ever since the third century
had been the seat of bishOprlc-sucn
extensive privileges that they soon be-
came the real lords of the town, al
though they humbly professed to be
the vassals of the emperors. At that
period Metz was self-governing, being
ruled by an alderman and a council
of thirteen,'as well as by great coun-
Gil of elders.
Regained Its Independence.
In the tenth century the German en-
perors appropriated Metz, which was
ruled by Henry the Fowler in 945, but
the Independent old city soon took ad-
vantage of the internal dissensions
raging in the Holy empire to recover
the prerogatives it enjoyed as a free
city. Henry II of France and his
troops occupied Metz in 1862 and de-
Tended it VIGOROUSLY against Charles
V, who could not resign himself to the
loss of so important stronghold.
Metz was consequently invested by an
army of $4,000 men, and Ia cannon
fired 14OOO shots on the city, which
was record in bombardments at that
period. After two months of eXtraOr-
binary and untiring efforts, having lost
a third of his troops, the emperor
rather, the duke of Alba who directed
the siege-was obliged to retire, much
to the satisfaction of the French, who,
numbering only 5000 men, were COM
manded by the Duke Francois de
Guise Charles V then ceded Toul and
Verdun to France.
The Messins had never sought to
dissimulate the love they felt for
France; later, the inhabitants Of the
valiant city declared that they would
never take up arms against the
French king, Charles VIII: In 1857
the ambitious cardinal of Lorraine
was obliged to take inferior rank,
owing to the forced cessiOn which
granted the king of France pretended
rights to the sovereignty of Metz And
although the latter modestly assumed
the title of protector, he was, in fact,
master of the city. 1t was only in
1853 that Henry VII officially took the
tile of sovereign lord of Metz. In 1643
Louis XIII endowed Metz with a par
lament, and in 1913 the treaty of
Westphalia definitely incorporated
Metz, Toul, and Verdun with France
the new province thus constituted be-
ing known ss the Three Bishoprics.
After that period the capital of Lor-
raine remained impregnable; vainly
did Brunswick in 1892 and Blucher in
1914 strive to render themselves mas
ter of the citadel. Had it not been
for Marshal Bazaine'S Infamous capt.
ulation which, signed on October %,
1870, delivered to the Germans 49,
600 men, 5000 officers and three
marshalS, not to speak of ,663 cannon
and So flagS-MetZ never would have
fallen nor have been subjected for 4S
years to the tyranny and bondage
from which the allies have at last
accomplished its complete deliverance.
Has TWenty-Seven Palaces.
Metz is a fine city, possessing no
less than 27 palaces" a few of which
are really worth considering. All the
houses of the Place ST. Croix, for in
stance, most Of which date from the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. are
built on the remains of Roman aque-
ducts and vaults. The Place st. Louis
still boasts of many houses which are
claSSed as historical monuments, with
crenelated roofs, and which, in the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were
the residences of money-changers. The
Place de la Comedie, which is encir
cled by the Moselle, is decorated at
one of it's extremities by fine quin-
cunx, while the Place Royale is the
largest of which Metz can boast.
The cathedral, originally known as
the Church of st. Etienne, is a Gothic
hui1dinp which was hppIn in the first