PARIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 91, 12 September 1914, Page 3

PARIS.

TIIE SECOND GREATEST CITY. ITS REMARKABLE HISTORY. THE TOUCH OF CIVILISATION. \ Paris, now threatened with investment by the German Army, is the second largest city in Europe. It is sit•uatedon the "river Seine, about 110 miles from its mouth. It is the centre of a great network of rivers, canals, roads, and railways. Hence, its commercial importance. Paris has, since Roman times, occupied a continually increasing series of concentric circles, it is bounded by fortifications, and is now regarded as the most strongly fortified city in the world. It population approaches three millions, the last census give a total of '2,888,000. Paris has, within its fortifications, a mean deration of about 120 feet, but it-rises in low hills north'of the Seine, Montmarte (400 ft.) and Belleville (320 ft), and south of the Seine the Montague Sainte Gen-, evieve rises 1!)0 fe;t. These-elevations are encircled at a distance of from two to five miles by an outer range of heights, including Villeyouf, Mendon, St. Oloud, and ilont-Valerien (050 ft.), the highest point in the immediate vicinity of the city. The Seine, which enters. Paris in the south-east, at Bercy, and leaves it at Pa.ssy, in tile west, divides tile city into two parts, and forms .the.'. two islands of i-a. Cite' and St: Louis, which arc both covered with buildings.

The earliest notice of Paris occurs in ,'aesar's commentaries, in which it i's [escribed, under the name of Lutetia, as , collection of mud huts. Jn- the year i 5 8.C., it became an important Konian own. In tlie sixth century Paris was hosen by Clovis as the seat of Govern-' nent. and after 'having fallen into deay under the Carlovigian kings, who mule Aix-la-Chapcllc their capital, Itinally became, in the tenth century, ;he capital of the French monarchy. The reign of Phillipe Ang'uste (11801223) is the great epoch in the medieval listory of il'aris. It was then that,\v«ro greeted masterpieces of Gothic art, including the nave choir, and chief facade )f the Notr&Dame, and'the Sainte CliaH'lle. Then also, was founded the University of Paris, the great theological school of the Middle -Ages. Paris'was it this time, aften Constantinople, the greatest city in Europe. On the accession of Henry IV. of Navarre, in loS!), begun a new era for Paris. The old ramparts were converted into boulevards, regular police were organised, drainage established, schools and hospitals founded. So Paris again became the focus of European civilisation. The terrible days of the Revolution i caused a temporary reaction, but the improvement of Paris on "a new and grander scale was 'commenced under the first Napoleon, when new qua;, s, bridges, I markets, streets, squares, and public gaTtlcns were created. All the treasures of ait and science which conquests placed in his power were applied to the embellishment of Paris, in the restoration of which lie spent .C-!,OW',WIO in, twelve years. His downfall again arrested progress, and in many respects Paris "fell behind other Kuropean cities. ■ Renovation was re-commenced under Louisi'Phillipe, but as lately as 1834 much of (Hhe old style of tilings remained. The gutters ran down the middle of the streets, there was little underground drainage from tthe Jiouses, oil-lamps were .suspended by cords over, the middle of the thoroughfares, anil there wore no side pavements. It was reserved for Napoleon lII', to reconstruct Paris. Paris then consisled iii the main of a labyrinth of narrow, dark, ill-ventilated streets. He resolved to pierce broad and strait thoroughfares through the midst of these—thus putting; an end to the ■ possibility of forming barricades—and in lieu of the houses pu'led down, to construct in a ring outside the town a new city in [lie most approved style of modern architecture. Paris ceased to produce* on I'isitors the impression that it stands in the midst of a chalky desert. It was •(inverted into one of the greenest and madiest of modem eilies. T)iosiege of Paris by the Germans in 1870-71 caused much less injury to the ■ity than might have been expected. It aas reserved for a 1 section of the Paris Herniation to commit acts ot vandalism cithout parallel in modern times. AVlien he Commune was established acts of vanton destruction' followed, and the 'ommunists set lire systematically with ictrolcnn to a 1 great number of the ■hicf buildings of Paris, public and prj■ate. The'lire for a time threatened. 0 destroy the' wlm'e city. it was lot checked until damage had been done o the value of manv millions sterling, iineu the establishment of the Ucpiiblie mprove'.m nis have been, executed, little, f any. inferior in importance to those if the Second Empire. Somewhat conflicting opinions ar? ex-irc.-sed on the part Paris has played in lie "history of the world. After Athens ml Koine! says one writer, ifc is the city hat has made the deepest impression on iimi's minds. Paris, says another, has anied the torch of'life and civilisalhm ro'.ii cuiturv to century. Thvse views .re g.-iie'.-ii'lv accepted in ■France. There s. however," a , reverse side to the pilule. The Parisians, are declared' In he ftcble people, dying out. and con.~l.antv recruited liv immigration from 1'..1-riiim. riiim. Alsace.' Kwilzerlan 1 ami Italy, 'aria is a nu-ilem ISaliylon. Its donestic life, described in French novels, s a centre of corruption for Europe. Ccriaiu it is, however," says another a-itcr, "that in England it is too often orgotten that in Paris drunkenness is liiKi-i unknown, that, amongst a. huge ection of the population there has al-,-avs been a pure domestic life, and that lie prolligaev of the Second Empire lias ■iiiv craved to exist."