A Journey Through France in War Time Part 7

Of course, in addition, the French are also using guns of very large caliber, for instance the 350 mm. These, of course, are for the reduction of forts, and the enemy's line prior to a.s.sault.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Women Employed in Munitions Factories.]

Dr. Courmont wanted to know whether we had seen the new armored caterpillar cars which they were preparing, and we told him we had seen them at St. Charmond. He said they were to be equipped with one "75" gun and with two or three mitrailleuses (the rapid fire gun), and that an equipment like this, armored against the shrapnel of the enemy, would doubtless be most effective for the French, as a similar caterpillar had been for the English.

VII.

ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ARLES

We left Lyons for Arles, in the military automobiles, pa.s.sing through and stopping for a brief time at Tarascon, made famous by Daude in his novel, "Tartarin of Tarascon". Here we were given the usual reception and pretty much the entire population of the town turned out to greet us. The following leaflet by the Arles Chamber of Commerce outlines the program:

Reception of the Economical Commission of the United States

Friday, September 22nd

5 o'clock 25' P.M. Reception of the Commission at the station by the Chamber of Commerce and the officials of the City of Arles.

7 o'clock 45' P.M. Dinner given by the Chamber of Commerce (Hotel Du Nord).

Sat.u.r.day, September 23rd

8 o'clock 30' A.M. Leave the Forum Square for the visit of the monuments and museums of Arles.

11 o'clock 25' Luncheon given by the Chamber of Commerce (Forum hotel).

1 o'clock 10" P.M. Leave Forum Square for the station.

At the evening banquet at the Hotel Du Nord, on my right was J. E.

Agate, an English army officer. He had been in the quartermaster's department, engaged in purchasing supplies for the English army. On my left was M. Bonnet Guillaume, vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, and who lives at Tarascon. We met at this banquet Henri Brenier, advance agent of the Ma.r.s.eilles Chamber of Commerce. He distributed a handsome booklet prepared by the Ma.r.s.eilles Chamber.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Arlesiennes--Types of Southern France.]

Mr. Geo. B. Ford, of the Commission, delivered the following address before the Arles Chamber of Commerce:

Yesterday afternoon I went to the Arena alone, and climbed up as high as I could and studied it while the sunset shadows crept high and higher and the great arches gradually faded into gloom.

The wonderful history of Arles pa.s.sed before me. I saw it as the great imperial Roman city dominating the valley. I saw it during the Christian times in the building of the portal of St. Trophime, and saw it during the Gothic times leading in the history of the Church, and then again in the Renaissance presenting the world with the most beautiful example of the work of Mansard, the City Hall.

It seemed that most that was best in the history of architecture in France was epitomized in the monuments of Arles. To the connoisseur in America, Arles is well-known. I remember many years ago their pointing out to me the portal of Trinity Church in Boston, saying it was inspired from a church called St. Trophime in a town called Arles in France. The architect of that church, Richardson, our greatest American architect, was a great lover of Arles. He came here often for inspiration. Through him, Arles had a great influence on American architecture of the time.

Recently there was in New York City a compet.i.tion among leading architects for a great court house. The design which won was frankly admitted by its author--Guy Lowell--to be inspired by the Arena of Arles, of which he is a most enthusiastic admirer.

A number of outdoor theatres have sprung up of late throughout America. The Roman theatre at Arles is their model.

There is an impression prevalent in France that the average American thinks only of business; that the higher things of life have no interest for him. It is far from true. The members of this Industrial Commission are truly representative of the average interest and point of view of the American business man, manufacturer and technical man, and yet each one of them has gone out of his way to express his delight in his visit to Arles. All consider it one of the most valuable parts of the trip. Yes, a marked change is coming over the American business man. He is recognizing that there is far more in life than being tied to his job without a let-up. He is relaxing now and then, and in his relaxation he is discovering the France that his wife and daughter know. He should come to Arles. He has begun to come a little. We hope he will come in far greater numbers in the future. It remains for you to spread broadcast the virtues of Arles. We sincerely hope that you will miss no opportunities to do this for we believe it will tend to weave another important bond of understanding and sympathy between the two countries.

We visited Angna Castle in Arles, to which the Popes were once exiled, even yet known as the "Home of Popes", or "Popes' Castle".

Arles contains convalescent hospitals, and Red Cross girls, with their cans, having a slot, were collecting coins everywhere. Arles is an ancient Roman town. We visited the famous Hotel de Ville, or Town Hall, which dates back to the Seventeenth century. The architect was Mansard, for whom the Mansard roof, known in America, is named. The Town Hall is covered by a curious roof, with supports which hold up the entire building. In the square is an Egyptian obelisk four thousand years old.

We visited another ancient museum and were shown among other things a very ancient lead pipe six inches in diameter and in a good state of preservation. In a sarcophagus of the second century were the remains of a Roman musician, with an inscription thereon. In addition there was a statue of Emperor Augustus and a statue of Venus of Arles, with some original and some restored jars and vases more than two thousand years old.

We visited an old church founded by St. Trophime, noted in the Bible in the epistles of St. Paul. Barbarossa, Emperor of Germany, was crowned in this church. I was struck by a tablet of "Moses crossing the Red Sea" on one of the walls. This tablet, a most beautiful and interesting piece of art, reminded me of an experience of my younger days which served to fix in my mind the celebrated pa.s.sage of the Israelites in a manner the effectiveness of which would be envied by the average Sunday School teacher, even if it was not entirely due to reverence. I had often told this story to my friends and again told it that evening to some of the members of the Commission, who seemed to enjoy it well enough to justify its repet.i.tion here.

About the close of the Civil War in 1865, I paid a visit to a younger brother who was managing a small charcoal blast furnace in Tennessee. I had never been in this part of the South before and had received minute instructions as to how to find the place.

Embarking at Nashville on a c.u.mberland river boat, after a day's ride, I left the boat in accordance with my brother's instructions at a small landing and, crossing the river on a ferry, remained over night at a cabin occupied by a pious old Negro. A horse was sent me at this humble abode the following morning.

Some little time after finis.h.i.+ng a hearty meal composed almost wholly of corn pone, the old gentleman brought out a time worn Bible and read two or three chapters. He then announced that we would all unite in prayer.

We all kneeled down. He invoked the Divine blessing upon the rulers of the earth, the President of the United States and almost everything else movable and immovable, on land, under the sea and over the sea. After he had prayed fully a half hour, tired and sleepy, I became impatient and nudged the half-grown boy next to me with a query as to how long the prayer would last. Meantime the boy had fallen asleep. However my nudge woke him up and, repeating my inquiry, I was answered with the question:--"Has pap got to where Moses crossed de Red Sea"? "No, he has not got to that yet," was my answer. "Well, when Pap gets to where Moses done crossed de Red Sea, he am jes half through."

We saw also in this church the tomb of Montcalm, grandfather of Montcalm, the French general who fell at the taking of Quebec in the French and English war during the Seventeenth century.

We visited Roman walls and ramparts built by Julius Caesar, and saw an ancient cemetery directly opposite a munitions factory, which we thought was a very appropriate location. This cemetery had been pillaged and the ancient things carried away as relics.

We also visited, while at Arles, a convalescent camp, and saw a number of Moroccan soldiers.

A point of great interest is the ancient Roman Theatre, built by Augustus Caesar and containing a statue of that Emperor. Another is the Arena, built in the first century, restored and reconstructed, and now used as an outdoor theatre. Sarah Bernhardt played there two years ago in a Shakesperian representation. It was used in the olden days for the entertainment of royalty, for gladiatorial contests, and battles of wild beasts. It is frequently used now for bull rights, as this part of France is near the Spanish border.

In front of the Hotel Du Nord is the statue of Mistral, the great poet of Provence.

We visited the Palace of Constantine, Roman Emperor in the fourth century. In this place remains a pool with means for heating water which would be considered in good form at the present day.

Arles is a famous centre of architecture and has been visited by all the great architects of the world. Here many received high inspiration, as stated in the address given by Mr. Ford.

En route to Arles we had noticed an old Roman theatre in the village of Orange. We noticed also, which seemed to be common in South France, that the horses wore a leather horn on the tops of their collars. This is said to be a usage handed down from the Middle Ages. In this region we pa.s.sed whole train loads of grapes, which looked from a short distance like carloads of anthracite coal.

Our next destination was Ma.r.s.eilles, and here Henri Brenier met us. We stopped at Martique, which was the home of Ziem, the great French painter, now deceased. We visited the Ziem museum. The lake of Martique is where the new port of Ma.r.s.eilles is to be located. This town dates back six hundred years B. C. We met here the president, Adrien Artaud, and the vice-president, Hubert Giraud, of the Chamber of Commerce of Ma.r.s.eilles.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Old Roman Arena at Arles--Still Used For Bull Fights and Other Amus.e.m.e.nts.]

VIII.

ALONG THE MEDITERRANEAN

Arriving at De Rove, the south end of the tunnel, on Sat.u.r.day, September 23rd, I had my first view of the Mediterranean. It was a most beautiful sight, and the water as blue as pictured in paintings. We were rowed in a small boat across an arm of the Mediterranean to the town of Ma.r.s.eilles. We first visited the new part of Ma.r.s.eilles; then the old.

Upon our arrival there was a tremendous gathering to greet us; not less than ten thousand children were shouting "Viva la Amerique". The whole city was decorated with American and French flags intertwined. The crowd lined upon the wharf so thickly we could scarcely pa.s.s through it. This reception was the greatest we had received anywhere in France. We visited the Hotel de Ville and were greeted by the mayor, with a response by Mr. Nichols, interpreted by Dr. Mailloux. We were then taken to the Hotel Regina and in the evening given a banquet by the Chamber of Commerce. This chamber was organized in 1599 and is the oldest chamber of commerce in the world.