LIECHTENSTEIN, PRINCIPALITY

OF, small independent state, Austria | 7° 7'N., 9° 33’ H.), bounded on N. and H. by Vorarlberg, on W. by Rhine, and on 8. by Swi cantons of Grisons and an — St. Gall; extremely mountainous (Rhetian Alps); corn, vines, fruits, flax. Chief — town, Vaduz. From 1866 belonged to _ the Austrian customs union; people pay no taxes and are not liable for military service. Area, 65 sq. m.; pop. 10,000. Belgium (50° 32’ N., 5° 30’ E.), on riv. Meuse, 55m. 8.E. of Bru els, 10m. from former Ger. border; old town on hills _ Overlooking Meuse on 1. bk.; new town down below on r. bk.; fine city, handsome - squares, bridges, and churches. At _ opening of World War was defended by twelve detached forts, from 4 to 6 m. distant, constructed of concrete with armored domed turrets, and equipped with modern heavy guns. Cathedral founded 712, destroyed 1794; since then St. Paul’s, 968-1528, has been church of _ pee; St. Denis and Holy Cro date from the 10th cent. Bishop’s palace and Palais de Justice, 1508-40; restored 1848-56, are architecturally notable. _ Univ. founded 1817 has school of mining. Liége in center of Belgium coal-mining district; one of first manufacturing cities of country; the Belgian Birmingham; firearms, cannon, hardware, zinc, cycles, _ machinery, watches, linen, woolens, etc. lat Its collieries include some of the deepest sunk shafts in the world. Pop. with suburbs, 250,000. Siege of Liege.—First serious conflict of World War took place around Liége. By the evening of Aug. 4, 1914, the Germans, who hoped to capture it by a coup de main, were closing in on the ring of forts surrounding the city. The attacking force consisted of three divisions, under General von Emmich; the city was defended by about 20,000 men, under General Leman. On Aug. 5, Fiéron, chief fort on S.E., was silenced; on Aug. 6-7 other forts fell, and the city was entered; on Aug. 13-15 the remaining forts to N. of the city were demolished. On Aug. 7 the ‘fall of Liége’ was announced, to the frenzied delight of the Germans, though on the 14th most of the W. forts were still intact. During the bombardment by heavy siege artillery (secret until then), shells crashed through 12 ft. of concrete and reduced the forts to shapele ma es. The cannonading did little damage to the city itself. It is generally conceded that the stubborn resistance of the Belgians at Liége delayed the main Ger. advance for nearly a week. The Fr. government invested the city with the Legion of Honor. Much ‘of the machinery in small-arms factories was subsequently removed to Germany, as the Belgian workmen refused to construct weapons for use against Allies.