used, and they started a
most violent fire.

On July 5 at 4:30 P.M., the statement continues, the enemy recommenced
its bombardment of the city, concentrating its fire upon the environs
of the cathedral, more especially upon St. Vaast, the ancient Bishop's
palace, which had been transformed into a museum. Incendiary shells
set the building on fire, and the use of fuse shells from three-inch
and four-inch guns prevented our organizing to combat the fire, which
soon assumed great proportions and completely destroyed the palace.
During the night there was an intermittent bombardment.

On July 6, about 7 A.M., shells fell on the Cathedral, the roof of
which took fire, and, despite the efforts of our troops, was entirely
consumed, as were the Cathedral organs.

The departmental archives, which had been deposited in the Palace of
St. Vaast, had been placed in the cellar of the palace before the
bombardment and were saved. The sacred ornaments and part of the
furnishings in the Cathedral were removed.

IN THE FECHT VALLEY

_The French official "Eyewitness" reported on July 15 the French
victory in the battle of Metzeral in upper Alsace, as follows:_

The operations by which our troops captured the towns of Metzeral and
Sondernach, which are situated in the Fecht Valley, have been
remarkable because of the means employed and the results obtained, and
as the Alpine troops have been forced to surmount all possible
difficulties.

_Metzeral, the eyewitness explains, is situated in a valley surrounded
by high hills, the sides of which dropped precipitously down to the
Fecht region. On these hills was stationed artillery, to the rear of
which, within easy access, large reinforcements could be massed and
brought to the front when needed. He continued:_

From prisoners we learned that the Germans considered their position
impregnable. It was surrounded by several lines of trenches and barbed
wire entanglements. We made long preparations for the attack,
concentrating troops and bringing supplies up the Vosges through
winding, narrow, and hastily constructed roads, twenty miles in
length. New trenches were dug, mines laid, and various other details
attended to.

On June 15, after prolonged and heavy artillery fire on both sides of
the valley, the attack was begun against Hill 830, on which we
captured trenches situated on the slopes, taking two companies
prisoners. A portion of the trenches on Braunkopf also fell into our