While the material for a survey of the destruction of the buildings of Reims is not yet available, the following notes may be found of interest in forming a judgment on the effects of the bombardment, and its military uselessness. The record is manifestly incomplete, for practically the entire city has been destroyed.

THE CATHEDRAL

1914

September 4. The window glass in the aisle of the north transept was broken by a bomb falling in the adjoining street. Other shells fell directly on the cathedral, striking the gable of the north transept; the upper nave windows were pierced, and the rose window over the central west portal. Some of the portal statues, including the Virgin of the group of the Visitation, and an apostle of the south porch were broken. There were various external indications of projectiles and minor injuries.

September 17. Three shells fell on the cathedral, striking the stone gallery and roof of the north transept; the chevet was subjected to similar injury, and the glass of the choir chapel windows was destroyed.

September 18. Thirteen shells fell on the cathedral. The windows of the south aisle of the nave to the transept were broken, many being emptied of their ancient glass. The buttresses on the south side were mutilated in their lower parts, and many of the pinnacles broken off or destroyed. The flying buttress at the angle of the choir and north transept was entirely destroyed. The stone gallery surrounding the base of the nave roof was ruined in many places, and parts of it thrown onto the roof created other injuries and broke windows.

September 19. The day of the fire. Sixteen shells on the cathedral, one on the summit of the north tower. At 2:30 P. M. (the exact hour varies in different accounts) an incendiary bomb set afire the scaffolding erected in May, 1913, for the repair of this tower. Although not the first catastrophe, it was the most serious. The fire spread with great rapidity, the great roof, with its magnificent internal woodwork of the fifteenth century, was wholly consumed. The "Clocher À l'Ange", at the furthest extremity of the roof, and which dated from 1485, fell. Its name was derived from a copper angel formerly on the summit, removed for security in 1860. The carillon on the low tower at the crossing of the nave and transept, and which had been re-established by the AcadÉmie Nationale de Reims, was destroyed. Much of the old glass in the upper windows, dating from the thirteenth century, was destroyed, as well as much of the external sculpture. The internal injuries were also very grave. The cathedral was filled with straw, requisitioned by the German command for the use of wounded German soldiers it was proposed to place within the church, but who were only taken there after the evacuation; some of them lost their lives in the fire. The greater part of the interior furniture was destroyed, including the eighteenth century woodwork of the choir, together with the stalls and the archiepiscopal throne. A tapestry of the coronation of Charles X was lost. The remarkable sculptures surrounding the interior of the nave doorway were ruined.

September 24. Three bombs struck the cathedral, one of which fell on the vault of the crossing, bared by the fire of September 19. One struck the third buttress on the south side of the nave.

October 12. A bomb of large calibre fell on the high gallery of the chevet, ruining eight metres of the arcading. Two gargoyles of the chevet were broken off.

October 13. A shell fell on the north side of the cathedral at 3 P. M.

November 11. A bomb fell near the cathedral, enveloping it in thick clouds of smoke.

November 12. A shell exploded on the roof, demolishing a pinnacle on the south side of the chevet, and damaging some sculptures. Shrapnel fell within near the high altar.

November 22. Two shells fell on the superstructure, accomplishing no great harm.

1915

February 26. Two shells fell on the cathedral.

March 28. A Taube dropped a bomb on the cathedral apse.

June 1. The "CommuniquÉ Officiel" of this date, for 3 P. M., says the cathedral was particularly bombarded. This is not mentioned in the local reports.

June 15. Several shells fell on the cathedral.

1917

April 15. 15 shells fell on the cathedral. The chapel of the Cardinal ruined.

April 19. 20 shells on the cathedral. The north tower, vaults and transept injured.

The cathedral was subjected to other injuries on April 20 (2 shells), April 21 (8 shells), April 22 (3 shells), April 23 and April 24. The angle of the south transept and the chevet was particularly hurt on the date last named.

PALAIS ARCHIÉPISCOPAL

Burned on September 19, 1914, in which the cathedral was so seriously injured. The building was almost wholly destroyed. The chapel lost its roof and glass. The library and collections of the AcadÉmie Nationale de Reims, which were housed in the palace, were lost, together with the archeological collections, including the prehistoric collection (Collection Posteaux) and the ethnographic collection (MusÉe Guillot).

ST. REMI

Injured in the bombardment of September 4, 1914. The vault of the south transept fell through, the ancient glass of the apse triforium and of the upper nave windows was broken, as well as the modern glass of the apse chapels windows, and in other parts. The interior was ruined, the losses including a painting "The Entry of Clovis to Reims" and one of the tapestries of the "Life of St. Remi". The chapel facing the baptismal font suffered some exterior injury.

A bomb destroyed the apse chapel of Notre Dame de l'Usine et de l'Atelier on November 16, 1914. On August 13, 1916, the church was menaced by the fire of the HÔtel Dieu (Civil Hospital). Flames attacked the north transept, destroying the glass of the rose window.

OTHER CHURCHES

St. AndrÉ. On September 19, 1914, a bomb fell on the left transept portal, breaking the glass in near-by parts; painting of "The Baptism of Clovis" lost. September 22, 1914, a shell fell on the church at 11 A. M. April 15, 1917, it caught fire, and it was again injured on April 28.

St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle. 3 shells fell on this church in the bombardment of December, 1914. The glass was broken and the interior injured.

St. Clotilde. September 22, 1914, most of the glass ruined by a near-by shell. January 4, 1915, injured by 4 bombs.

St. BenoÎt. 3 shells in January, 1915.

St. GeneviÈve. Injured in the bombardment of April 15, 1917.

CIVIC BUILDINGS

HÔtel de Ville. Lost the glass of the west side September 14, 1914. Received several shells in the bombardment of September 19, 1914. A fire started, but no essential injury resulted. It was gravely injured April 21, 1917, and was destroyed by fire on May 3.

Palais de Justice. Lost the glass of its main faÇades September 4, 1914. A shell fell through the roof on October 2, 1914, injuring the interior; both faÇades were hurt, especially the newer one. February 3, 1916, some fragments of French shells fell on the building. September 18, 1916, a bomb fell through the roof and upper story.

HÔtel Dieu [Civil Hospital]. Some shells fell on the buildings on September 18, 1914; two patients were killed and another buried under dÉbris; two nurses were badly wounded. On August 13, 1916, the Hospital caught fire in the bombardment and was destroyed save for two pavilions.

ThÉÂtre. The lantern was destroyed in the bombardment of September 4, 1914, and the chandelier suspended from it fell down. A bomb fell on the building on October 5, 1914.

MusÉe des Beaux-Arts. Injured September 4, 1914, by three bombs on the west front. Much interior damage and many valuable paintings lost.

Sous-PrÉfecture. Burned September 18, 1914.

Place Royale. Many of the buildings surroundings this place were burned in the bombardment of September 19, 1914.

HÔtel de la Salle. Injured by a shell in November, 1914.

Gothic House in Rue de Vesle. Wholly ruined in the catastrophe of September 19, 1914.