The Wanganui Chronicle. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1930. THE LYONS SUBSIDENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 425, 17 November 1930, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1930. THE LYONS SUBSIDENCE

yin: suddenness of I lie eatastrophy which has alTeeted the City of Lyons has turned the attention of the world Io this remarkable and historic city.

The City of Lyons is for foreigners overshadowed by Paris; but this is natural because the administration and political life or France has for long radiated from Paris as do the spokes of a wheel from its hub. It is because of this radiating structure

of the French body politic that a successful revolulioiuor eoup-de-ctat in Paris carried the country with it. But despite this political and administrative dominance of Paris Lyons has held no mean second place. The geographical situation of Lyons has, however, been perhaps its main cause contributing to the importance and grow th of the city.

Lyons is situated at the confluence of the River Rhone, which follows its turbulent course down from Switzerland in the north-east, and the River Saone, which flows towards the city direct from the north; the confluent stream then proceeds directly to the south. Before the railroad era. therefore, the city's position was one of strategic importance. Realising this fact, the genius of the Romans led them Io establish a colony here in the year 43 8.C., and make it the starting-point, for their great system of highways through Gaul. Ecclesiastics following in the wake of the legions and benefiting by the roads thus formed found Lyons a convenient centre from which Io administer their humane work. The whole Province of Gaul was in early times administered from here. Ils ecclesiastical signfieance has indeed never abated. The Archbishop of Lyons ranks even to-dav as “Primate of the Gauls.”

Such an important ecclesiastical centre of such ancient establishment is naturally rich in religious edifices. The oldest is the Church of St. Martin d’ Ainay, portions of which date from the sixth century; the St. Xizicr Church is a fine fifteenth century Flamboyant building. The hospital was founded in the sixth century, and the Hospice de la Charity founded in the year 1531. On the right bank of the Saone is the steep, high suburb of Fourvieres, which rises to a height of 410 feet, crowned by the new Church of Notre Dame, which was began so recently as 1872. In this church is the miracle-working image of Our Lady of Fourvieres. that is believed to have preserved the city from the cholera in 1832. 1835, and 1850. Here also in the crypt of the Church of St. Irenaeus are preserved what are purported to be the bones of 19,000 Christian martyrs killed in the persecution by Severus, who at Lyons in the year 197 overcame his rival Clodius Albinus.

The subsidence which has caused the distressing calamity of Thursday occurred on this steep face of the River Saone ■which sustains the suburb of Fourviere. The height on which the Cathedral of the Notre Dame is situated can be imagined by visualising just double the height of Durie Hill when viewed from the Wanganui River bank. The combination of large buildings on the summit, subterranean workings on the face, and the ever-increasing wear of the river below have probably contributed to the eatastrophy which has overwhelmed the suburb. If this is so it makes a dramatic witness for the cause of town planning, so that all the factors which aff’eet a residential area can be taken into consideration.