Rheims
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Rheims. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
or REIMS, a city in the French department of Marne; on the Vesle; 98 miles E. N. E. of Paris. Strongly fortified with detached forts since the Franco-Prussian War, when it was for a time the German headquarters; it is well built, and from the material employed in building, which is the chalkstone of the district, and from the prevalence of the older style of domestic architecture, has a picturesque appearance. It is built on the site of Durocortorum, which is mentioned by Cæsar as the capital of the Remi, from which people it subsequently took its present name. Christianity may have found an entrance into Rheims at an earlier period, but it was not till about 360 that it became a bishop's see. Under the Frank rule it was a place of much importance, and it acquired a deeply religious interest from its having been the scene in 496 of the baptism of Clovis and his chief officers by the bishop, St. Remy (438-533). In the 8th century it became an archbishopric, and from 1179, when Philip Augustus was solemnly crowned here, it became the place for the coronation of the kings of France, who were anointed from a vessel of sacred oil, called "sainte ampoule," which a dove was said to have carried to St. Remy from heaven. Joan of Arc brought the dauphin hither, and the only sovereigns in the long series ong series, down to 1825, not crowned at Rheims were Henry IV., Napoleon I., and Louis XVIII. In 1793 the cathedral was attacked by the populace, and the sainte ampoule smashed by a sansculotte; and in 1830 the ceremony of coronation at Rheims was abolished. The cathedral, though the towers of the original design are still unfinished, is one of the finest extant specimens of Gothic architecture. It was built between 1212 and 1430, and in 1877 the government voted $400,000 toward restoration. Its nave is 466 feet long by 99 in breadth, with a transept of 160 feet, and the height is 144 feet. Its grandest features are the W. façade, which is almost unrivaled, with its magnificent doorway, and the socalled Angel Tower, which rises 59 feet above the lofty roof. The stained glass is remarkable for its beauty; the organ is one of the finest in France; and two survive out of six magnificent tapestries. The Romanesque church of St. Remy (mainly 1160-1180), with the saint's shrine, is nearly of equal size, but of less architectural pretension. Also noteworthy are the town hall (1627-1880); the ancient "Maison des Musiciens" (Musicians' House), and archiepiscopal palace; the Porta Martis, a Roman triumphal arch; the Lycée, representing a former university (1547-1793); and statues of Louis XV. and two natives, Colbert and Marshal Drouet. Rheims, prior to the World War, was one of the principal entrepôts for the wines of Champagne, and the hills which surround the town were planted with vineyards, and many workmen were employed. It was one of the great centers of the woolen manufacture in France, and its manufactures, embracing woolen goods (especially merinoes), mixed fabrics in silk and wool, etc., known in commerce as "Articles de Rheims." During the World War the Germans repeatedly bombarded the town and practically destroyed it. The famous cathedral was the special mark of their long-range guns and was badly shattered. Rheims was never entered by the Germans. Pop. (in normal times) about 118,000. RHENISH PRUSSIA (German, Rheinland), the extreme W. province of Prussia, touching W. and N. Luxemburg, Belgium, and Holland; area, 10,423 square miles; greatest length from N. to about 200 miles; greatest breadth about 90; pop. about 7,120,000. In the S. it is hilly, being traversed by the ranges of the Eiffel, Hochwald, etc. It is watered by the Rhine, the Moselle, and some affluents of the Meuse. A large proportion of the surface is in forest. Besides the usual cereal crops, tobacco, hops, flax, rape, hemp, and beet-root are raised; fruit culture and the vine culture are also carefully attended to. Cattle are extensively reared. It is the most important mineral district in Germany, abounding in coal, iron, lead, zinc, etc. It is likewise an active manufacturing district, there being numerous iron works and machine shops, textile factories, breweries, distilleries, etc. It is divided into five governments or districts of Coblentz, Treves, Cologne, Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle), and Düsseldorf. The city of Coblentz is the official capital of the province, but Cologne is the town of most importance. A portion of Rhenish Prussia was included in the occupied area following the armistice of Nov. 11, 1918. Coblentz was the chief depot for the American Army of Occupation, while Cologne was the headquarters for the British forces. See RUHR DISTRICT; SARRE BASIN.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
remz, a city of France. It is situated on a small stream 100 miles northeast of Paris. It is connected with the capital by canal and railway. The city nestles among vine-clad hills and is the center of the champagne industry. The wines are stored in large cellars excavated in the chalk cliffs. There are 150 miles of passages rivaling the catacombs of Rome in extent. Thirty million bottles a year are stored away to mellow. There are also extensive manufactures of flannels, merinos, blankets, and other woolen goods, as well as of candles, soap, glass, and paper. The city is noted also for its gingerbread, biscuit, and dried peas. The present population is about 110,000. The city is defended by a ring of forts. Rheims is a city of historical importance. In the day of the Roman Empire it was the terminus of a military road. A triumphal arch 108 feet in width and forty-three feet high still stands. Clovis and his soldiers were brought over to Christianity at Rheims. The crowning feature of the city is a magnificent cathedral dating from the thirteenth century. The front or facade is one of the masterpieces of the Middle Ages . It is pierced by three portals, laden with sculptured figures. A rose window set above the main portal is one of the finest specimens of stained glass known. The front towers, one at each corner, are unfinished. They stop at a height of 267 feet. The design calls for pointed spires 394 feet high. For centuries the kings of France were crowned here. The interior, designed to hold the vast crowds that surged to the coronation, is 455 feet in length. The nave is ninety-eight feet wide and 125 feet in the clear. It is surrounded by beautiful galleries adorned with sculpture. Priceless tapestries and an organ with 3,516 pipes add to the deep impression created by the interior. Other buildings of interest are the town hall with its museum and immense library, the archbishop's palace, and the House of the Musicians.