The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-11
The QuadriIateraI.

ITS APPROACHES AND POINTS OF ASSAULT AS
ALTERED BY THE LOSS OF LoMBARDY-THE
FoRTREssKs AND STU ALTON IN 1859 AND 1866.
Before the Franco-Austrian war in Italy and up
to that pero0 1t was only possible to approach the
acks from the west that the Austrians up till 1860
lavished all their preparations, But owing to the
of frontier, the Quadniateral of 1859 Is not tae
Quadrllateral OF 1885,
A writer in the Edinburgh Scotsman thus de-
scTlbes it's present position, and indicates the
probable campaign OF the Italian generals: :-Ou the
upper lines of the Adige and the Mnco. just in the
narrow part Of the plain formed by the Iyrol
mountains on the one hand and the Po on the other
the Quadrilateral is seated.
Peschlera, in Itself little, weak, easily isolated
place, forms the northwest angle. The line OF the
Mncio, stream TOO small and with the banks TOO
favorable to an army seeking a passage from the
west to be worth permanent forLifcatiOn or capable
OF serious defense, Is supported twenty mi es below
Peschiera by Mantua, fortress eculiaIly adapted
cover il to the north, and by the facility with which
a great tract OF country to the south of 1T be
lard under eight or ten feet of wafer.
Six or seven miles south OIL Mantua the tete de
poRt OF BOrPotorte forms not very important out
ssst Of MaDtSa Adge s the dSube 9s tss S5e G
pont OF LePnago-a small place with a garrison OF
some two thousand meR, but not TO be he d in pre-
sence of large army against a vigorous assault
Through Ii runs the great southern road from Gre
mona aid the cities OF the PO 10 Padua and Venice
Verona, twenty-tw miles northwest from Leg
nago, and sixteen miles east from Peschiera COM
pietes the square, and forms the point ddppm of
the entire system. Placed astride on the Adge, it
commands at once the roads and railroads from
Austria through the Tyrol from Turin and Milan
through Bresca and Peschicra, and from Vienna,
through Vicenza, BY the valley OF the Upper PlaVe
on the one hand, and Venice and the passes of the
Carnc Alps on the other At Verona, further. the
railroad fIom Vienna by Udine, Mestre Venice,
Padua and Vicenza, into L0mbardy, and the branch
line 10 Mantua, are held; and this command of
communications, and the extent and nature of its
defenses-which are exceedingly strong on the side
OF the west, as we have enthusiastically adapt 1t
for the place of refuge or support of large army
which has not renounced offensive operations.
Close behind the AdiRe the great Iyrol road and
the railroad run down on Verona, and behind the
Adige, close to the famous plateau OF Rivoli the
forts Of PastrenVO erected since 1852 shut the dee
against the march of light columns, which, through
the Stelvio or Tonae passes, or round the head or
across the waters Of the Lake OF Garda might seek
to descend on the right flank OF the Quadrilateral
through the Italian TyTOl Mantua ana Verona
therefore. as the extrsmites Of one diagonal form
the chief strength OF the QUadriateral-the one
covering the line OF the MncO the other that of the
Adige.
But Peschiera and Legnago, at the extremities OF
the other diagonal eatily surrounded or easily
taken; and Mantua may be blockaded with force
not much ouinumbering Its garrison. In reality,
therefore, Verona Is the one angle Of the Quadulate
raj which gives to the other sides and angles what
value they haVej and thus II must be the prime OBJ