The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-05-03
wnr-what Will Como OF It.


War-What VIII Como OF II.
1t is remarked as significant, that
some of the German papers have
already begun to discuss military
operations, as if war were actually at
hand between France and Prussia.
What attracted most attention at
Paris, was an articlelin the Gazette, of
Northern Germany, which says:
SIN war with France, the German
armies will have to operate on two
principal points-Alsace and Lor-
raine, Belgium and the lower Rhine.
separated by the hilly country be.
tween the Moselle and the Meuse.
In case of IN offensize attack against
the West or the upper and middle
Rhine, it would be necessary to
secure the important line of ope-
rations, Mayence, Kaiserslauten and
Metz, which leads into the valley of
the Mnrne. This line passes through
network of numerous French for
tresses, of which the most important
is Metz, place of the first rank, and
yet of slight Importance, if Luxem-
burg, distant seven miles from it. is
in our hand and keeps it in check.
The holder of Luxembourg is master
of the valley of the Sarre, which is
only closed by Sarrelonis; but this
valley cuts at right angles the line of
operations already mentioned of an
army entering from the middle Rhine
into Champagne.
eff, on the other hand, Luxem-
burg is French fortress, it is,
especially in concert with Metz, n
danger for the lines of communication
OF that army, and moreover, it
would force it to weaken itself con-
siderably by detachments for invest
ing. A Prussian Luxembourg would
then be for us necessity; French
Luxembourg would menace our lines
of communication on the right flank.
The possession of Luxembourg by the
French would also be a danger for
the left flank of o German army
advancing from the lower Rhine into
Belgium. Four lines of railroad, of
which the point of juncture is Luxem-
burg, give to that fortress o special
importance, by reason of the facilities
afforded by railroads in actual war
fare. These lines are-1. Nancy
Metz, Luxemburg; 2. Luxembourg,
Namur, Brussels;3. Luxembourg, Spa,
Liege; 4. Mayence, Sarrebruck, Sar-
relouis, Treves, Luxembourg. The
first two run parallel to the French
frontier, touch several fortified
places, and are in direct communi-
cation with the central point, Paris,
as we'll as with the South and North
Of the country.
"The strategy of the French army
would be greatly favored by this rail
road parallel to the frontier; and its
displacement at will, from the South
to the North and oice rersa, would be-
easy. The Luxemburg-Liege line
runs parallel to the Prussian frontier.
on the Belgo-Luxemburg line, con-
meets the valleys of the Moselle and
the Meuse by the shortest way, and
cuts the Cologne-Liege- Brussels line
near Verviers. To Luxembourg and
the junction point of these three
lines must be attached, in French
point of view, great Importance.
Fourthly, the important network
connecting the valleys of the Rhine,
the Nahe, the Sarre and the Moselle,
debouches on Luxembourg, and on it
is the only line of communication by
rail of the theatre of war in Lorraine
and Belgium. It is of capital i'm
portance for the Germans. The
great Importance of this place for us
would be increased by the completion
of the projected line, Treves- Cologne
and Treves-Coblentz, by which
Luxembourg could be put in direct
communication with the strongest
places on the banks of the Rhine.
and serve rs an advanced post. Thus
the question relative to fortress so
well suited both for attack and de-
fence should be the object of serious
examination.
INTERESTING TO NORTHERN SrocK-
HOLDERS IN SOUTHERN RAILROADS.