The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-15
Explanation Of the --latest Movements of
the Hostile Armies as Indicated by the
kilograms.

under the Crown Prince, is by fer the most
important of the series Of fortresses along the
left bank of the Rhine which constitute the
first line of defence against German invasion
from the east Its fall would, therefore, be
equivalent to breach as complete being made
on this frontier as has already been done In
the north. Should the news of an advance to
Mulhouse be confirmed, it will be important as
opening a new line of advance to Paris, and
as threatening the strong fortress of Belfort,
which guans what is practically the most ac-
.cessible avenue to the capital.
An army advancing from Metz upon Paris
must proceed at right angles 10 the direction
of the mountains, rivers and valleys which lie
in its course, or 1t must make long and tedious
detours At Mulhouse, on the other hand, the
enemy place themselves on route trayersed
by an Imperial highway and railroad, ana
following first the course OF the River III, then
that of the Doubs, and next crossing the open
plain in front Of Digon, emerging oy the passes
behind 1t into the upper extremity OF the val
lev OF the Seine. 100 miles southeast OF Paris,
from which point the road to the capital is
guarded by no formidable position or line OF
defence. Mulhouse being situated near the
extreme southern extremity Of the Baden
frontier. where it Is Joined to Switzerland, lt
conformed, the entire extent OF the German
frontier. from Sierck. on the border OF LnXem-
bourr In the north. to Hiiningen, opposite the
Swiss town of Bisle on the south. only awaits
the reduction OF Strasbourg to be In the untlis-
puted possession Of the Prussian armies.
So far rs the positions OF the Prllsslan troops
are ascertained. beyond any donot tne me aiomS
which they are at present posted may be best
described as starting from st. Avoid ON the
one side, and StrasbOurg on the other, ana de-
scrlbipn curve bent outward toward the
frontier. Or, let straight line connecting
Metz and Strasbourg represent the strlnS Oh
bow, the advancing Prusslan line VIII repre-
sent the bow Itself, having the positions which
it occupies dotted over curve OF at least
eighty miles long The important fact must
be remembered that line Of railroad, not laid
down on the older maps, follows the entire
course of the curve we have indicated, and
that its chief stations are precisely those which
The kilograms have indicated as being central
points OF the Prusslan forces, viz: Hagenan.
Nlederbr0m, Bitsche. Saaraguemines, Forbach
and st. Avoid. The line upon which Mcllahon
is posted forms curve Of nearly similar
character directly opposite 10 the one occu-
pied BY the Prllsslans, and bent IN the opposite
direction, with its termination at Nancy, Just
as that of the other is at Metz. Stras6ourg
forms the starting. point Of both, so that It's
Importance In affecting the French position on
correspondingly increased.
AS against an army advancing from the
eastern frontier, the VOsges Mountains, rum
ming parallel with the Rhine, constitute the
second line of defence of French territory.
In the centre of valley formed by the nav
igable river Zorn, tributary OF the Rhlne,
and at distance OF twenty miles northwest
of Strasbourg, Is situated the town Of Saverne,
at present occupied by Mcmahon. 1t forms
station on the great railroad to Nancy, and
commands the most accessible passage Into
Lorraine. About five miles further on Is the
fortified town Of Plalsburg. 1t Is extremely
probable that should the reduction OF Stras-
bourg prove as easy as Is anticipated, an ad-
vance against Saverne, with view to further
attack upon Nancy, distant about forty-hve |
miles, where, in the event of defeat, McMa- |
hon would tall back to join the remains OF MIS- |
army with that of Canrobert, would be the |
next movement Of the Prussian Army Of tine |
South under the Crown Prince.
It is evident that the Prussan army Oh tne
North, under General Steinmetz, and the Cen
tral Army. under Prince Frederlck Gnarles, les are
to say whether the capture Of this great fort-
ress would rank higher as military achieve
ment or as decisiVely successful point IN tne
campaign. The army that are now encamped
ontstde can be inclosed within Its walls, and
even If defeated and demoraized, Will 1nd
themselves in one OF the strongest 1ortined
camps in the world, with every available means
of defence oil which modern science IS capa0le.
The place can be flooded by the waters OF tne
Wosaile in five minutes, and there is also con.
strncted under the ground series OF casemated
chambers, whose bomb-proor coverings can
give shelter to the entire population.
METZ As AN OBSTACLE TO PRuSsIAN ADVANCE.
should the French army now concentrated
In front OF Metz be defeated in C. general en-
ragement, and fall back upon the vosges
Mountains. or should it voluntarily retire 10
the mountains. the road to Paris would be
omen to the Prussians. Before an advance
could be made, 1t would be necessary TO requce
Metz. And Just here the Germans Woulo en-.
counter their first difficulty. Metz IS .he
strongest fortress in France. and Is regarded
az imDrcpnable to anything but starvation or
voluntary surrender. In 1852, the Constable
Montmorency gained possession Of 1t oy STRAIT
arem. Charles V, Emperor OF Germany, Ina.
medlately afler besieged 1t with an army OF
l0O. Ono men. At the end OF ten montns, ne
raised the siege and retired, having lost oo:Voo
of his force in q frultless contest.
The present Notifications OF Metz were
planned by Vauban. 1t may be well 10 say
here that the city is seated on the Moselle
River, at the junction Of small stream callea
La Seile. The population Is nearly 70,9O0.
The civ Is entirely surrounded by toTtinca-
tions, so constructed that they can be defended
bv lO. 900 men or by 1000. Several forts.
crossing each others fire and sweeping the
surrounding country for miles, ore situated al
Intervals around the place. One OF the moss
important of these Is called Belle Croix anu
is regarded as chef d'osuvre OF military cen
struction. Next in strength comes La Douoie
Couronne. an immense work, surrounded oy
triple ditch filed with water. In aadition
there is the great redoubt of LIE Pate, Whlcn
can he converted into an island by closing Lhe
sluices on tie Seille. About tnree !utniea tSa
guns Of heavy calibre are mounted on Id sne no
works. There are, besides. oaStions anu t,t tG e.
dams for light artillery lourtn Sreas IoiI 20
said 10 have been constructed quite IecenS!;
which. if true. adds greatly TO tne strenSSHivd vi
the city, In fact, wheu IL Is ooime ,n hn a. nanaS
that 10 reach the tortihcalions IL VIII og neCes
sary for an assailing force to cross TWO uices,
fity feet wide by eighty deep, the lmposslonlty
of CARRYING Metz by storm Will oe perceistsu, H.
Furlherm0re. the waters OF the Sellie can Ge
raised Iwenty-iour feet. flooding the sarrolhu-
in.r country so as TO form lake SIN lnsies III
Ordinarily the garrison of Metz numbers lO;.
,bout !; 900 men. Should the French army
nncnver paris, we suppose that force oI o.,
So1 or a0 ,,fll men. without including the lrarue
Wo,,iIe ri Th. city. would be left TO delentl IL,
nj here as we said above, the troubles OF
ha pmssi,ns benn. Nothing short OF treacn-
srt ST cororice OF starvation IS likely 10 red9ce
Wstz twenty thousand men can 9elenu IT.
alta;ns. any f5rce that can possibly be brousnt
a;."ins, IL Nevertheless if the Prussians push
80. nar;- leaving Il behind. anu are defeated