, 1870-08-26

FF0ne The LoHepH .fH3t aug AS~
Tho announcement tllas German army W, T.
ihcTedulous aAtoninhtnentin I'arl.. MuGle not
a eins1e journal has limited tho possibility OF
sucI stl event. That tho Thine m'ght ne
c. o.seJ, that armies might niauGnyfe noaf
the luztrese, and that its prestige might inn5
be Temporarily impaired, "as to lie accepted
a. one OF Tie Incidents of uusucce .sful var
but Summon. to surrender wil he regarded
AZ t,iece ofpresumptl1u OF which ontY II.
Binma,k k Is capable. strasburG is tho teuttc Ut
tho defence OF tho nhlue frontier. and is lal-
trsscs in Europe. It has 6gnred in military
history from the days Of Jnlius FTsar. Il
WAS Louls XIV, however, who first gave 1t
the Importance aud rank it has 10 long hstl
among the fortified places Of Europe, altar
lie had got Itosscsaion of it whaa it "as = ftta
city ii lie termsn Empire, ly la@iesa al
I'M dred Years after its uniun viii. Fsan:e,
| 6s1a1b,.rg still retains the appearance Of q
| prus1ihn toNu. The situation Of Strasburg,
at Distance Of about ~ miles from the
Rhine, Gu the river III, is fat. The town,
which is irregular in form. has clr-
|! cult OF Fix nlites It is surrounded br q
vail, strengthened by bastioue, bitches, and
bulwatks. and has It it, eastern extremity to-
| watd the Rhine citadel Of dye basiiont,
constructed By Nautat1, tho outworks Of whi:h
reach to the river. lts defensive sys.om is
completed bY a'uice, by meana OF which the
surrounding country can be tnundated. For
arr required. 10 that il the bcsiogars are per
tinacio,,s the asics d weakners of tho g1rrii.
son NAV prove serious. The ordinary garri.
son Of s,fasbrrg IL G,0op, but there il civil
population Of 81, 900. and in casoof ) blockade
eve1y one OF, ,Leg will DO doing tAt
daily co,.sumn.;". Of the strictly linli:e:
rture uf provisions. The only side Of tn
fort tcsa witch cannot 10 laid undcr watel
i.x 1nea1s Of t!.e sluitcs .here the III en:er
the ttwn il the 1'cfte der Mines. arl on tia
tijo tie glacis il ...iiei. Surla is The tleor,
theory t,fscn sre'l;s down. The safety OF tn
r,lace t1epen.ls. too much upon "a:er to sat:sf
tiose WHO wish to zee it hold cut. Water i
rrover1iaitv II licSle r1~rnet't npon winch !
| deEesad, aud after lour usoitlis drought IL
li.r1 Is now luz; at tho 1anli..g-l place Ut III
tdestlnyr.i boa, -Ltllg. .t1,csis,rsardpos. shove
| week or two ag.. nut 70 ceutuI"trcs, OF
} | feet VI watct willie it i. constructed 10 reno
10 feet. Tic works arc of a st'ulewhas anti
| 9lated type. The ol4-fa~hioncl bls:ioa er
cie,;te, Which ergira!ir tho toxn, il In rn-n
points approached. by woods, ~ villa
by p,eas11e-gasleus. a:rl by hrewe.ies. whic
! would probably afford excellent cover to a ht
| sieGinE force; Whil:. as it, works wet
planned long befuFc r11c cannon were though
Of, its Hicgo would afIo-;2 M excellent cxan
;: Publication, Of the relative values of o:d eng
| neeEinE and Of modern artillery. Tbs Gor1nAr
reforr tstraeburg have the advantase, tfenic
| by eome Lesicsers. Of knowing well what o'
. s1atlcs Ill, ) lIayeito overcome. Hun1rel>sst
Their countr. men have lad to leave the plas
within the l5st few weeks. after living al
working there for years, They evtdeutlr nls
: know precisely the nutubcr OF troops With,
Sine. luishth knosl ledge they have undertake
. | iu csptllre tho place, it is peobible that the
see ti4eir way to doing 50 without loss Of tim