Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-27

through Hesse- DArmstadt and Baden e
the Swiss frontier, will be defended, bu
4 at present the scene of active operations
| lies between the points indicated.
/ ooBLENz.
| This city, which might be termed the
| right wing of the Prussian line, is situa-
tex on the left bank of the Rhine and
| right bank of the Moselle, at the confla-
eDce of those rivers The name of the
| place is a corruption of Confluentes, by
which the Romans called il. 1t is about
seventy-iiWe miles northeast of Metz by
the post road, but is more than double
that distance by way of the river, owing
to its sinuosities. Coblenz contains a
population of about twenty thousand
souls, and is one of the best fortified
| places in Prussia. The Notifications
surrounding it form vast camp, capable
/ OF containing one hundred thousand men,
and combine the systems of CarnOt and
Montalembert. -Four forts protect it on
the left bank of the Rhine. The first is
fort Kaiser Franz, situated below the town
on the left of the Moselle, and commanding
all the approaches from Cologne and
Treves. Above are forts Alexander and
Constantine, on the hill of the Chartreuse,
the guns of which sweep the roads from
Mayence. The fourth fort is situated
over the Hundsruck Mountain. These
Notifications, with the Fortress Ehren-
breitstein, of which mention shall here
after be made, were twenty odd years in
rebuilding, after the downfall of Napoleon,
and cost some S., 600, 900. They are un-
doubtedly strong, but none are impreg-
nable, as has been stated by some news
papers. In fact, the principal strength of
the city lies in Ehrenbreitstein (honor's
broad stone), village and fortress stu
ated on large rock which towers above
everything for miles around. 1t is termed
the Gibraltar of the Rhine, and is certain
ly most formidable position. On three
sides it is absolutely impregnable
to assault but on the north
west it is comparatively exposed. Its
weakness here is apparent at a glance,
and efforts have been made to repair it
by the construction of three lines of de-
fences, all of which must be stormed be-
fore an enemy can enter the fortress.
Nevertheless it is possible that artillery
massed on these works could render them
untenable -Four hundred heavy guns are
mounted in the fortress, and these sweep
the Rhine in all directions and the road to
Nassau. On the top of the rock is a
great platform which serves as parade
ground and which covers large archal
chasms, supplied with water by springs
without the walls, and capable of con-
tanning three years. supply of the liquid.
There is also a well, sunk 400 feet in the
rock, communicating with the Rhine. In
1894 Coblenz proper was taken by the
French after a desperate resistance.
Ehrenbreitstein, which the same nation |
had failed to capture in 1858, although !
Vauban himself directed the operations,
held out until 1896, when it was COM
PEELED to surrender, the garrison having
been reduced to starvation. Cats and
horses were eaten by the besieged during |
the last days. 1t is hardly possible that |
any attempt will be made by the French |
to take Coblenz by direct attack. A |
flank movement to drive the Prussians |
from the place will doubtless be made. |
We should not omit to state that after |
the peace of Luneville the French blew |
up Ehrenbreitstein on evacuating it; but |
1t is now considered to be stronger than |
ever.
AT and around Coblenz centres public |
interest, which, however, may be wholly |
removed by movement of the French |
toward the river Main.