The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-13
DAILY PRESS.
ND
Saturday Morning, Aug. l8 1870.


eo'9'"oiou 40 INC cehlIe Oi Ine movements OF
the French Army of the Rhine, presents in
times of peace the ordinary appearance of a
French garrison town; but within the last
few weeks it has undergone, as it were, such
complete transformation that a foreigner
entering the gates at the present moment
would think that the Messins and the Mes
sines-such are the denominations given to its
inhabitants-were ON the eve of a gigantic
fete. Trcolor flags are flying from almost ev-
cry window, banners bearing inscriptions such
as "Dieu protege Ia Frencel" "Tire rarnee
frdncdtse" &c, are stretched across the
streets, many of the houses are hung with
laurel leaves, rooms in the hotels. or 'ber
sleeping accommoi,at' o y, lin-
ed with the utmost u .,se md
tables dhote are so crowded with military of.
ficers that civilian looks quite strange among
so many sons of Mars, and of an evening, an
hour Or two before midnight, when the cafes
are Illuminated with many-colored lanterns
bearing letters expressing some patriotic VOW,
soldiers Ioil through the streets in the direc-
tion of the barracks or the camp in state OF
intoyication, singing the chorus of the Mar
seiaise in no very melodious voice. But be-
hind all this apparent gayety and joviality,
stern reality appears to check too much en-
thusiasm. People cannot help asking them
selves how many Of these fine men compos-
ing the army of 700 strong-which the
nephew Of Marshal Bazaine informed me YES
terday is collected in the neighborhood of
Metz-were destined to appease with their
blood the hatred which has existed between
Frenchmen and Prussians since Butcher gave
chase to Napoleon's flying army at Waterloo.
Officers will laugh and talk on all manner of
trivial subjects in the Gates, in the streets, and
at the table fh0te, but generally avoid sneak
ing OF the war; for although Frenchmen as a
rule are as brave as any nation in the world,
the French officer has a peculiar dread OF
coming home minus leg, an arm, or nose,
er with the mark of a sabre cut across his
face. As an example of this may mention
that the other day at the table d'hote at
Thionville overheard captain in the Vol
tigeurs telling brother officer that he had ar
ranged with surgeon in Paris to telegraph
for him from the seat of war Immediately he
was wounded, because he was afraid of being
disfigured by the army surgeon.
SITUATION OF METZ.
Metz, as ecery one is aware, is situated in
the northeast of France, at about twenty-five
miles from the German frontier Its garrison,
which is usually 5000 men, now numbers as
many as 10000, which added to its population
of $4,000, gives total of s., 900 inhabitants at
the present moment. 1t is protected on the
west by the Fort of the Double Couronne. or
Fort Mosele, and on the east by Fort Belle
Crofx, which is built on hill in the midst of
gardens and country houses, and completely
isolated from the town. On the southwest is
the Fort Gisors, which, although smaller than
those already mentioned, is nevertheless OF
considerable Importance, and Redout du Pate
which is built ON the left bank of the river
Seille, at about three-quarteas of mile east
of the railway station, completes the exterior
| defences of the town. Metz is entered by
seven gates, the most interesting of which i:
| the Porte des Allemands, a massive stone
| structure, which from its two pointed tower:
has at first sight the appearance of an ancen
chateau of the middle ages; and the following
inscription, which is carved in Gothic char
acters on one of the towers, shows that il
dates back as far as the fifteenth century:
"Henri de Ranconval fit de ceste oucraigt
noistre principal en- 1445.'
| This gate, together with that of Ste Barbt
and one or two towers, are evidently the enl,
| portions OF the old walls that still exist, the
remainder dating back no further than thu
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, whicl
/ seems to show that the walls of the tow
were almost entirely rebuilt after the siege o
Metz, which was conducted by Charles Quin
in 1850 Metz counts as many as six larg,
| barracks, two or three arsenals, an EcOt,
dAppicatiOn, where the st. Cyrians, wht
contemplate entering the engineers or the ar
tillery, 60 to complete their studies, vas
powder magazine, and military hospital
| THE FASHIONABLE PROMENADE. ...
The fashionable promenade, and, in fact
the only open-air lounge, in Metz, is the Es-
| planade, which is laid out on the town walls
close to the railway station, and consists o
several long shady avenues of beech ant
horse-chestnut trees, and beautiful gardens O
shrubs and flowers, kept in the same admira
BILE order as the squares of Paris. AT th,
commencement of the promenade is larg
| bronze statue of Marshal Ney, which, from
an artistic point of view, is by no means re
markable, but scattered about the grounds ar
several cleverly-modelled bronze animals
which were given to the town by the sculpto
Fratin, native of Metz, and which, an
told by young artillery officer, are often sub
jected to practical jokes, similar to thos,
which were played on the dilapidated plaste
equestrian statue which used to figure in tn
middle of Leicester square, London. Ever,
other day military band plays for two O
three hours after dinner in handsome kiosk
which has been erected in the centre of
beautiful lawn. On these occasions the mum
Der Of faneurs, especially at the present mo
ment is tremendous, and although the mil
tary element naturally predomnates, one get
a very fair sprinkling OF respectable bourgeo
and country sweIls, besides an excellent oppol
tunity for admiring the "beauties" of Met
and making the acquaintance of the "lions
of the place.
SUPERB VIEWS.
AT the end Ofthe Espanade, that is to sa
on the very summit OF the walls of the tow
is very magnificent terris commanding n su
pcrb view which reminds one somewhat {
the coup d9I from the terrace close to tn
Pavilion Henri ". at st German-en-L Lave
with which every American who has yisite
Paris is familiar. The walls of Metz at thi
point are about forty or fifty feet high, so tha
the view which is obtained from their sum
init embraces the whole of beautiful vale
which can be inundated in few hours. Ii
the foreground on the rights a cluster of tree
aud shrubs, masking picturesque little will;
of which the walls are almost washed by tn
river Moselle running at the foot of the fort
fications. Beyond the river is the valley, til
regularity of which is broken by the variou
shades of the crops, the cattle grazing in til
field, and the peasants cottages. On the le
are the long chain of hills, which ale percei
from the railway carriage just before reacl
ing the Metz railway station, and straight b.
fore us in the distance is the mountain of S
Quentin, crowned by the Fort of the sam
name.
THE FORTS AND THE CAMPS.
1t isextremely difficult, and may say in
| possible. to visit the forts or even the camp
at the present moment; and although infol
nation respecting them may be gathere
from some of the soldiers, it can by no mean
be relied upon, as 1 find from experience thai
with view of appearing an important pei
sonage, the French soldier never hesitates ''t
draw the long bow" The most severe OF
ders, it appears, have been given by Marsh;
Bazaine respecting journalists, and, in fac
every one found lettering about the cam,
and fortigcations; and although | have ne
yet been arrested, never dare to make moi
out OF doors without an instructive appr
henslon OF feeling the bony hand of a qe,
darme se.ze me by the collar.
The other day started out on horsebacI
with view OF visiting Fort ST. Quentin. I'll
road, which went winding up the hill, w.
just broad enough for one vehicle to moy
along, and was bordered on either side /
thick hazel bushes, beyond which were wild
spreading plantations Of grape-vines, so thi
there was no possibility Of one cart passr
another. AT the foot of the fortress were
3 number of soldiers continuing the works
! intrenchment, and half dozen military eng
: neers surveying the ground. The corpora
after staring at Inc for considerable time, ;
] my horse, haf-roasted by the broiling SUI
moved laziy along, and possibly weighin
within himself the Chancee of my being eitht