The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-07-28
New Line Of Defense Reported to Be
Takenby the Prusstans.
TErnr, tho Nauy York HarnId
From the Ne


Takenby the Prusstans.
from the New York Herald.
If the new from Europe is true tina
the Prussians have retired from thei
line on the French frontier and are con
centrating at Coblenz and Mayence,
would imply either positivemovemen
by the French army on the right fianl
or demonstration in the same direc
ton threatening their line of eommuni
cation.
| The new defensive line begins at CO
blenz, on the Rhine, runs up in q south
east direction to Bingen. Whereit con
tinues east by north to Mayence, Oh
Mainz, or Mentz, as it is severally
called, on the Rhine, opposite the
mouth Of the Main river. The entire
distance, following the sinuosities of the
river, is fifty-six miles. There is rail
road line on each bank, that on the left
passing through and continuing down
to Cologne, and that on the right bank
turning off at Nieder Lahnsteine, and
following the Lain river to Nassau.
This, it seemsto us, is the present line
of the Rhine through Hesse Darmstadt
and Baden to the Swiss frontier, will be
defended, but at present the Of ac'
tive operations lies between the points
indicated.
This city which might he termed the
right wing OF the Prussian line, is situ-
ated on the left bank of the Rhine and
right bank of the Moselle, at the con-
fluence of those rivers. The name OF
the place is a corruption of Couhuentes,
by which the Romans called it. 1t is
about seventv-fve miles northeast of
Metz by the pos road, but it is more
than double that distance by way ofthe
river. owing to itsSsinuosities. Coblenz
contains population OF about twenty
thousand souls and is one Of the best
fortified places in Prussia. The fortiti-
cations 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
bank Of the Moselle, and commanding
all the approaches from Cologne and
TrevCs. Above are forts Alexander and
Constantine, on the hill OF the Char
treuse, the guns Of which sweep the
roads from Mayence. The fourth fort
is situated over the Hunsruck Noun
tain. These Notifications, with the
fortress Of Ehrenbreitstein, of which
mention shall hereafter be made, were
twenty odd years in rebuilding after the
downfall of Napoleon, and cost some
$5,000,OOO They are undoubtedly
strong, but none are impregnable, as has
been stated by some newspapers. In
fact, the principal strength of the city
lies in Ehrenbreitstein (honor's broad
stone village and fortress situated on
a large rock which towers above every
thing for miles around. 1t is termed
the Gibraltar Of the Rhine and is GER
tainly most formidable position. On
three sides it is absolutely impregnable
to assault, but on the northwest it il
comparatively exposed. It's weakness
here is apparent at glance, and efforts
have been made to repair it by the con-
struction of three lines OF defenses, all
Of which must be stormed before the
enemy can enter the fortress. Never
theless it is possible that the artillery
masscd 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 isa great platform which serves as
parade ground, and which covers large
arched cisterns, supplied with water by
springs without the walls, and capable
of containing a three years supply of
the liquid. There is also well, sunk
400 feet in the rock, communicating
with the Rhine. In 1874 Coblenz
proper was taken 10y the French after a
desperate resistance Ehrenbreitstein,
which the same nation had failed to
capture in 1858, although Vanban
himself directed the operations held out
until 1896, when it was surrendered,
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 10y the French TO take
Coblenz by a direct attack. 4 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
it is now considered TO be stronger than
ever.