The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-21
Words of Encouragement
THE WAR I'M EURoPE.
Nj A Y E N G. f.

The French Quadrilat eral and tho Prussian
Fortress which it encounters.
Last night dispatches from London, giving the re-
ported plan of campaign on the part Of the French
army, states that it is being concentrated within the
quadrilateral formed by the towns of Nancy Thion-
vile, Strasbourg and Mayence. The last named is
formidable Prussian fortress, and the proximity of
portion of the French army to it is doubtless the
of fooding the bitches surrounding the forts
as a precauton against an assault
The Fortress of Mayence,
the German name Of which is Mainz and the English
Mentz, is a town of Hesse. Darmstadt in the pro-
vince OF Rheinhessen, and one of the most formda-
BILE stronghods of the North German Confederation.
1T is situated the left bank of the Rhine, nearly
opposite its junction with the Main, about forty miles
west of Frankfort, and has population of about
100000 exclusive Of the military.
Its peculiar position has caused it to be greatly
coveted by the French to whom it belonged from
1901 to 1885, when it allotted to the Grand Duke
Of HesseDarmstadt by the treaty Of Vienna, the for
tress being assigned to the old Germanic Confede-
ration, and garrisoned by the Prussians and Aus
traRs in common usually with force of about
5000 men. After the decisive defeat of Austria in
the late contest, it was agreed by the treaty Of
Prague that its Notifications should be dismantled
and its garrison withdrawn This stipulation was
insisted on by Austria but the Prussians have
carried out the condti >ns and Mayence Is at this
moment one Of the strongest cities in the world in
fact as the cable dispatches say, since the bitches
surrounding the forts have been Hooded, almost i'm
pregnable. 1
The Fortifcations.
The town is surrounded with Fashioned wall
which in parts is new, while the larger portion Is
very o.d. The moat is dry, except on the north
bastions and the Eigelsten. A row OF ports and
lunettes surrounds the first wall, little in advance
and still further ost, but not far, are several de-
tached forts, some OF which occupy higher ground
than the low plain OF the city. The largest OF these
is Fort Weisenau, which has good position on high
ground opposite the mouth of the Main. Below the
town. on the Bingen slde fourth line of works has
been commenced considerably in advance OF the
third, since good ordnance can reach the city over
all three lines as they now stand
1t is connected by a bridge OF boats nearly 100
feet long, with the opposite and strongly fortified
town OF Caste, which forms large bridge-head to
the pontoon-br1dge IT Is composed OF i've bastions
nettes covering the curtains. short distance
below Castel, and connected with it by WALL lies
Fort Montebello, work OF some strength, which
could be very useful in case OF an attack from the
direction Of Bebrich, or in case crossing should
be attempted by way OF the two slightly fortified
fort stands in either angle OF the two formed by the
junction OF the Main with the Rhine, and good in
trenchments connect the lower fort with Castel.
Gustayus Adophus fortified this point in the Thirty
Years War.
and railroad bridge spans the Rhine above the
junction with the Main, protected by new bridge
head en- the tight bank, and by Fort Weisenau on
the left.
The importance of holding firm possession OF the
month Of the Main cannot be estimated too highly.
place, in the campaign OF 1892, and with compare
lively small army operated so successfully in the
OF the Prussians hasten their retreat and
throw the contest back upon German soil. The
Main is navgable as far up as Bamberg and is con-
nected with the Danube by a canal running parallel
with the RegHitz. Political changes have
rendered this line between the Rhine and Danube
far less important for military uses than when War
tenseben, and Jourdan, and Napoleon l operated
on 1t. The Mains however, is always likely to play
some little part in any great struggle on the Rhine
Its lower course communicates directly between the
fortress at Mayence and the great railroad centre
ETa1kort M sixty miles further up il passes the for
and easy communication in almost every direction
And from the head Of navigation at Bamberg rail
road follows the upper Main northward, via Hof u
Altebburg and Leipsc; and good carriage road
lead 10 Schleitz, or TO Coburg and Rud0stadt