The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1870-11-09
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1870.
The Forts of Paris.


which from cast to west, forming an arc of
circle. On the right bank of the Seine, the height
of which is about eighty feet above the level of the
sea- rise the hills of Montmartre 394 feet in height
of Belleville, 81 feet in height of Menilmontant,
and OF Charonne. On the left bank are the heights
of Mont Valerein 495 feet; of ST. Cloud, 306 feet ;
of Sevres, Meudon, and Issy The northern portion
of Paris is the largest Twenty-one bridges keep
| up the communications The form of the city may
be compared to ellipse somewhat hattened on
the right side the longer axis of which is about nine
miles, According to the of 1866 Paris has
! 1,S25, PA inhabitants, and about $1,000 houses.
Since 1871, under the reign of Louis Philippe and
the minisery of NJ Thiers, Paris las been fortified
An immediate capture Of this town. like that of
1914 and 1915 by the Allies has become an mpossi-
bility The systematic reconstruction of the interior
of the city, which Napoleon III. has cansed to be
executed by the late Prefect of the Seine NJ Hauss-
mann, may be regarded as completing the works of
fortifcalons The Notifications of Paris consist of
a surrounding wall, fortified formed of a military
road, rampant, bitches, and glacis. Eightyfve
bastions, all nearly Of the shape, and other ad
vanced points, are destined the outer extent
of the moats which can be filled with the waters of
the Seine. The escarpment is lined with wall,
which is covered by the glacis. The military road
is paved Near to this, aud frequently parallel to it,
is the line which joins all the railway lines running
into Paris and their eight termini Sixtysix gates
/ close to which are placed the Bureaux de Douane,
are pierced in the fortifcations. Outside the
rounding wall and at distance of about half a
league, are fifteen detached forts, including Vim
cennes which united partially by redoubts and
intrenchments TO the walls.
! Tho 6etacbed avteriOr forts mav be considered in
three groups. We may first notice the group that
forms the northeast line of these outside forfea
tions, from ST Denis 10 the north of Montmartre.
The town of ST. Denis alone is surrounded by three
great forts On the left Of and close to the railway
leading TO Enghen and Montmoreney, aud behind
the confluence of the canal of St Denis with the
Seine is the fort of La Briche to the north, and
the other side of the stream of Rouon, is the fort
of LA Double Couronne du Nord" and on the
southeast is the fort of the East. These three
points united together by ramparts aud bitches
which can be readily filed, and which are covered by
the redoubt of Stains St. Denis itself may there
fore be considered fortress. AT 1000 PAGES to the
southeast of the eastern fort, and consequently
nearer to Paris, is the fort of Auberviieis Between
the two, passes the railway to Soissons and behind
this line is the canal OF St. Denis. The earth which
was dug out of the canal forms before it sort of
parapet, fortified by three redouhts. At a distance
of 42OO PAGES from the other side of the Canal de
/ rOurcq and of the srasbourg railway, on the con-
tinnaton of the height of Belleville by Pandin, is
the fort of Romainve. 1t is 1,sOO PAGES from the
principal wall OF defense. Aseries of urenchmenis
extends from the fort towards the Canal de rOureq
while on the other side two redoubts defend the
passage.
] Further O 10 the and U the south. till
the outer side of the line OF hills, and almost
| in line parallel to the railway to Mulhouse the
works of the Notifications, which are united by a
paved road, are continued at about equal distances
the forts of Noisy, $500 PAGES Rosny, g 200
paces,) and Nogent, $500 paces.] There ends the
line of hills which begius near Beeville and de-
scends by steep incline towards the Marne Be
tween tue above named forts are placed at short
intervals the redoubts of Noisy, Montreu Bois-
siere, and FOntenay. The Marne, which is here 100
PAGES in BREADTH forms natural defense, fortified
also by au intrenchment 2SO0 feet in length con-
ssting of paapet and bitches covering the isthmus
of St. Maur, where bridge crosses the Marne. The
two extremiies of the intrenchment are fanked by
the redoubts Of Faisandere and Gravelle These the
railway of Vincennes and La Varenne passes. All
these works inclose, in semicrcle, the castle o.
Vincenues, in which is the principal arsenal of
Paris on the edge of the great field for maneuvrng
artillery, close to the Marne On the other bank of
this river in the triangle formed by the union of the
Seine and the Marne, near Afort, on the right side
of the Lyons railway is the fort of Charenton,
which closes the first line of defense. What adds
10 lis strength is that the eneiente nclosed by the
fortifcations answers admirably for an eutrenched
camp, in which 200 900 men may be placed.
Tue next group of detached forts to be described
is that OF those forming the southern line of exterior
deenses. Opposite to fort Chareuton, and at a dis
tance Of 1000 PAGES, the left bank Of the Seine,
begins the southern line, with the fort of Iyry,
which commands the neighborhood. In a straight
line nearly from east to west the forts of Bicetre
MontrOuge, Ylnnes and Issy, follow at equal dis
tances Of about 5000 PAGES The last named rises
to height of about fifty feet above the eye of the
Seine, which here leaves the city. Between them
are the railways of Lmours (Sceaux) and Of Yer
sailles eft bank The three last points covered
since the Introduction of rihed cannon, which were
not known at the time of the building of these forts
by the heights Of Bagneux and Meud0n.
The third group of detached forts are those on the
western side Of Paais This line of outside defense
is naturally very easy for the Seine flowing in the
direction Of the north and northeast, turns toward
teaux, Courbevoe, Neuilly, Asneres, Clichy, aud
St. Ouen, places the bank OF the river Between
it and the town is the celebrated Bois de Boulogne.
On the line indicated. five bridges the Seine,
and the station OF Asneres, on the left bank,
the railways from Dieppe, Normandy, ST. German,
and Versailles fright bank, unite and the river
by common bridge. A single fort, but the largest
and strongest of them all,-ihat OF Mont Valerien,
situated AIS feet above the leTel Of the Seine and
from which there is a magnificent view Of the city
of Paris, = commands the whole of this space A
paved road joins Mont Valerien with the Bois de
Boulogne, by the bridge of Surennes.
We have spoken OF the fort at Mont Valereu.
The distance between this fort and the nearest of
those about ST. Denis, is 1880 PAGES, or nearly
seven miles and the distance from the fort of Issy
is about 10000 PAGES, about four miles 1t is
clear that at this point there is a great gap in the
system OF defense. The report of the Minister on
August s, seems to allude to this circumstance 1t
is there stated that the special committee for the
armament of the foriihcaiions of Paris has noted
the existence Of important gaps in the line of de-
fense, but that they would Immediately put in hand
the execution OF certain work. the plans for which
bad just been agreed to. important gaps
just referred to the side the valley Of the
lower Seine. great construction is being raised
between Mont Yalerien and the sides of Meudon.
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