The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-22
THE WAR yN nURopN.
{ o ID l. + n L u.

COBL LENTZ.
Concentration of the Prussian Army between
EoHlent2 and Wayence-The strength of its
Position-The struggle for the Control OF the
HTOsele.
The latest dispatches received last night
stated that the Prussian army which had been
massed between Treves and Saarbruck had fallen
back, with the view of concentrating between
the strongholds of Coblentz and Mayeuce Its
position between these two fortresses will be
one of great strength, and will ensure, so long
as it is maintained, the control of the
mouth OF the river Mosee, while
the French, by their Notifications
at Metz, around which one of their armies is
concentrating, hold firm possession OF the upper
course of the river, which thus becomes diff
cult line of operations for the army of either
combatant. The great facilities, however,
which the Moselle affords for further operations
either northward or south ward, when once
fairly wrenched by either antagonist from the
other render it worth the struggle and the
earlier conflicts of the two hostile armies will
doubtless be directed towards the object of Sc
curing entire control of this important water
course.
We have already described the location of the
river Moselle and the French stronghold of
Metz. Yesterday we gave description of
army in its new position is placed in security
The Stronghold of Cobientz,
which guards it on the other extremity, is the
capital OF the Prussan Rhine province of the
same name, and is situated at the confluence of
the Mosele with the Rhine, from which circum-
stance is derived its name, corruption of the
ancient title OF COnfueates Exclusive of its
garrison it has population OF about 23O0O \
gothic freestone bridge of ii arches and 100
- ~,
crosses the Meselle. and one of boats four hun
dred and eghty-fve yards long, across the
Rhine, leads to the fortress of Ehrenbreitstein
on the opposite bank.
During the first French Revolution, the
ep,igreS made their headquarters at Coblentz,
many of them settling permanently in the city
which consequently contains larger infusion
OF French blood than perhaps any other Rhenish
town. In 1894, it was taken by the Fench
after an obstinate resistance, and made the capi-
tai OF the Department of Rhine and Moselle,
under the first Empire. 1t was the birth place
of Prince Metternich and of Henrietta Sontag.
The Fortifcations
are constructed partly on the system Of CarnOt,
partly on that OF Montalembert, and are capable OF
accommodating 900 men altogether The city
pierced on the land side by only two two gates, and
tht Sc are secured by casemated towers. The walls
OF the town, however, cannot be reached without a
struggle, for on the same side, both OF the Rhine
and or the Moselle, are the two strong forts, Alex
ander and Constantine, supported by third work,
which is quite small Fort Alexander is the strong,
est and most important point in this vicinity, except
Ehrenbreitstein: 1t lies on the KarthaHse Hill,
about 800 feet higher than the city, would natu
rally oe the object OF the first attentions OF the enemy
avSs ase Been S seg woSa SF be
tenable, and stronger ire could be concentrated
afoss nj the Mosee and Rhne Fort Frame 1e n f
left bank OF the Moselle occupies moderate eleva-
tion, and commands the railroad along the Rhiae,
Qnd ha VUh iph 10 cifn fad
80 miles 10 the y. NV, and Treves besides forming
together with the three smaller works. OF for,
tined camp for large body OF troops. All OF this
lies under The guns OF
Ehrenbreitstein,
me most formidable fort fortress Of Prussia, and the
cessibe from CobentZ directly opposite which t is
situated by the bridge OF boats already referred to
or hewn into, ROCKY blun which proudly lifts tsel
$40 feet above the right bank of the river, and over
looks large landscape to the west and south. Or
the northeast, however, are higher hills, which as
cend gradually nom the foot OF Ehrenbreltsteln
n Dassned ASE works naye awe been tnrsS sfa af
WEAK SIDE so that the PTSssaa engneer pronouhc ON e
Il as strong as the faces more favored 6y nature
weakness In the high walls, built OF small and irregu
lar stones, 10 enlarge the area OF the fortress anC
10 present a more regular front. These walls are
not calculated TO resist modern projecties and vii
surely be battered down with despatch soon as th
Whether such damage would affect the tenabYft If
only the beauty of the fortress is an open cues
ton. The bomb-proofs represented as YER
strong, and would perhaps not be weakened though
all the artificial walls were broken up and rollet
down into the Rhine. IL is Ominous, however tina
admission 10 all OF the interior covered parts OF th
fort is refused to strangers.
Part of the forticatOns lie at the foot OF the hill
46s feet in height, and almost perpendicular; bu
since 1t was taken by the French In 1863, its forthca
tions nave been tre6led and quadrupled in strength
and the entire hill has been turned into fortress
II has been thought unnecessary TO scarp the stee
sides, though II Is on record that British tourist
accompanied by terrier, made the ascent, to tn
intense astonishment OF a sentry.
In 1881 the French entered the fortress from tn
northeast side with very little dinculty having frs
created a diversion for the garrison. Later, 4
1872 the Directory laid siege to the stronghold an
after three failures finally captured it, We ar
given 70 understand that a failure OF supplies wa
the occasion OF the surrender. But some person
say that Colonel FabeT, who commanded the plac
during the siege. acknowledged that the Frenc
cannon mad wrought irTeparable mischief and mad
the post untenable and that the failure OF supple
scarcely hastened the surrender. The French bleY
Up the whole fort upon their evacuation, after Whie
ITLes2 devoted ter Years 70 the res -. % =. !.