The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-07-29
FRANCE AND PRUSSIA.
HE PROBABLE CAMPAIGN GROUND.

THE PROBABLE CAMPAIGN GROUND.
The plan Of the coming campaign, for
warded from Europe by telegraph, may OF
may not be entitled to credence. There is
little doubt, however, that the fighting will
mainly occur near the Rhine, on one or the
other side. The following account of the
Notifications, therefore, will be read with in
terest:
FRENCH NOTIFICATIONS.
OF the French towns on the west bank
of the river, Strasburg is one of the most
noted 1t has $4,000 inhabitants, chiefly
of German descent. The fortress has been
lately strengthened and the numerous out
works and detache I'd forts, includ-
ing the citadel, render it a place of
great strength. A bridge here crosses the
Rhine, which is strongly fortified on the
French side. Though partially upon the
Rhine, the town lies chiefly upon the river
Ill, which is also bridged.
Farther up the Ill are Colmar and
Schlettstadt, both strongly fortified, and
securing important communications.
Neu Breisach is on the Rhone canal
a mile west of the Rhine. 1t has strong
towers, and Fort Mortier, nearer that river.
is strong fertilization.
Metz, on the river Moselle, is the most
important strategic point in the eastern
part of France, and has a most powerful
fortress, which is yet uncompleted. The
city contains 10000 inhabitants, and gar
rison of 10000 men. A strong wall with
bastions surrounds it, and the Notifications
at large are constructed with a due allow
ance for the force of modern proiectiles-
They stand on four commanding sites.--
The river Seille meets the Moselle at this
point, and in case of seige, the water of
both streams can be raised sufficiently to
inundate the low ground to the south and
southwest of the town.
Montmedy, Verdun and Longwy, on the
Rhine, are all strongly fortified and near
to Metz, on the Moselle, is Thionville, with
in a few miles of the Prussian frontier
The river is bridged at this point, and the
Notifications are strong. The Moselle fur
nishes the most direct line of operations
between France and Prussia, and a strug
gle will in every probability take place for
its several strongholds.
The Weissenburg line is chain of light
works running from the left bank of the
Rhine fifteen miles along the Lauter, in the
neighborhood of Basic. The line was
abandoned in 1867, but the works were
not RACED.
The Vosges mountains run parallel with
the Rhine, and form an additional barrier
for the French frontier They average
1000 feet in height, and are twenty -fiy e
miles wide. All their practicable passes are
fortified. The most northern Of these is
the fortress at Bitsch, which in 1898 and
1915, withstood two Prussian attempts
The central passages Of the Vosges is by
way of Saverne, and is held by the fort at
PfalzbTg, supported by Strasburg at a
short distance. Between Saverne and Bel
fort there are but two practicable passes,
that by way of st. Die and that ofRemire-
mont. These are well guarded by the for
tresses on the neighboring plains and by
Belfort. The latter is in the centre of the
opening between the Jura and Vosges
mountains, and being in the direct line be-
tween Basic and Paris, is On important
junction for land communications. 1t has
been much strengthened late.
PRUssrAN FoRTIFIcAT1oNs.
OF the fortresses on the Rhine and its
vicinity the most important are Mayence,
Rastadt, Ehrenbreitstein and Cologne.
Mayence was formerly city of the Ger
man Confederation, the old Zollverein, and
was garrisoned by Austrian and Prussian
troops. It's peculiarly dangerous position
being on the left bank of the Rhine, and
greatly coveted by the French, led to its
Notifications being of the strongest charac
ter. 1t was originally garrisoned by 5000
men, but after the decisive defeat of Aus
tria 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 Prus-
SLAMS have never carried out the conditions,
and Mayence is at this moment one of the
strongest cities in the world. The four
lines of works are greatly strengthened
by outworks and detached forts, and by
Fort Weisenau, which is on the upper bank
of the Main. The city of Mayence is OPP
posite to the mouth of the river, which
here falls into the Rhine about twenty
miles west of Frankfort, to which it is con-
nected by railway. A bridge some 500
feet long connects it with the fortified
suburb of Castel. 1t has now very large
garrison, and is commanded by Prince
Waldemar, of Schleswig Holstein.
Rastadt is on the right bank fthe Rhine
1h' 40 W. ebioHs9iy iDltiHCe. IL IS III tlc
territory of Baden-Baden and formerly
held a garrison for the German Confedera-
ton, but since Sadowa its garrison has been
Prussian. 1t is situated fourteen miles
south of Carlsruhe and some thirty from
Strasburg, and will undoubtedly be point
of capital Importance during the coming
struggle. Its Notifications are on the. Vau-
ban system, and declared to be the perfec-
ton OF engineering, but experience has
proved that earthworks are stronger than
stone walls. There are three large forts on
the little river which runs past Rastadt,
which have many bastions, wet bitches,
curtains, glacis and lunettes, but the chief
strength will probably be in the fortified
camp which the Prussians are about to
form there. Should it be necessary to with
draw its garrison, it could easily he re-
placed by Baden soldiers, the Grand Duke
having shown the most unmistakable SYM
pathy for the Prussian cause.
Ehrenbreitstein is the fortress par efcel-
leace of Prussia, and is regarded as the
Gibraltar Of the Rhine 1t is on the right
bank of the Rhine, opposite to Coblentz.
1t is connected with this town by bridge
of boats. Part of the Notifications lie at
the foot Of the hill, 46S feet in height, and
almost perpendicular, but since it was ia
ken by the French in 1906, and again in
1900 itc Qualifications hava baa, +,ol,Iod