The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-30
War Anticipated Months Ago.
VOn BittebfeId and Won Steinmetz.
ETC., ETC., Etc., Etc, Etc.
THE COMING BATTLE.

The Reported Advance Of the PrussIaus The
Position of the French aud the Stronghuids
which Guard II rhe Eastern aud Northeast
tr F.Ott of France
Gable telegrams of the night before last stated
that the Prussians were concentrating, to the
number OF about 400, 600, between Treves and
the river Saar, French force of about
900 bling opposed to them, and that the in
dications pointed to an engagement within
three days. A despatch from Baden last night
stated that general movement of the Prussian
forces in front of the French lines had
commenced, troops being pushed for
ward to Mayence from all di-
rections, and it was evident decisive opera
tious were near at hand. despatch from
Metz, the French headquarters, confirms these
re rts ar states great excitement and gene
raj hurry in the French lines are the result
Ski M shng between the outposts of the oppos-
ing armies had commenced last evening" and,
alt ough there was no report as yet of a general
engagement, there is little doubt that the grand
crash will uos be much longer delayed.
The eastern frontier Of France extends 155
miles along the Alps and 1877 miles along the
Jura, striking the Rhine at Basle and extending
thence a distance of 100 miles along the Rhine
a little to the east of north to the mouth OF the
River Lauter, in the neighborhood of the 10th
q. gree of latitude, the Grand Duchy of Baden,
German Confederation claiming the Rhine as
its we tern boundary throughout this distance
of 100 miles. FIon the mouth of the Lauter, the
artificial boundary line extends IN w. N. w.
direction, forming almost right angle with the
Rhine distance of about 290 miles, to the
North a. four miles east of Dunkirk. For
about 80 miles this northeastern frontier,
France is bounded by Rhenish Bavaria, or
the Paatinate, immediately to the northwest
of which comes Rhenish Prussia, with a contact
of about forty miles with French territory.
Then come Luxembourg and Belgium, the
n ui, ality of both of which is guaranteed by
the coptending nations. The line along which
the TWO armies lie facing each other thus has an
extreme length of about 100 miles, almost
rectang ular in outline, with the French ia the
corner formed by the Rhine and the arbitrary
boundary line. According to the reports from
M ", is expected that the Prussian advance
will be made through Rheuish Bavaria, which
will bring King Williams army squarely upon
lhe sriDg of fortresses which guard the French
frontier from srasbourg to Thionvilie.
According to last nights dispatches from
Paris, these two stroDghods, as well as Metz,
Lopgwy, Pfazburg Schlettsladt, New Breisache,
Belfast, Ditchemberg, La Petite Pierre, Mont
medy and Verdun, have all been placed in a
thorough state of readiness, both for defensive
and offensive operations, and if King William
su ceeds in penetrating the line 1t viii only be
after one of the most terrific contests that has
ever taken place on this historic ground. The
fortresses of 5trasbourg, Schlettsladt, Metz and
Thionville have alreadybeen described at length
by us. Verdun is situated on the Mouse, about
th,rr miles west of Metz, and is strongly for
titled. In 1892 it was bombarded and captured
by the Prussians, but restored to the French
after the battle of Valmy. Montmedy, twenty
fiy miles north of Verdun, on the Chiers, aud
but few miles from the Belgian frontier, is
defended by extensive outworks. Lougwy,
which was styled by Louis XIV the Iron Gate
of France" is on the Belgian frontier,
thirty-ihree miles N. N. w. of Metz, is
strongly fortified, its citadel standing
on a steep rock, below which extends the new
town. 1t was taken by the frussians in 1872,
and again by the Allies in 1875 Pfalzburg is in
y tie o..en country, about 25 miles w. N. w. OF
4 Sirasbourg. Belfort is about 100 miles =. s. w.
of Strasbourg, and almost directly west OF
Basle. II boasts of citadel constructed by
Vauban. New Breisach, on the Rhone Canal, a
4 m le west of he Rhine, possesses strong towers.
Tae other towns mentioned, all of which are
strongly fortified of minor importance.