The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-07-18

strength, which could be very useful In case
of an attack from the direction OF BieDrlcn or
in case a crossing should be attempted oy way
of the two slightly fortified islands, Peter Aue
and Ingelheimer Aue. small Tort STANDS ID
either angle of the two, formed by the juno
ton fthe Main with the Rhine; and good en-.
trenchments connect the lower fort with Cas-
tel. Gustayus Adolphus fortified this point
in the Thirty Years. War. A railroad bridge
spans the Rhine above the junction with the
Main, and is protected by new bridge-head
on the right bank and by Fort Weisenau on the
lett.
THE MOUTH OF THE MAIN.
The Importance of holding firm possession
of the mouth of the Main cannot be estimated
too highly. CUISINE took advantage OF the
weakness of the place In the campaign OF 1872,
and with comparatively small army operated
80 successfully In the rear of the Prussians as
to hasten their retreat and throw the contest
back upon German soil. The Main is naviga-
BILE as far up as Bamberg, and is connected
with the Danube by canal running parallel
with the Regnitz. Political changes nave rem
dered this line between the Rhine and Danube
far less important for military uses than when
Wartensleben and Jourdan and Napoleon ],
operated on it. The Main, however, Is always
likely to play some little part in any great
struggle on the Rhine. It's lower course COM
munfcates directly between the fortress at
Mayence and the great railroad centre at Frank
fort Sixty miles further mp 1t passes the Tor
titled old town Of Wiirzburg, with its stone
bridge and easy communication In almost
every direction. And from the head or navl-
cation at Bamberg, railroad follows the up
per Main northward, via Hof, to Altenburg
and Leipzig, and good carriage roads lead to
Schleltz, or to Coburg and Rndolstadt.
THE vosGEs MOUNTAINS
~ .rttb +t,o Eh;po opd form, caoop6
barrier for the French frontier. Like the
mountains of the Black Forest. across the
Rhine. they are highest and broadest In their
southern part, the Vosges attaining height OF
four thousand teet and /. breadth OF twenty
five miles. All the practicable passes through
these mountains have been fortified according
to their Importance. The most northern road
is commanded BY the fortress at Bitsch which
in 1893 and 1915 withst0od several spirited at
tempts on the part of the Prussans to capture
it. 1t has deep ditch hewn In the rock, and
has been considerably strengthened quite
recently. The minimum garrison Is eight
hundred men. Forts Petite Pierre and Lich-
tenburg are small works In small passes.
The great central passage is by way oi
Severne, and is held by the fort at Pfalzburg,
supported by Strasburg on the Rhine, oppo-
site. Pfalz6urg is not very strong at present,
but It has been proposed to strengthen it, and
establish fortified camp there. Between La
verne and Belfort, are only two practicable
passes-by way of st. Die, and by way Of Re,
iniremont-and these seem to be sufficiently
guarded by the fortresses In the plain, and BY
Belfort The latter stands in the middle OF the
opening between the Jura and Vosges Noun,
kinds of land communications, being In the
direct road between Basle and Paris. 1t has
been modernized and strengthened, and Is
probably quite equal to the demand upon 1t,
considering that the pass Is 80 far south, and
that Belfort Is supported by several other forts
along the Doubs.
To return to German soil, We find the most
important stronghold on the eastern SIDE ol
the Rhine Valley at Rastadt, on the Mnrg.
back from the Rhine, and Is both modern and
extensive. Three large forts-Ludwig. on the
right bank of the Mlrg. and Leopold and
Friedrich, on the left-with strong bastions,
wet bitches, casemated redonbts, crenelated
walls, lunettes and towers, make as strong 8
combination as are expected where there Is
no more advantage of ground. fortified
camp can easily be laid out In connection witt
these works, and may be quite necessary ioI
this post, since neither the valley OF the Mnrs
nor the Strasburg- Stuttgart line Is command
ed by the fortress sufficiently to prevent It:
fuse, II the stationary ordnance Is alone to be
feared
STRAsBURG
has nearly ninety thousand inhabitants OF Ger
man descent, but who speak both German and
French with equal difficulty and defect. France
has strengthened the fortress considerably
quite recently, and Is still making improve
ments. The bastion enceinte is surrounded
with moat filled with water. The outwork:
and detached forts, small and large, finished
and unfinished, together with the line ctaas rSns
on the eastern side, contribute SO mucl
strength 10 the main work that Strasburg !!
not considered inferior even to Metz. The
town lies on the III, but almost touches the
Rhine, and securely holds the French side
tho hrid ppc here