The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-19
THE SCENE OF OPERATIONS.
The Prussian strongholds on the Rhine.

The Prussinn StrOnghOlds on the Rhtne.
The latest cable kilograms at this writing
speak of the Prussian forces having occupied
at noon yesterday Saarbruck in Rhenish Prussia,
and Heuberg in Rhenish Bavaria, two towns
directly on the frontier; and also of report
that the French troops had commenced the
bombardment of the town of Saarlouis.
saarbruck
is situated forty miles s. s. E. of Treves, and
three miles from the French border, on the
river Saar, stream rising in the Vosges Noun
tains and joining the Moselle near Treves. The
Saar is crossed by stone bridge at the town, by
which it is connected with its suburb st. Johann.
The population is about 5000. The town was
founded in the tenth century, was given by the
Emperor Henry III to the Church of Metz, and
subsequently governed by its own counts until
1880, when it came by marriage into the family
of Nassau. 1t was afterwards fortified and
suffered much during the wars which have
been waged in its neighborhood. In 1876 it was
almost entirely destroyed by fire, and its fortif-
cations dismantled, so that at the present time
it is of no stragetic Importance.
SaarIouis,
however which is also situated on the River
Saar, but 80 miles S. s. E. of Treves, and
five miles from the frontier, although it
has q population of only about $500, is of
greater Importance, The town was founded by
Louis XIV, and was strongly fortified by Vau-
ban. 1t belonged to France until 1915, when it
passed under Prussian control, and has since
formed an important border stronghold of that
power. In fact, it is the only well-advanced
Prussian fortress for the defense of the Rhine
Immediately on the frontier. saarlouis, as well
as Saarbruck, is connected by excellent roads
with Metz, Neves Mayence, Mannheim, and Lam
dau. These roads afford an excellent opportu-
nifty for the rapid movements of troops, but the
Notifications are inadequate for the require
ments of an advanced post to hold
the enemy in check, while the army is
being brought forward, or to serve as the base
of operations against Metz, Thionville, Verdun,
and Paris. Last year it was proposed to build
several single forts in the most important
passes of this district, but it is impossible to say
how far these proposed defenses have pro-
gressed.
in Rhenish Bavaria, is small village on the
Rhine, some fifteen miles southeast of Landau
and less than ten miles from the French fortified
city of Lauterburg. 1t is also within easy dis
tauce of Carlsruhe. Here a Prussian force is
also reported to be stationed but the place has
no strategical importance whatever.
Rastadt,
where the soldiers of Baden are concentrating
is one of the strongholds of South Germany
although the town ltSelI Is quite lnslgnlncant
the population hardly exceeding 5000. Its for
tifcations are of immense strength Rastad
is situated in Baden, on the right bank o.
the Rhine, fourteen miles south-southwest OF
Carlsrhe, and is on the Basle and Mannheim
Railroad. II is about ten miles southeast of
Lauterburg and thirty miles northeast oi
Strasburg, but has no direct road uniting il
with either place. The present fortifca
tions of Rastadt were commenced in
1e41. In 1S49 the garrison mutinied and
the town had the honor of being the last place
held by the German republican revolutionists
Under the leadership of Mieroslawski, it held
out for time against the forces commanded by
the Prince of Prussia, but finally surrendered
Since then its fortifcations have been vigorously
pushed forward and are now exceedingly strong
Linden,
where another Prussian force is reported, is in
Hesse-Darmstadt, on the railroad running from
Fra kfort nolthward through Giessen, between
which places it is situated. The village is al
least forty miles from the nearest point on the
right bank of the Rhine.