New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-30
DIR WAR NAP.

Of the great war in France that has
yet appeared in this city. 1t must
prove satisfactory to our readers. as it EN-
braces all the fortified and many of the IN
fortified towns and cities that have been
or are likely to be points of interest dur
ing the war. It pictures France, from
Weissenburg near its eastern border, a
fortified town where the Prussians won
their first victory, all the way west
through Paris to Tours, the ancient CAPT
tai of Touraine, on the Loire, to which
little old city it is proposed to remove the
French War Office, according to a dis
patch of yesterday. The map also en-
braces good part of Belgium, with Brus-
sells its capital, and twelve miles therefrom
the battlefield of Waterloo, the spot on
which the most remarkable man Of his
age staked his diadem, and in defense OF
which SO many thousands of the bravest
of the brave poured out their blood. 1t
now waves with ripened grain as peace
fully as if it had never witnessed the fear
full shocks of hostile squadrons. An i'm
mense artificial mound erected in the
midst of the battlefield, surmounted by
the Belgique lion in brass, resting one
paw upon a globe and looking defiance
upon the French lines, and the ruins of
Chateau Hougoumont, are about all
that mark it as the spot upon which the
destinies of Europe were decided, and
where the star of Bonaparte set forever.
The map contains the territory and
fortress of Luxembourg, so long Hollands
strongest fortress for guarding her frontier
and defending the Rhine as well as cover
ing and supporting an invasion of France.
It is fortress that, even if dismantled,
which it is not now likely to be, will re-
main for ages, stronger than Vicksburg or
Jerusalem, which latter it is said much
to resemble.
Comparatively little of Prussia is given,
as the war has not been, nor is it likely to
be carried further into that kingdom than
the line of immense fortresses on the
Rhine, which are given. The first Prus-
sian city and fortress noted is Cologne.
This is a city of strong Notifications and
stronger odors. Perhaps in no part of the
world has any city acquired such kind
of celebrity on account of the filthy atmos-
phere which pervades its streets 1t
required more than the waters of the
Rhine, it will be remembered, to wash
down its impurities, which suggested
to the happy discoverer the distilla-
ton of eau de cologne. It is a
very old city, and owes its existence to
fortified camp Of the Romans, which was
pitched here by Marcus Agrippa. From
the camp of Roman legion it has grown
to a city of 100000 inhabitants. It is be-
sides great railroad centre; and its. reg
ular garrison-much enlarged in war
with that Just across the river, amounts to
1000 men. 1t has well preserved wall,
with deep ditch, and an advanced line
of isolated forts similar to those around
Paris, but of course inferior and less costly.
The next point noticed, and which is the
strongest defensive point on the Rhine, is
Coblentz, Or rather Ehrenbreitstein, oppo-
site, but not given in the map. It is
most elaborate fortress: hewn into a rocky
bluff three hundred and seventy feet above
the bank of the Rhine. Coblentz is sur
rounded by strong wall, with only two
gates on the land side, and always has a
large garrison. However, the French
once crossed over here, though they had
to retreat again from Leipsic. They built
monument to commemorate their visit
to Coblentz, insclibing On it that they had
broken through the fortress, etc. The
Russians followed on the retreat, and
their witty, General st. Priest added to
the French inscription -"bu ct approuve
par NOUS" etc.-'We have seen
this and approve Of it." Mayence,
still further up the Rhine, opposite the
mouth of the Main, is large city, with
probably the strongest fortress in Prussia.
Here still stands the house of Gutenberg,
the inventor of printing. Mayence is con-
nected by bridge with Castel, also a
strongly fortified town. At the junction
here of the Main and Rhine are fortifca-
tons which Gustavus Adolphus erected
in the thirty years wsr Mannheim, further
up, had it's Notifications destroyed during
the conference of Rastadt, in 1899. Lam
dau, formerly an imperial city, is strongly
fortified. 1t will be seen that Prussia has
a good line of Notifications along the
Rhine, with railways the whole distance.
Yesterdays private dispatches say Prus-
STA has 300,0 additional soldiers along
these railways, ready to move across the
Rhine to reinforce either Of her armies in
France in case of defeat
To return to the French part of the
map. The strongest French Notifications
yet uncaptured On and near her frontier,
are Strasburg and Metz. These are now
besieged and bombaEded by the Prussians,
as are also the minor ones of Pfalsburg,
and ToC., with possibly
others, as Verdun and Montmedy. 1t
will have been seen that Weissenburg,
with its majestic iye-bostioned "burgfes-
tung," and the Weissenbulg line Of forti-
fications from the Rhine to the Lauter,
nearly fifteen miles, ana the fortified town
Of Hagenau, whose fortress once guarded