The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-09-29
S T r A S B O U r G.
Its fortificatiOns, Its Monuments
Churches and Public Buildings.

Churches and Public Buildings.
II our latest dispatches from France be strictly
correct-and we have no reason TO doubt them-one
OF the most terrible and eventful seges that history
records has just closed In the surrender OF Stras-
bourg, consummation most devoutly wished by
the invading Germans, and said to have been at
tanned at five O'Clock p. NJ. on Monday last, Septem-
Der 49, 1870 This event Is OF the highest Importance
to the issue and consequences OF the Franco
Prussian war, and, therefore, merits more
than passing notice. 1t profoundly affects both
the military and the political situation, ana
may prove at this moment, the one thing needful
occurring at the happest juncture OF tme further
negotiations for peace. The reader Of late data from
the seat Of war will remember that the surrender OF
the old capital Of Alsace, spoken OF continually by
the TentOnlc chrOniclers German city, was made
o sine qua n0n-an indispensable conditiOn-by
both King william ana Count Bismarck In the recent
conference between the latter dignitary and NJ Jules
Favrc acting as penpotentiary agent Of the French
republic. Therefore, by its fal! great obstacle to
a good understanding Is removed.
StrasbOurg, formerly the chief city of the province
OF Asace or Elsass, before Its annexation to France
and since them until its capture by the Germans the
main centre Of the French department OF the Bas-
Rim, Is situated the west bank of che river III,
about one mile and q half above its confluence with
the Rhine 1t Is divided into four cantons or dis
tricts, each enriched with edIices and monuments
OF rare value and beauty. The river Ill flows partly
hrongh 1t and adds greatly to its picturesquen ness
which Is, moreover, enhanced by tho extent
OF Its fortified gacis reaching all the way
to the left bank or tho Rhine and COM
munlcating across that historic stream by q
bridge OF boats with Keh In the Grand Duchy Of
Baden. The fine iron structure which Of late
spanned the river ut that point and Afforded a pas
sage TO the railway trains from France into Germany
has been greatly damaged by the Germans, who, at
the beginning Of the war, blew up the costly abut.
ment on the right bank, thus destroying work
which WIN require the labor OF years replace IT.
Strasbourg Is $50 miles distant east by SOUTH from
Paris and seventy.two miles north OF Basle
i'm Switzerland, and was connected with
both places by railroad thus forming q very lively
and much frequented entrepot for the trafiic Of
three natonalitles. It's local trade consisted mainly
Ofthe products Of It's celebrated cannon foundrIes,
its bleaching grounds, It's dyeworks Its sugar re-.
neries It's breweres dstllleries and tanneries: tts
printing establishments, among which the famous
typographical house OF SHERMAN was specially
noted Its factories Of tobacco and Of other COM
moditles and Its fine jewelry and patchwork. It's
beer is known all over France and Germany.
and Its exquisite pates de J0te gras or pies of
attened goose liver. are familiar to luxurious
eaters in every part OF the world. 1t also had
q very extensive commerce In wine, grain, hemp.
woollens, cloths, linen and cotton fabrics, sosps.
sailcloths, COLA OIL, pottery, hardware, cutlery,
glass, porcelain, leather, jewelry clocks watches
cards, paper, hosiery and straw goods, and had in
our day, risen to considerable business importance
The country around 1t was beautiful and presen ted
the appearance OF garden inhabited by a sturdy
QnrfRv ISvyrsn
amicable terms OF hourly intercourse with their
neighbOrs the Rhine, until the sudden declare
bombshell, scattering destruction and death on
every side.
THE HISTORY OF srRAsBoURa
Is venerable and varied In the extreme and very
many volumes have been devoted to the sieges, bat
ties and transfers to which has been subjected in
sas lapse a;,s OF ages Originally founded as lort
Augustus, 1t strengthened the defence of The
Roman provincial frontier OF conquered Gaul
manni, VINO dweit In the vast recesses of Germania
10 the eastward: The Romans called 1t their Ar.
and set great store BY their writ
the East sweeping over Europe, like torrent des-
cending from the mountains. laid 1t waste, and
1t rose to some Opulence again, and was made i'm
portant by the Franks. who held 1t in the sixth
century century Of the Christian era. during the
Great 1t was free city OF the Empire
afterwards OF Germany and maintained its modi-
Hcu fcpuDllCdu lOTm Vi government until 1851 when
It was seized through violence and craft by Louis
XIV. OF France, who annexed 1t to his Kingdom and
made 1t one OF the chief fortresses of his realm The
sudden capture OF this ancient city by the "Grand
M0narque," In time OF profound peace, was one OF
the greatest Outrages that history records ana has
ever been the theme OF German protest. Cntll then
1t was also Protestant city, and Luther and Calvin
both s0ourned In 1t at different times. The French,
however, claim That u was regularly coded to them
In l648, and was, afterwards, unJustly withhold
point that would admit OF wider debate than we
care In this place to entertain.
Since Its annexation to the royalty OF France it
has often changed hands temporarily, and the
region around and near it has re-echoed the din OF
furious conflict age after age
IT'S FoRTfFICATIONs,
begun by the Romans, were strengthened BY the
Franks and improved In successive centuries until
they received browning addition In the grand PEN
brated vauban and finished in 1884. 1t consists OF
i've massive bastlons and five demilunes, and was
considered impreRnable until the invention OF the
latest rned artillery OF heavy calibre such the
foundries Of America and the workshops OF Krupp,
at Berlin, can furnish. Its outer works extend To
the Ill and are connected with sluices by OF
which the whole country intervening between
them and tho Rhine could be Hooded with
water-a result that the Russians labored
vertlng the Ill from iis course. ON the side
OF the Port des Mines, SO called, where this inunda
ton could not be effected, the glacs mined ana
thereby rendered unapproachable by hostile forces
The fortified enclosure entire OF the city Is riangu
lar, and Is pierced with seven heavy gateways OF
masonry some OF which are defended by turrets and
protected by covered draw bridges, meats and
suices. Within the military precincts are the great
barracks, eight in number, spacious enough TO ac-
commodate 10000 men, the great arsenal usually
containing firearms for $4,000 soldiers, and 9S2
pieces or ordnance Of which 500 required for the
ordinary defence Of the place in time OF war; the
huge cannon foundry that turns out 400 pieces per
annum, and one OF the largest depots of field artil-
lery In France There are also an artillery school aud
hospital large enough for 1900 patients.
so important military centre could not be with
out Its stirring records OF both peace and war Con-
sequsntly Strasbourg has abundant
MONUMENTS.
Most remarkable among these Is the bronze statue
OF John Gutenberg, the modern inventor OF print
ing, on the place OF the same name, known also
AZ the Marche aux Herbes Herb Markell Guttem-
berg completed his invention at Strasbourg In 1436,
and It was greatly improved there by John Schorer.