The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-07-21

TAwhvs peses' = ar.yez which q
last received favorable answer in America,
and the end If our drama was The beeinni.g
of war on the continent Of Europe. On
Fhd.y, July 15th, Georsis ~ admitted
into lie Union, thas lemovisgtk last obsta-
Gle to the successful termination Of she,
American war for the Union, and, On de
same day, war was declared beeveen France
and Prussia. Two of the greatest Of modern
nations are shouting, "Let us have war;" the
people being - hot for the fray ~ their
rulers, and both nations seeming to be united
in sentiment.
France contains about forty millions of
people, and united Prussia about thirty eight
millions. They are equally matched, or
nearly SO, in numbers-being Of the same
size of the United States-and their armies
are not materially different in numbers or
effectiveness. The enthusiasm will be rs
great on one side as the other. Napoleon and
the Empire have more enemies at home than
King William, but they will not show them
selves unleasthe French armies meet with Dis
aster Such result, shou d it come early in
the war, might end the Empire, and drive
the Emperor from his throne.
France desires to have the Rhine for her
boundary line, but Prussia holds the Rhine
Provinces, on the left ami east bank. The
war will probably open there, and Prussians
will have the advantage of fighting for their
fresides and their homes. Prussia also has
the moral support Of this country, of Russia,
Spain, Italy, and probably of England. 1t
is felt that France is going to war about a
matter which did not concern her, which was
none Of her business; and that, after Prussia
withdrew the candidature Of Prince Leopold,
France ir,sulted her and attempted to humili-
ate her. But the real struggle, of course, is
for supremacy, and neither nation was at all
reluctant about going to wI.
The probable battle ground, along the
Rhine, is filed with historic places. Tx
Prussian boundary crosses the Rhine few
miles below Emmerich and continues in th<
country which France hopes to gain to neal
Rastadt. Wesel is Pr,,ssian stronghold,
| on the Rhine. The works were commenced
by Napoleon, and the garrison number.
5000 men. Dusseldorf is near, and is a
railway centre. Cologne. little farther uI
the Rhine, is also the terminus Of many rail
roads. 1t has been military point from the
days Of the Roman Empire. 1t now
has garrison of 1000 men, and clever
forts. AK Ia Chapelle is unfortified, but j.
a point Of strategic importance. The pas
sage of ST. Meneholld was called by Du
mouriez the Thermopyls Of France.
Veriun, MOntmedy, and Longwy are all
strongly fortified. The Notifications Of Metz
in France, surround city of 80, 900 inhabi
tants. Thionvillc, also on the Moselle, i
regularly fortified. The Moselle is the mos
direct line between Berlin and Paris, and
both nations have strong defences. Luxem
burg is ON the boundary line, and is one o
the strongest places in Europe stronger thar
Vicksburg or Jerusalem, the latter Of which
it is said to resemble Saarlouis is the mos
advanced Prussian fortress. for the defence o
the Rhine. Ehrenbreits0ein, opposite Cob
LEM, on the Rhine, is Its strongest defensive
point 1t will admit garrison for Il, 0Ot
men, and hold provisions for this force fol
five years. Coblenz is surrounded by strong
wall, and will hold an army of loo, 600 men
Mayence and Castel are fortified places
Gustavus Adolphus fortified this point in tn,
Thirty Years War. The Notifications o
Mannheim were destroyed in 1899. Landa,
is a fortress often captured and recaptured
Germersheim, on the Rhine, is very strongly
fortified. Palzburg and strasburg are alst
strong places. Rastadt, in Prussia, in tn,
eastern valley of the Rhine, is its most i'm
portant stronghold.
Should there be prolonged war, all o
these places will become as familiar to us a.
as they arc to history, and as our American
battle fields became during our own war
Some of them have been known to histor,
two thousand years, and the blood Of thotls
ands Of men has been spilled in their defence
The armies of two nations are now marching
to these fields and heights, and no one car
tell how soon great battle may be fought