The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-01-14
The German Siege Guns.

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The German Siege Guns.
DESCRIPTION OF rHK ARTILLERY FOR THE BON
BAKDAENr OF PARIS.
A correspondent Of the London Times,
Of December IL, furnishes the following in
teresting description Of the artillery with
which the Germans are prepared to bonn
bard Paris, and with which they are now
reGucing the forts on the east
The task Of bringing up heavy guns
from the interior Of Germany to the neigh
borhocd Of Paris has been very severe
one; and l don't think it is generally
known that it was not begun until the 9th
OF October. The Eastern Railway Of France
was not available until after the surrender
of Teul, and when that well defended little
fortress had at length capituIated, it was
necessary In various places to open the line
before it could be used throug ghout, from
Weissenburg to Nanteuil, where, until only
a few days ago, an insuperable object in
the way Of further progress toward Paris
existed in the shape of blown-up tunnel
The first transport Of siege guns from
Weissenburg-oonveyed thither from the
interior Of Germsny-tO Nanteuil was made
on the 9th of October, fortnight or 50
after the capitulation of Toul. A provis-
ional siege park, or siege park of reoeP-
ton, was formed ut Nanteull and from
Nanteuil the guns were sent on under cav
airy escort, and Ito avoid the forts) by a
very roundabout road to Villacoublay,
where the park is established for supplying
the siege batteries opposite Paris. On the
9th or 10th of October the first supply of
siege guns, fourteen in number, were de-
livered at Nanteuil, and the next day drawn
up in the park, which, BY the way, covers,
or did cover FOR nearly all that constituted
it park has now been forwarded to Paris,
a space Of twenty-five acres. During the
next nine days siege guns, chiefly Of
modern, and indeed quite recent manufac-
ture, were delivered at Nanteuil in the fol-
lowing numbers Ia, 8, IA, IA, Is, %,
IA, As, l3. Of the last Is guns, six were
rified mortars of the StrasbOurg " breach
battery" patterns, carrying 2-cwt. shells
the only thoroughly new gun that the
Prussians have introduced since the 1866
war.
Up to the Goth of October, then, 16O
siege guns had arrived at Nanteul, en-
route for Villacoublay. But before the end
Of the month, seventy more had arrived, SO
that by the 1st Of November 23O siege
guns, for the most part of the newest and
lightest make and Of the most penetrating
quality, were eithtr ut Villacoublay or on
their way to that place. IL was interesting
at that time to see the various kinds of ar
tillery collected at Nanteuil, aud not less
SO the beautifully prepared ammunition, es-
pecially the elongated and almost elegant
shells for the 2Oo-pound weight rified NOR
tars, each packed carefully in its own pc
culiar case, surrounded and protected by
hay, like bottles Of valuable old wine
When the park at Villacoublay is quite
complete (it can scarcely be SO at this mo-
ment), it will, believe, include, or will
have included. in artillery and ammu-
milton:
Fifty 5O-pound mortars, with 500 shots
each--25, 900 shots
Eighty 6-pounders, breech-loaders, $50
shots esch-6O,OOO shots.
One hundred and twenty 12-pOunders,
breech- leaders, $50 shots each-9O, OOQ
shots.
One hundred and twenty long "a pound
ers, breech-loaders, 75O shots each-9O, :
600 shots
Twenty hort 24-pounders, 6-inch guns,
1000 shots each-2O, 900 shots.
Fifv old-fashioned rs Founders, muzzle-
leaders, 500 shots each-25, 900 shots.
Six rified mortars, or 84-inch guns, de-
clared by Prussisn artillery officers to be
the most powerful mortars in existence.
These guns, made after the Strssbourg
breach battery" model, but not, rs has
been stated, forwarded from st. Peters
burg, reached Nanteuil at the end Of Oc-
tober, and were ut once sent on TO Villa
coubly. Of the 0O-pounds- weight gren-
ades or elongated shells, fired by these
guns, 200 for each had, at that time, been
received.
The transport Of heavy guns by read
from Nanteuil to Villacoublay has been one
Of the great difficulties attendant upon the
siege. The Artillerymen march we'll and
the horses pull well but some Of the guns
are very heavy, and the roads here and
there are steep, and it is very desirable in
sscorting ponderous siege train to avoid
the fire Of the Paris forts. The artiller
journey from Nanteuil to Villaccublay, as
made it a short time since, extended owe,
something like hundred miles, and occu-
pied Us four days, which was one day les'
than usual.
The METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH