The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-21
Five Military Roads Easy Of Defence and
Available Daily
a Military Glance at the Scene of
the Seven Years War.
The Battle Of aburZlZa-HOW II Was Fought
and the Consequences.
The Weak Points Of the Carlsts Severely Tested
by the Government Troops.

Roncesyalles, there extends across the Basque
Provinces range OF mountains. These noun tains
are really an extension OF the Pyrenees, and they
traverse the whole OF northern Spain IN line
nearly parallel to the sea coast, from which they
are about thirty miles distant. We have 70 do
with only that part OF the range lying between the
French frontier and the Ebro, and which is here
called by the different names OF the Aralar-the
Sierra de Elguea and the Sierra de Urquioto- but
which shall call for greater convenience simply
THE SIERRA DE ARALAR.
They sweep around in gentle curve to
the south, and, passing between vittoria and
Bilbao form the watershed IN which the Ebro
takes It's rise. Just north OF Pampeluna they send
o spur south, which reaches to that place, and
north OF VittorIa another, which extends
past Bilbao to the sea. South OF the
Aralar will be observed another range Of
mountains the eastern nalf Of which is called the
Sierra de Andia, the western half the Sierra de
Urbasa. They are OF a peculiar triangular shape
and with the Aralar and the spurs which they
project southwark lnclose two or three LITTLE
valleys that nave always played an important part
30 the wars OF which the country about Estelia
has been, from time immemorial, the theatre.
A GIGANTIC FORTRESS.
The first OF these is the valley OF the AraquiL As
will be seem 1t is bounded on the north by the
Aralar on the south by the Urbasa and the
these ranges project north and south and COM
plete the circle. The valley thus Enclosed Is about
tRrty-fve miles long and varies from two to EIGHT
miles In width, averaging perhaps, three miles
wide and measuring about 100 square miles in ex
tent IL is through this valley that the railroad
passes from Pampeluna 70 Yittoria. The noun
rains that shut II in are exceedingly dinicult to
cross to armies quite impossible, except by
THE ROADS
which lead over them ana which I will now
describe.
From the north there are two-rhe ono from
Tolosa TO Alsasua, the other from Tolosa 20 Irur-
sun. They both lead over difficult mountain
passes of the Aralar, through narrow denies that
are commanded by overhangng cliffs, where
few men, advantageously posted, can keep an
army at bay.
From the west there Is only the one leading from
vittoria to Pampeluna. which enters the valley OF
6aivatlerra and Is almost difficult the othsra
1t passes through the whole length OF the valley
ana energies rom It at IruIsun, thus forming an.
other entrance on the east.
This entrance Is q double one. The first IL that
by which the highway comes in: IL is a little IN
even, rolling plain about bali mile wide. and Is
by far the easiest place to force passage into the
valley. The other Is a narrow gorge, ABOUT hun
dred feet wide, where the little river Araquil
breaks through the mountain wall which hens It
In. II is bounded on either side by cliffs 300 or
400 feet high, which form literally kind or glgan-
tic gateway. TITS through this gateway that tho
railroad has been constructed.
The rfth road aud only one from tho south Is
that leading from Estella TO Alsasua. The Sierra
de Andia, over which this road passes and the
Sierra de Uroasa present a very steep ascent On
their northern slope, and this slope before reach
ing the summit, abruptly ceases and ends In a
perpendicular wall oil rock from so 30 100 feet
high, over which even goat cannot pass. This
wall EXTENDS nearly the whole distance rom
lrursun 70 salvaterra, that y the whole southern
side OF the valley. and the engineers making the
road, the only one, it Will be remembered, on the
south, found 1t easier 10 pierce this wall with a
tunnel than to get over II. IL is ssary to
remark upon the ease With which this road may
be defended. ~ ~ OF the greatest importance to
the Csrsts as 1t IL their only direct route, con-
Meeting Guipuzcoa and Navarro. No part or
Is neld by their adversaTies as are the
two others from Vera and from Irursun,
both OF which pass through Pampeuna- This little
valley or the Araquil, shut in on all SIDES by I'm
passabie mountain barriers and Doge walls OF
rock, with only the five gateways have described,
r.. therefore, a Kind OF gigantic fortress con.
structed on a grand scale by the hand OF nature
nerself-s fortress which can never De besieged,
and which can never be starved out, because IL
incloses within It's walls rich and fertile valley,
producing enough provisions to support year
Arer year. ten times the number OF men required
for It's defence. have said there are ave gate
ways leading into it; but rs TWO OF these are from
the north, aud as the whole country north Of the
Aralar to the sea coast Is hold by the Carlists,
there are really only three roads by which the
army Of Alfonso can effect an entrance They arc
the one from yittorl4, that from Pampeluna and
she one from Esteua
CONNECTION WITH THE VALLEY OF TIE AgEscoAs.
But tnis 10 not all. The Carlsts nave connected.
this valley with that OF the Amescoas Dy q noun
tain road, good enough 10 allow their artillery to
pass. | have spoken OF the Irregular triangular
mass OF mountains o. the Sierra de Urossa and
the Sierra do Anda. The eastern angle, as 1
have already SHOWN, Is near Trursun. the western
south OF vittoria. The southern angle or apex ia
Just at Estella, and there are incosed wthlo this
Hind OF triangle three iour little valleys, which
Will now describe. Two OF these-the Val de ono
and TIE Val &c Cana, In the eastern corner Of the
Sierra de Andla-are but a few miles in extent
and are only connected with the vauey OF the
Argquil by mountain patas and inaccessible TO an
army. TBey serve to enlarge tae valley OF she
Araqui and serve rs leaders to 1t.
THE AAEscoAs.
Just northwest OF Estella in the heart OF the
Sierra do Urbasa, lies the valley valleys OF the
Upoer AID Lower Amescoas. These valleys are OF
considerable extent, measuring, altogether, por-
haps hundred square miles, rich and fertile, and
they are even more completely shut In by moul-
tain walls than the Valley OF the AraquiL They
are Enclosed on the southwest BY the Monies Dc
los Amescoas, which, projecting from the Sierra
40 Urbasa south OF yttoria, extend In south
easterIy direction to point jus, north OF EsteIa
where they are ONLY separated from another,
southern spur OF the Andis by narrow gorge.
THIS narrow gorge, a hundred feet wide, is the
only gateway into tncse valleys, and even the ROAD
which passes Ia nero was not practicable for
artillery unrll. recenly made so bY the Carlisis.
The valley Is watered by streams which, tumollng
down rom the mountains, unite aud nDd their way