The Sunday herald., 1881-03-13
FOrtiGcaiiOns OF Paris.

The difference which recent improvements
in Germany makes in the defense of cities Is shown by
the following from the Times
at was said In Louis Philippes times that the
fortihcaions of Paris were rather made to que dis
turbances within than to offer resistance To enemies
without We all know that since 1870 great
enlargemenis and notifications have been made in
these fo,tihcations. Why Paris should require
lortihcations at all has often been questioned VIENNA
Madrd Berlin, Moscow have delenses. But Paris
differs from all other capitals Of the world, Paris
Is France. Capitalization has existed through 20
many centuries that once Paris falls the mot d'Ordre
for all France Is wanting. NJ. 1enol, who has Just
written most interesting study the fertilization of
Paris commenting on this necessity of making Paris
impregnabe, says: The Importance of Paris results
from historic forces which are irresistible. Contem-
poraneons France did not create It, but Is obliged
make the best of It, In 1910 the eSpediency Of NJ
Ihers's Notifications were questioned but as the
place received practical answer In ls7O' II not for
at least the temporary check the Germans received
before Paris and the necessity they felt of reducing It,
they would have swept all over the land In irresisti.
BILE power. The wisdom of NJ. Thiers becomes quite
evident then and that later criticism which declines
to give this statement the merit Of being sound on
military topics IL fairly refued. Formerly the forts
were situated some two thousand or three thousand
yards away from the bastinoed eaceinte. To-day,
artillery has so much greater precision with increased
range that the onter circle has been moved back dis
tance of from s. 900 to Is, 900 yards. The important
three times more numerous than the Germans brought
up against Paris In 1870 to shut the city In now as
the besiegers To cover more ground comes the ad-
vantage to the besleged of concentrating attacks by
sores on particular points. In the larger forts there
are sixty new rfed steel pieces With range of 5, 900
yards The whole of the exterior forts and batteries
can he held by 20, 600 men, A German critic who
has been looking at the defenses gives the following
opinion' ON the WHOLE them we consider that five
or six forts must be taken and three four others
siencod before any elhcacions bombardment of Paris
could commence The whole effort seems to have
been on the part of the French engineers charge
to remove the enemy so Tar as 10 preclude the chance
OF placing batteries near enough to affect Paris In
Increasing the circle, which Is not large enough from
amain centre to prevent Its being armed and fought
Il necessarily angments in much larger proportion
the line OF attack on the part of the enemy, They
must invest circle of 100 miles, whereas In 1870 fifty
was the limit. The army necessary To defend Paris
would be SO 900 regulars and l2O 900 'territorals
bnt from the forces in the field no extra soldier would
be drawn. 1t is supposed that il enemy could bring
together twenty army corps Of 20, 900 men each he
might succeed In establishing blockade but then be-
fore he could reach that stage Fpinal, Befort Lam
gres, Besancon and many other strong places recently
fortified would have 10 be carried What has been
done once may he done again. but very certainly the
nut which was cracked by Moltke In 1870 will present
dlncnltes when the next gigantic struggle takes