Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-07-12
FRONTIER DEFENSES.
How France Is Prepared tn Eepei An
Armed Invader.


If the French do not feel themselves
competent to take Berlin they feel per-
fectly safe behind their fortified places
to repel any invader. The result of Il
war between Prussia and France on
one hand and the triple alliance on
the other would be far from certain if
the two former pursued cautious pol
icy. When the Franco-Prussian war
broke out it was the intention of Louis
Napoleon to invade Southern Germany
and either take Bavaria and the other
South German States as allies or force
their neutrality. and thus isolate them
from Prussia He was anticipated By
the rapid movement of the German
army.
The policy. should another war with
Germany occur, would probably be
something as follows. presuming al
ways that the Germans would invade
the country as before. The eastern
frontier of France, and in fact all the
eastern part of the country. has been
made one great fortress. 1t strikes
the non-military mind as impregnable.
The part of the French frontier CO.
terminous with Germany-that is the
part of it between the frontiers of
Switzerland and Belgium-is about
one hundred and fifty miles
long. This is protected by a
first line of strong places fortified with
all the resources of modern engineer
ing, and connected by continuous
line of intrenched camps. There are
four of these-Belfort Epinal. Toul
and Verdon. Were these places cap
tured (and it would not be safe for an
army to leave any of them in the
rear) the invaders would find fifty
miles behind them another line of
strong places. united in similar way
by intrenched camps. These are Lam
gres Dion. Besancon. Reims. Laon and
La Ferrc. covering line naturally
longer than the first. This
is not al. There is. before reaching
Paris. another and longer line. having
Lyons at the southern end. Lille at
the northern. and between them
Arras and Cambria. These cities have.
within few years, been furnished
with strategic railroads that would en-
able the French to concentrate their
forces promptly on any given point
Suppose the invading army to have
taken the first line of fortified places
and to be near or to have partly |
passed the second. The policy of the
French would be to bring troops from
the North o. South by its strategic |
concentrate them on the |
tanks of the enemy and defeat their |
force in detail The |
situation of the invaders would |
be more and more precarious
the further they advanced toward
Paris, unless they paused to take every
fortress. which might occupy months
Of valuable time. Were Russia in the |
fight Germany could not possibly
place more than a million of men on
her western frontier. which would
be enough for defense. GER
tainly far too few to invade a country
so abundsntly fortified. 1t is quite
certain the Germans realize this. Their
military writers never fail to give the
tacts their full force in their works.
The route from the Eastern frontier
TO Paris will never be found again so
easy as in 1870 The French soldier
may not be SO we'll drilled rs the Ger.
Dan He may be smaller. but he has
he needful elan. He is inspired BY
patriotism and hatred of his enemy.
He will in the coming wars be man
,ged with caution. n policy favored
BY the perfect state Of defense IN
which the country has been placed BY
he military engineers The weak
points are Switzerland and Belgium.
Will their neutrality be respected BY
Germany in case of war? All the way
rom Berlin to Lille. by way Of Hol.
and and Belgium. the country is level
Is floor. The great battle would
hen be near Lille. which is the CEN
er Of = system of fortified cities and
orts ten miles in diameter. But
Lille once passed. there would be on
his side comparatively little in the
Eay Of defeusible places to protect =
rdyis Leiter.
Lafayette College AZ Eaton has !.
ent out 80 professors and teachers.
'early 800 civil and mining engineers.
'S2 physicians, 44S ministers and So /,
awyers Her alumni are found In ,
very State and Territory in the ,
JniOn- The new catalogue shows !
n attendance of 382 students, from |;
Eighteen States. besides Siam. Japan
nd Honduras