Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-25
A FORTIFIED CITY.
PARIS GNclRcLED BY A TRIPLE LINE
OF DEFENCES.
Safe Now, as Never Before. from ANY sue
cessful Attack. Even by an I'M
mcnse Army.
New York TimeAl


France. a political and strategical imp9r-
farce nossaesed m n ike manner by the
capital Of 10 other European state fHN
C.sf la France Is not the expression OF ~
idea. hut The assertion OF a iact, tue trulh
of which mas h'en repeatedly testlneu 10 ny
the events of history. Even the military 81
mus Of Napolrou. which shone forthso pr.l-
lautlv in the campaigu Of 1914 was untnie
To avert tho political consequences which
followed the occupation of the capital by
the allied armies. Although the Emperor
plaecl himself with l0O. 100 men across the
Communications 81 Butcher AMI ochWTt-
zeuburc. cutting them bOtn from the"
base oi -upplies. the French people rtiuseu
10 .unuorf him any longer. and the capltu- /
htion of Paris became the siIn'l l'F Ills /
own abdicAtlon. ..
We 10 not find similar consequences 70 /
have necessarily attended the tail ~ otn'l !
rrrofle.,n capi.als. The Prussiaus dill not I
weld To- the Russans IN i1t0 when heriin /
f.ll into their hands. nor the AuslTlAuS 10 4
the French when Napoleon ent req NlVun" 4
i, tQoT and avainip teOJ nor the Sphnar3S /
when Joseph Hoc3parte was. pr9clAiintA
kim I'm Madrid In 1903. nor tho hus5ishs /
whom Moscow was occupied IN lolZ' ne
crcentional position OF Paris IA OWING
10 the Government oi France being So coui-
plctelv focused IN the capital that us ocSV-
nation bv an cuemy'a force must ineNllaoy
lead 10 a collapse Of that splendid system
OF decentral'zed CONTEMPLATION Wncn
was constructed by N0polcou. ana Wolfh
wholly depends upon the c,h1r'i a. '.'
I.,,,rr-,ortol administration by the Minis
try ~ the Interior. Lett to A'nN' II ih UT. '
own DEPARTMENT. the ordinary ll'Ach
trlt.t would he helpless without th' sup
mort ~ toe Minister - Iaris, aAd even 1He
energy of a tilmbcttg failed to arc'inpuSh
tho fl.k of GOVERNING Franco when COM
muuiration with the capital had been cut
OF hy the investing Gordon Of the EeiiHau
armies. ,;.:
cel CONSIDERATIONS. which are alone sum
riart 10 give Paris great military iInI"I-
lance the situation of the place. as SHOWN
i'm tho F0rhufty RTl e7c. is und' uhie"i' al
"a poiuf Of enormous strait El'al VaH-i.,''
II IT,. III the mpotng OF the waters ot Ih'
Seine the Marine. and the Disc. the FAItS9
~ which threo river, are The main arteries
az approach for armies adNhn'luE w.
France from tine eastern ana nor ut"
frontiers of the country. The valley e" ID. -I''
Seine leads direct to the famous w
of B,lf1rt.' which lies between 1ho
Southern Vo-gos mountains and the NV
Iuro fte valley at the Mnrn" &" tor
t.9Uge between the Northern NoSgr' Ah'
tna A~1anues. anl the valley ~ me Vis'
~ he q rect hish road through helS'u''.
It's o., those valleys that every lnN3' Oi
Franc. has hitherto been made, 'uN 'h y
or.inatiou Il tine liucsot railway ara 2, 'ls
,-breh rDy lrnL from the frontiers -I""
,t... tlc. .,...o conditions which existed ln
tbe dr.s when Caesar invaded Dtul, no
I,,athef i'm 1914. 1915. and 1870, stall cNis'
IN t4eD. limo has not removed ih'fo
valleys though it has improved ihe com
uuni.qtipus along them. and Wc ia1' no
4 certain. should another Wvason on frhu',
/ take place. that Paris VIII lee apron not
. ly one " otlpr of tucSo valleys or WIN
/ J.. q-.ite likely by all OF them simuita-
Tho above considerations have led the
/ French. SINCE th- Nar of 10 H. o. i"ru-
/ ~ thcir capital on it, present coio- 4, Gale
/ f,r ,Chicn tuere is uO previous pHfth'l IN
military history. nor any existing p'fhli'i
+ m other European counttlcs. II De- t'l in-
/ ,nuI.I here o. enter into technical 'ht'-
uecrin. details. iu. 30 1'rrl l1'A ,i l-'
/ Pam. Notifications mny not peruhVs o' un-
/ interesting 90 those Who intend F.7i'iN% ,t'
/ French capital during tho course oi Tue
par,s is now girt by triple belt Of de-,
forr.s There is iu tho first place the old
,5c4Il.. twenty miles IN p'rimet'r WINCH
c.r,pi.t,ly enrirclf5 the city and w., cou-
afrprfrl nm 1910. II romans 0s n Was
. luilt-a simple parape; aud dlNii. nf1N'h
10 intervals by hast1ns ChI'nF 4IAPloH l.'
mu.hctry defence, with here 9nd mere 'il a.
uhcement for guua. Inc d,holIu'u %,
ihe Dc,pb has been frequently prop"''ll
since the construction Of the new forts. hut
It, has recently been finally decided 70 fe.
tain and even strengthen ut os per,nahrr'
lime # inner defence. Outside ih'
,nceinte are sixteen detached forts hiri
wise constructed m loD H. ana
nlarrd gt distances varying from one a.
threo miles from the walls of the town. IL
WAS with tins encaail and Oh 'e detached
forts that Tho French held Tho, Gerinans at
bay for tour months during the winner "il
1870 n. Since the var another circle Oh
fort has been added 40 distances 'Aft in~
from four 20 SIX miles from tne inner Hh'
If forts Should the German armies eve,
alan approach Paris they would ma al
thcuuSItions they took 49, an 100 already
.O0cupi.l by French defensive NOrkA.. hr9'
WORKS are arranged IN thr'e mann ul"c aa'
Nr-aM .es ou the south ana son invest
Nuecunes ON tine east. ANA ~ 'uI' oi
the north have been converted tni3 t.i r
vast cutrcuched camps, enrh oil %hlrH j.
capable OF -helt.rnE an army OF ''V9.